2025 NBA Draft Big Board 1.0
My top 75 players in the 2025 NBA Draft, ranked and tiered, as of August 1, 2024.
With the 2024 NBA Summer League concluded, we’ve officially reached the start of the 2025 NBA Draft cycle. Last season featured one of the strangest classes in recent memory, featuring no clear top prospect, minimal freshman talent and an abnormal amount of upperclassmen talent in the college scene.
This year, we’re back to a more traditional class. We’re entering the year with a consensus top prospect and a bevy of other talented freshmen (or freshman-aged prospects), and a ton of potential sleepers itching to break out.
Below, I will be listing off my top 75 prospects in the class as of August 1, 2024, with short write-ups on the top 25, as well as ten more sprinkled throughout the latter 50. The write-ups will pertain more so to why the players are where they are rather than diving into their on-court skillsets. This isn’t going to be ground-breaking analysis, it’s reasoning.
Without further adieu, here is the first edition of my 2025 NBA Draft Big Board.
Tier Zero
Cooper Flagg, Duke
Flagg belongs in a tier of his own to begin the 2025 NBA Draft cycle. This Summer he’s held a spot on the United States Olympic Men’s Basketball Select Team, and in the Winter he’ll take his talents to the most storied program in college basketball, the Duke Blue Devils.
Flagg’s incomparable combination of versatility and physical profile makes him a strong candidate for the top pick in almost every class of the last decade. He’s not generational (only one person in a generation truly is) but there’s not just one, but several, pathways to All-Star success for Flagg.
Tier One
Airious “Ace” Bailey, Rutgers
If there was going to be anybody in this class to challenge Flagg for 2025’s top pick, it would be Bailey. He doesn’t possess the same versatility or scalability as Flagg, but he has even more length, more pop off the floor and is arguably the best shot-maker in the class. I have questions about his shot selection, specifically his contested pull-ups and whether they end up being just a habit or a necessity, but the talent just exudes from Bailey.
V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
Edgecombe has secured his spot as one of the blue-chip names in the 2025 class. He pops off the screen athletically, viciously trying to throw down on anybody in his way, while also providing utility as a passer and defender. He impressed with the Bahamas Olympic team alongside NBA names like DeAndre Ayton and Buddy Hield, and will likely continue to produce with Baylor.
Nolan Traore, Saint-Quentin
Traore catapulted into the top-five conversation after his record-breaking 45-point and nine-assist performance in ANGT. As far as “pure,” more traditional, point guards go in 2025 it’s hard to make the case that anybody touches Traore. His first step and passing creativity make him the most devastating downhill threat among his peers.
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Joining Bailey at Rutgers is Harper, the smaller and more dynamic creator of the two. Harper is your prototypical two-guard with all a mixtape-style virtuoso to his ability to create and make shots. During the last high school season, he looked a little heavier than he has in the past, and thus a little slower off the bounce, but looked much better during exhibition matches like the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Tier Two
Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane
Over the past handful of years, we’ve seen a lot of seven-foot-plus players who have had major success in the NBA. Zikarsky will look to be the next in that mold, with his length, mobility and mind aiding him. He doesn’t have the alarmingly quick feet of Evan Mobley or Alex Sarr, nor the jumper of Chet Holmgren or Victor Wembanyama, but the services he provides are at a premium in this era of NBA basketball.
Liam McNeeley, UConn
Arguably the best shooter in the class, McNeeley makes almost too much sense for the defending back-to-back champion Huskies. Initially committed to Indiana, McNeeley flipped his commitment to Dan Hurley and UConn and will continue to add to the champion resumé he built at Montverde Academy. His size in combination with his dynamic shooting makes him one of the “safer” prospects in this class.
Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm
Essengue dominated in ANGT play, putting himself in conversation as one of the best overseas prospects in the 2025 class. While that title is likely going to become unachievable following Traore’s ascension, Essengue’s tools shouldn’t be doubted. He has the mobility, length and athleticism to function as a low-usage small-ball five, but the ball-handling and shot-creation willingness to dominate at the forward.
Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes
Pate is the last elite prospect to have touched the G-League Ignite program, and with it having stolen his college eligibility from him, he decided to stay in the G-League. The question with Pate lies in the jumper, not the talent. While that comes along, he has his size and playmaking to lean on, making him a legitimate point guard prospect at 6 feet 8 inches tall.
Hunter Sallis, Wake Forest
Sallis is the first non-freshman-aged prospect to find his way onto the board. Last season, he skyrocketed up boards in his first year out of Gonzaga and decided to stay in school to try and raise his stock even further. Sallis is returning to Wake Forest with an even more talented roster, and a chance to showcase his abilities even further.
Hugo Gonzalez, Real Madrid
Gonzalez initially piqued my interest in his FIBA U17 performance alongside UCLA sophomore Aday Mara. Unlike Mara, Gonzalez has decided to stay in Europe playing for the program that once housed Luka Dončić. Gonzalez has the athletic tools to score around the rim and take away passing lanes entirely, while also having strong traits as a passer.
