2025 NBA Draft Big Board 6.0
My top 75 players in the 2025 NBA Draft, ranked and tiered, entering the Final Four.
The NCAA Tournament has nearly concluded, meaning only the prospects on the best teams are still putting film on the table. While most of the attention is deservedly shown to the games currently playing, the brevity between actions gives way to plenty of time to catch up on the players no longer out there.
The best of the best have separated themselves, and with the transfer portal open, many are announcing their official decisions to stay, leave, or declare. With that said, here are my top 75 prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft class, ranked and placed into seven tiers. We’ll also be adding comparisons at the end of each write-up.
As always, the top 25 prospects will be free to view, all with brief write-ups, while the remaining 50 will be behind a paywall, with additional write-ups sprinkled in throughout.
Without further adieu, here is the sixth edition of my big board.
1. Cooper Flagg, Duke (—)
There hasn’t been a collegiate prospect like Flagg in the last decade-plus. He might not be Victor Wembanyama as an overall immediate superstar but throughout the year, he’s proven the infamous g-word might not be too far off the truth.
He will likely measure in 6-foot-8 in shoes with a 7-foot wingspan and a vertical that shocks the few who haven’t watched them out of their shoe, but, aside from all the tools, the on-court product exceeds just about everything. Flagg is a go-to scorer, a secondary playmaker at minimum, and a game-changing defender. Using a rookie contract to develop a player into what Flagg currently is would be a great success, but, you’re getting that in an 18-year-old with four years of making a fraction of what he’ll be worth.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Pascal Siakam, Scottie Pippen, Jayson Tatum
2. Dylan Harper, Rutgers (—)
A select few guard prospects put pressure on the rim with as much ease and at the same volume as Harper, all of whom I’ve been swooned by in scouting. A couple of names that come to mind are the wildly explosive Jaden Ivey and Jalen Green, who feasted on absurd speed and devastating posters. Harper isn’t quite like those two, and its part of the reason I’ve said he has All-NBA potential.
Harper has a uniqueness to his game in this regard. He’s not going to burn you with his first step or fly over the top of you, but his savvy and strength have made him one of the hardest players to stop when he wants to get downhill. Add his passing as a release to this pressure he puts on defenses and you have the pieces for one of the league’s best guards.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Young James Harden, Jalen Williams, big Jalen Brunson
3. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina (+4)
There isn’t a player in college basketball like Murray-Boyles. Despite carrying the load of one of the worst high-major rosters in college basketball, Murray-Boyles produced like an All-American on the stat sheet and the advanced box, while looking remarkably unique and effective on film.
He passes, he posts, he rebounds, and above all else, he defends. His detractors have pointed to his shooting as a scouting-report-defining weakness, but everything about Murray-Boyles surrounding the shooting is too good to pass up. Additionally, the touch indicators really aren’t bad, and when you have a game-changing defender and offensive utility piece, you bet on him figuring it out.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Draymond Green, Jeremy Sochan, early Metta World Peace
4. Derik Queen, Maryland (+1)
Queen sandwiched his career at Maryland with two of his most essential games: a 22-point, 20-rebound masterclass in his debut and a 27-point scoring showcase against No. 1 Florida. The first showcases the plug-and-play versatility of Queen, with his ability to make impacts as a play finisher and possession creator. The last shows his ability to hold star power and compete in doing so.
Queen’s skillset isn’t one most are asking for more of in the NBA. At 6-foot-10, with a couple of defensive shortcomings keeping him from “anchor” status, he projects more as a tough fit, especially considering his lack of outside shooting. However, the sum of Queen’s parts is much greater than the parts he lacks, with off-the-dribble scoring already prominent in his repertoire and passing a major release to the attention he draws.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Naz Reid, Alperen Sengun
5. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor (-2)
There’s just an immense amount of flair to the way Edgecombe plays basketball. Increasingly savvy dives to the paint, often resulting in highlight dunks and exhibitions of cat-like reactions on the defensive end, creating transition opportunities. He isn’t perfect — the shot will probably start slow at the next level and he’ll likely be limited to straight-line drives off closeouts until his handle improves to creator levels — but he’s really, really good.
