We're finally gaining more clarity surrounding the 2025 NBA Draft. With less than a week left to go, the withdrawal deadline has passed, workouts are well underway, and more intel is being released on what certain teams are expected to do with their picks.
This is shaping up to be a bizarre draft class. On the one hand, you have a generational prospect in Cooper Flagg, and other overlooked names have star potential beyond just the headliner. But on the other hand, the NIL money and lack of guaranteed deals for second-round picks have caused a significant talent disparity after the first round. In other words, it's strong... until it's not.
The Portland Trail Blazers picked an ideal year not to have a second-round pick. But they also picked a bad year to not tank for a coveted top draft pick. In this latest mock draft, our top two realistic options for Portland, Noa Essengue and Kasparas Jakucionis, are off the table. They're forced to pivot, taking a high-upside swing on Arizona's Carter Bryant.
2025 NBA Mock Draft: First-round projections for all 30 picks
Here is how the rest of the first round unfolds:
Pick | Team | Player | School | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Dallas Mavericks | Cooper Flagg | Duke | F |
2 | San Antonio Spurs | Dylan Harper | Rutgers | G |
3 | Philadelphia 76ers | V.J. Edgecombe | Baylor | SG |
4 | Charlotte Hornets | Ace Bailey | Rutgers | F |
5 | Utah Jazz | Tre Johnson | Texas | SG |
6 | Washington Wizards | Kon Knueppel | Duke | G/F |
7 | New Orleans Pelicans | Jeremiah Fears | Oklahoma | G |
8 | Brooklyn Nets | Khaman Maluach | Duke | C |
9 | Toronto Raptors | Noa Essengue | Ratiopharm Ulm | F |
10 | Houston Rockets (via PHX) | Kasparas Jakucionis | Illinois | G |
11 | Portland Trail Blazers | Carter Bryant | Arizona | F |
12 | Chicago Bulls | Derik Queen | Maryland | C |
13 | Atlanta Hawks (via SAC) | Collin Murray-Boyles | South Carolina | PF |
14 | San Antonio Spurs (via ATL) | Cedric Coward | Washington St. | G/F |
15 | Oklahoma City Thunder (via MIA) | Egor Demin | BYU | G |
16 | Memphis Grizzlies (via ORL) | Nique Clifford | Colorado St. | G/F |
17 | Minnesota Timberwolves (via DET) | Thomas Sorber | Georgetown | C |
18 | Washington Wizards (via MEM) | Asa Newell | Georgia | PF/C |
19 | Brooklyn Nets (via MIL) | Jase Richardson | Michigan St. | G |
20 | Miami Heat (via GSW) | Nolan Traore | Saint-Quentin | PG |
21 | Utah Jazz (via MIN) | Liam McNeeley | UConn | SF |
22 | Atlanta Hawks (via LAL) | Joan Beringer | KK Cedevita Junior | C |
23 | Indiana Pacers | Danny Wolf | Michigan | C |
24 | Oklahoma City Thunder (via LAC) | Rasheer Fleming | Saint Joseph's | PF |
25 | Orlando Magic (via DEN) | Walter Clayton Jr. | Florida | PG |
26 | Brooklyn Nets (via NYK) | Noah Penda | Le Mans Sarthe | F |
27 | Brooklyn Nets (via HOU) | Will Riley | Illinois | G/F |
28 | Boston Celtics | Drake Powell | North Carolina | SF |
29 | Phoenix Suns (via CLE) | Maxime Raynaud | Stanford | C |
30 | Los Angeles Clippers (via OKC) | Ben Saraf | Ratiopharm Ulm | G |
Notable selections
Blazers take Carter Bryant at No. 11
We previously had Carter Bryant pegged as a player the Blazers should avoid because of concerns surrounding whether his 37.1 three-point percentage at Arizona was misleading (he shot just 69.5 percent from the charity stripe, which is oftentimes a better indicator). But we've since bought back in.
Bryant still isn't our favorite prospect, but the fit with Portland is undeniable. The Blazers have a newfound identity with Toumani Camara and Deni Avdija, and Bryant would help add to that versatile forward group. Portland needs more forward depth, especially if they somehow find a way to offload Jerami Grant's contract.
Bryant fits their long-term vision and would provide Portland with a valuable 3-and-D wing. He was also underutilized in Arizona, playing less than 20 minutes per game. That suggests there may be an upside for more with an increased role, especially if he improves as an on-ball creator.
Thunder take Egor Demin at No. 15
The NBA Finals have shown that the Thunder need more shooting this offseason. So Egor Demin, who shot 27 percent from three at BYU, may be viewed as a questionable pick from a fit standpoint.
But is that actually the case?
Think about the Thunder's past selections of Josh Giddey and Nikola Topić. Clearly, general manager Sam Presti, who is light years ahead of everyone else in the league, values a specific player archetype that Demin fits the mold of. In fact, their entire team consists of versatile players who have high IQs and are capable playmakers.
There's a skill overlap, but that's precisely the strength of the Thunder and what separates them from the rest of the league (in addition to their historical defense). Presti may not be able to help himself if yet another player of that type comes around at No. 15.
With an offseason move inevitably on the horizon due to their roster crunch, it makes sense for the Thunder to stockpile assets they value and figure the rest out later, as they have consistently done in the past.
Hawks take Joan Beringer at No. 22
The Hawks are rumored to take a center with one of their first-round picks as a replacement for free agent Clint Capela. The intriguing center options later in the first round should give the Hawks more freedom to take the best available prospect at No. 13, especially given the tier gap between Derik Queen and the next-best big man.
At pick No. 22, they land a potential steal in Joan Beringer. He's a raw but exciting prospect with the physical tools to fill the lob threat void Capela offered Trae Young, with even more defensive upside in terms of his switchability.
Atlanta has an underrated young core forming with Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels, Onyeka Okongwu, and former No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher. That timeline should give them a reason to be patient when bringing along a developmental flier such as Beringer.