Jalil Bethea, Miami (FL)
Simultaneously one of the funniest and most electric players in the 2025 class, Bethea possesses elite burst off the floor, flashes of playmaking and some of the most *creative* shot selection I’ve seen. The ability to play within the pace of a structured offense has yet to be seen, but he’ll be challenged in the best way with the Hurricanes.
Trent Perry, UCLA
Perry is one of the biggest sleepers in this class for me. At the Nike Elite 100 Camp, he measured 6 feet 4 inches tall with a seven-foot wingspan; impressive measurements for a true point guard. Originally committed to USC, Perry flipped his commitment to UCLA and will be primed to contribute early amidst a nearly all-new roster for the Bruins.
Zacharie Perrin, Nancy
Perrin is one of the more accomplished and versatile players in this class. At 6 feet 11 inches, no bigs in the class can run the floor as fluidly as Perrin. He puts the ball on the floor, he makes every pass and he has an elite defensive motor. Because of that, Perrin is more than deserving of his spot, much higher than consensus thinks him to be at this point.
Asa Newell, Georgia
One half of an extremely rangy and athletic freshman frontcourt duo in Athens, Georgia, Newell could be one of the best defensive players in the 2025 class. With a shot still in development on offense, Newell has made his name as a switchy, bouncy defender who covers a ton of ground and erases shots on the weak side.
Derik Queen, Maryland
Arguably the most skilled big in this class is Derik Queen. His combination of passing, strength and soft touch arguably made him a historic Montverde team’s second-best player in an undefeated season. He’ll likely contend for Big Ten Rookie of the Year with the Terrapins, but concerns regarding his defense could hinder his ability to be a top-ten pick in this class.
John “Juni” Mobley Jr.
Mobley is one of the more diverse perimeter shotmakers in the class. He has a complete arsenal of stepbacks, sidesteps and off-screen pull-ups. On top of that, his off-ball acumen is what separates him. He can sprint off screens and fire, while also acting as a decoy, setting excellent screens with great techniques to force switches and create space for himself or his teammates.
Drake Powell, North Carolina
Powell is both toolsy and skilled, yet a bit more raw than some of his peers higher up on this list. He lives in the midrange, with a deep enough bag of tricks to inspire belief that he will become willing enough from three down the line. He’ll be productive in what will likely be his only season at UNC.
Khaman Maluach, Duke
Maluach recently flashed his entire skillset against the United States for South Sudan, showing a corner three, pick-and-pop game out to about 18 feet and the defensive versatility to switch out onto some of the most dangerous perimeter scorers in the world, and hold his own relatively well. He’s a projected starter on a deep Blue Devils squad despite being just 17 years old.
Will Riley, Illinois
Riley is the most recent reclass of the 2024 high school class, having been born in February 2006. Riley’s length on the perimeter and a budding blend of shot- and play-making have led to him shooting up boards as of late. Jumping from U17 circuits right to college may come with some needed growing pains, but the talent is more than evident.
Tier Three
Mark Sears, Alabama
Sears is one of the older prospects in the class but has inarguably been one of the best point guards in college basketball for a while now. His efficiency took a massive jump in his second season with the Crimson Tide, aiding him and his team to a Final Four run this past year. His inside-the-arc scoring arsenal is reminiscent of some of the best small guards in the league today.
Ben Henshall, Perth
I recently named Henshall as one of the most underrated prospects in the 2025 draft class and it’s a take I’m going to stand by until proven otherwise. Henshall’s on-ball proficiency didn’t get a chance to shine in his first year with Perth, leading to him taking international duties with the Otago Nuggets, where he instantly turned into the most talented player in the NBL New Zealand. If opportunities align, he’ll be looking at a much bigger role back in Perth.
Tucker DeVries, West Virginia
Similar to Sears, DeVries is one of the oldest and most productive players in this class. After a productive tenure at Drake, leading the Bulldogs to two straight NCAA Tournament appearances, he followed his father to West Virginia where he’ll look to showcase his NBA skillset at the high-major level.
Kon Knueppel, Duke
Early on, Knueppel has shown that he could be a dangerous sixth man on a talented Duke team. His shooting and ability to create space with his burly-bodied bumps has proven effective in scrimmages. He’ll likely be the most steady of Duke’s wing prospects early on and fits perfectly into coach Jon Scheyer’s offensive scheme.
Tre Johnson, Texas
This might be lower than some reading this would expect Johnson to be, as he’s been projected lottery by most major outlets throughout the pre-collegiate season cycle. Johnson had a huge on-ball role at Link, yet the skillset that allowed him to produce at Link Academy will likely be limited with Texas. He’s a talented offensive weapon, but not remarkable in any area.
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