If anything, the detractors in recent years of players like Amen and Ausar Thompson, and even Matas Buzelis, has proven athleticism is an underrated key to success at the next level. Shooting, of course, is important, and Edgecombe has proven himself to be a passable catch-and-shooter at the least, but it’s his athleticism that will get him in the door, carving out a pathway to stardom.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Mini-Matas with a Thompson symbiote, a wolverine
6. Khaman Maluach, Duke (-3)
The slight knock to Maluach’s stock from the last big board is a mere adjustment, not due to a dip in performance. He’s actually been playing his best basketball in March. Maluach is an incredible offensive rebounder, play-finisher and defensive piece.
He’s not perfect, with a lack of verticality and strength making him an imperfect rim protector who struggles to contest effectively through contact, but his tools make him impactful nonetheless. Currently, his biggest defensive strength is his ability to sit down on would-be mismatches on the perimeter, never conceding anything easy to even the best creators.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Rudy Gobert, Dereck Lively II
7. Thomas Sorber, Georgetown (+2)
There wasn’t a bigger blind-siding freshman than Sorber, who grabbed the attention of NBA draft circles online immediately with impressive performances. The four-star recruit was a riser out of high school and a riser in the NCAA. He has all the tools, mental and physical, to be an impact player in the NBA, starting on the defensive end.
Sorber is one of the most productive defenders in the class, averaging 3.5 stocks (steals and blocks) per game in his freshman season. His ability to process has made him just as capable of making plays offensively as he is on defense, with his size being the perfect vehicle to allow him to dominate the glass and get position under the basket.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Jarrett Allen, Al Horford, Taj Gibson
8. Kon Knueppel, Duke (+12)
It’s become impossible to keep Knueppel out of lottery conversations, whether it’s top 14, top 10, or even top five. Throughout the season, he’s turned himself into a comfortable mismatch scorer, using strength and balance to maximize his scoring touch.
He’s too strong for guards, bullying his way in for short jumpers and layups, and too quick for centers, being able to shake them off with deceptive speed, an array of pivots and a great handle. Additionally, his passing has evolved, turning into a pseudo-point guard in Duke’s Flagg-centric offense. He’ll be hunted on defense, but his skill on the offensive end is too much to pass up.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Devin Booker, mini Cameron Johnson, Max Strus
9. Noah Penda, Le Mans (-1)
Penda is the unheralded, foreign wing who has burrowed his way into my heart as a surefire top-10 guy despite the consensus seeming to view him as more of a late-first-round kind of guy. However, there’s just too much to like from where I’m looking.
Penda’s huge. 6-foot-8 and 230 pounds is nothing to scoff at, and yet, he’s most comfortable absolutely demolishing advantages on the defensive end. No two-on-one action is safe in front of him, and his motor keeps him in play from all spots on the floor. On top of it, he’s a really good positional passer with a flair for fitting in. He sets screens, shoots catch-and-shoot threes and cuts to the basket, allowing for smooth offense.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Boris Diaw, Bruce Brown, late-career Victor Oladipo
10. Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois (-4)
Jakucionis has left little to the imagination of scouts, for better or worse, leaving a bad taste in mouths as he did. His last four games were a handful of his worst, shooting 32.5% from the field, 22.7% from three and averaging 6.0 turnovers per game.
The Lithuanian started the year strong, though, and was the driving force behind an excellent Illinois season with his passing creativity and ever-increasing confidence as a pull-up jump shot artist, but, the growing pains were on full display.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Goran Dragic, Caris LeVert, Jason Williams
11. Tre Johnson, Texas (+2)
There’s a lot to be desired with Johnson in my eyes, but two things stand out above the rest: shooting and confidence. It’s hard to deny the “it” factor with how Johnson carries himself. He knows he’s the best player on the court, or at least thinks it, and every shot he takes comes off like he feels it was the best shot available.
For now, Johnson is defined by those shots. His lack of strength, burst and flexibility as a handler de-habilitates his ability to generate deep paint touches and create advantages for teammates (see graph below). He finds himself on the lower end of high usage players in terms of points in the paint, leaving a good bit of scoring versatility on the table.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Malik Beasley, Luke Kennard, Gary Trent Jr.
12. Danny Wolf, Michigan (-2)
Wolf is the most unique seven-footer we’ve seen in a while. He’s a pick-and-roll ball handler above else, with great vision and a flair for the step-back, doing so with enough efficiency for it to be considered a strength.
He’s not the best defender, although not without trying. He simply lacks verticality as part of his athletic tool set. There’s a world where that keeps him from ever getting two feet into the league, however, the offensive skill set is second to none at his height.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Budget Franz Wagner, Aleksej Pokusevski
13. Jase Richardson, Michigan State (+4)
There aren’t many shooters in this class better than Richardson, and that didn’t change when he earned the alpha spot in Michigan State’s offense late into the season. He’s a functional athlete, with a handle dynamic enough to get to his spots and a shot worthy of respect in all settings.
He might not have the passing valve to his game that shoots him into All-Stardom, but his scoring skillset should push him into a rotation regardless.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Tyler Herro, Jared McCain, Kendrick Nunn
14. Ace Bailey, Rutgers (-2)
There are a couple of guys directly above him who will likely find themselves struggling to get into a spot Bailey will be guaranteed from the jump. However, is that a measure of who’s the best, or simply who needs to be better? Bailey’s limitations have been written about at length.
He’s a contact-adverse handler who doesn’t have much of a passing gene and lacks awareness as an off-ball defender. The shooting is hard to deny, especially at 6-foot-9, and there’s a good bit of on-ball scoring upside, but without the ancillary skills, he might end up struggling to keep that guaranteed spot.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Michael Porter Jr., Kelly Oubre, Rodney Hood
15. Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma (+18)
There’s a certain unique dynamicism to Fears’ game that I’ve just grown to love after flip-flopping all season low. From a statistical perspective, he’s a high-usage, low-box plus-minus guy, which isn’t a huge indicator of success, but occasionally, guys slip through the cracks.
Fears could be one of those guys. His on-a-string handle and explosive first step make up for the lack of shooting from the outside. You’d still like to see it come around, but it seems like a “when” rather than “will” kind of issue.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Cole Anthony, Keyonte George
16. Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm (+2)
Essengue is easy to love when you really dive into the film. He’s fully grown into a new player, even since winning MVP at ANGT Dubai last year. While skinny, he’s one of the most physical players in the class, drawing free throws at an immense rate. While an off-ball piece, he’s developed over time as a passer.
He’s not without his shortcomings — he’s not an outside shooter and could stand to use his tools better on the defensive end — but a great motor, and above that, a great track record of development, will get him in the door.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Al Farouq-Aminu, rookie year Giannis Antetokounmpo
17. Labaron Philon, Alabama (-6)
I’m convinced I’ll have Philon too low in about a year and a half. He knifes to the lane like a seasoned game manager, playing bigger than his remarkably thin frame suggests he should be able to. His passing gene, and ability to just feel for openings, is also advanced.
But, then there’s the shooting. He’s improved throughout the season, sure, and whether “bad misses” are genuinely a thing is highly debatable, but if it were, Philon’s probably toward the top of the class. There’s a strong sense within me that it will curve positively, but, I think it’s worth holding back enthusiasm to a degree.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Gen-Z Rajon Rondo, Ish Smith, rookie MCW
18. Yaxel Lendeborg, Alabama-Birmingham (+12)
Lendeborg was putting up All-NBA stat lines down the stretch for UAB. A 30-point, 20-rebound near-triple-double/five-by-five? Sure. Many such cases with him. It’s just a ridiculous skill set for a player his size, who’s still unafraid to go coast-to-coast and put the big man on a poster.
Lendeborg’s role at the next level is simple: control the possession game with rebounds and turnovers. However, the area for growth is there. He’s a massively improved passer and has even shown a proclivity for size-up isolation scoring. He’s older but will have a foot in the door, assuming he declares.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Juiced-up Tristan Thompson, Wendell Carter Jr.
19. Bennett Stirtz, Drake/Iowa (+40)
Stirtz established himself as one of America’s guys in the postseason. Rarely subbing out and scoring 20-plus more often than not (including a one-legged 3-pointer just for fun), he went from “Cool, but maybe not NBA,” to, “Yeah, league him.”
He’ll test the draft waters, and probably do well, but if he elects not to, he has a chance to raise his stock reasonably further at Iowa in a run-it-back style season with the coach that helped him get to this point.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Tyus Jones, Monte Morris, Ty Jerome
20. Walter Clayton Jr., Florida (N/A)
Clayton has just been electric. Some of the most absurd shot-making you’ll ever see has been on display in his run through the NCAA Tournament, which is still ongoing. He has this air of competitive volatility about him that excites and the “f*ck you” quality to the shot he makes only compacts that.
Sure, he’s a little small and a bit older but possesses decent burst for what he brings to the table, and as I’ve said a couple of times already, he’s just a nutty shot-maker when he’s feeling it.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Collin Sexton, Anfernee Simons
21. Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s (—)
I still maintain how cool Fleming’s physical tools are, but, upon diving further into film, there’s a functionality that I may have missed. He has excellent footwork on his limited driving attempts that could end up raising his ceiling further.
His floor is incredible — toolsy on defense with an incredibly hot motor, AND a 40 percent rate from three-point range this past season. If you’re looking for a highlight reel, Fleming is your guy.
Reminds me a little bit of…
John Collins, Matas Buzelis
22. Johni Broome, Auburn (-6)
Can I explain why Broome’s fallen six spots since the last time? Not really. Just, upon diving into film on some of the players that jumped him, he became a victim of circumstance. Besides that, he’s an incredible player.
College basketball’s National Player of the Year-caliber bigs are starting to develop a track record. However, Broome has a far more diverse skill set than his predecessors. He’s one of the more advanced passers out of the post in the last handful of years, and has the scoring skillset to compliment it perfectly.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Old-school Kevin Love, pre-leg break Jusuf Nurkic
23. Alex Condon, Florida (-1)
Still very much a huge Condon fan. He’s just really cool. Not the standout guy for Florida by any means, that belongs to Clayton, and as far as prospects with momentum go, Thomas Haugh makes a good case to be the second-hottest player on the roster. However, Condon brings a combination of size and elite production that the two alone don’t bring.
He’s improved everywhere. He controls the possession game, generates easy points on the glass and at the free-throw line, and has even shown utility as a slasher and shooter when given enough space. On defense, he’s incredibly fluid, and while not a primary rim protector, is certainly serviceable in the role.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Mark Williams, Maxi Kleber, Aaron Gordon
24. Asa Newell, Georgia (-10)
Newell hasn’t been super heralded since his impressive start to his collegiate career. He ended up showing exactly what many of his more critical fans thought him to be coming out of Montverde — someone who was destined to be a lower-usage big with great tools, but an imperfect utilization of them.
He didn’t shoot it well, didn’t pass it well, and his pick-and-roll defense was only impressive on occasion. Despite that, his tools will get him in the door. He’s an electric athlete at 6-foot-not-11 (do we actually believe that?) with an impressive engine. The willingness to try it from the outside is a plus, but you need more at the next level.
Reminds me a little bit of…
Jarred Vanderbilt, Jonathan Kuminga
25. Nique Clifford, Colorado State (+7)
Older guys who handle high usage well and possess a good developmental track record are a personal favorite of mind. Historically, that’s just a set of qualifiers that scales down well, and can scale up when necessary. It’s hard to be a role player at the next level if you were a role player at the lower levels, and Clifford was anything but a role player.
Going from a non-shooter to leading the Mountain West in off-the-dribble makes was one thing. Doing it at the highest level of college basketball, nearly forcing a trip to the Sweet 16 was another. Clifford became a fan favorite overnight, and will only continue to impress.
Reminds me a little bit of…
An amalgamation of the Knicks’ wings
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