2025 NBA Mock Draft: Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach go in top 10 dominated by Duke stars
The Blue Devils dominate the early part of Gary Parrish's final mock draft
By
Gary Parrish
•
1 min read
The week of the NBA Draft has finally arrived.
Suddenly, everything is not about former Duke star Cooper Flagg, who will obviously be selected first overall Wednesday shortly after commissioner Adam Silver takes the stage at the Barclays Center in New York. We've known that for more than a year. But one thing that's less certain now, and the thing that's getting most of the attention, is whether Ace Bailey will slip outside of the top five following a predraft process that's featured zero team-workouts.
The man advising Bailey is Omar Cooper, an ex-convict who isn't even a certified agent. Needless to say, it's unusual for an elite prospect to put his career in the hands of a person who can accurately be described that way. But that's precisely what Bailey has done, for better or worse, and now most seem to believe he could fall to Washington at No. 6 after turning down invitations to work out from multiple franchises picking in the top five.
The difference between being selected, say, third and sixth in the 2025 NBA Draft is roughly $6 million over the first two years of a rookie contract. That's not nothing. And it's why some observers are baffled by Bailey's moves in advance of the draft (though he clearly isn't the first prospect comfortable going lower if it's to a desired location, as Washington appears to be for Bailey).
Ace Bailey is taking a calculated -- and dangerous -- risk with his NBA future
Kyle Boone
Either way, keep an eye on that Wednesday.
Flagg will go first. Dylan Harper will likely follow. And then the focus will quickly turn to Bailey, the player once believed to be the biggest threat to Flagg's case as the draft's best prospect who could now go as high as No. 3 or as low as No. 7.
Mock Draft
Round 1
Round 1 - Pick 1
For more than a year, there's never really been any doubt about which player will go No. 1 in the 2025 NBA Draft. It was always going to be Flagg, the one-and-done star at Duke who led the Blue Devils in all five major individual categories while becoming the youngest Wooden Award winner in history. High ceiling. High floor. It's hard to imagine Flagg not being a high-level NBA player for more than a decade.
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Round 1 - Pick 2
Harper is the consensus No. 2 prospect in this draft and thus should be the second player selected even if he's not a perfect fit on a roster already featuring De'Aaron Fox and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. As others have noted, that could lead to San Antonio shopping the pick to franchises more in need of a lead guard with nice positional size. So keep an eye on that. Either way, no matter which franchise selects second, Harper is likely to be the pick.
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Round 1 - Pick 3
Some believe Philadelphia could move this pick for a veteran given where former MVP Joel Embiid is in his career. That's understandable. But if the Sixers do execute the pick, they shouldn't let the presence of talented young guards like Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain on their roster steer them away from Johnson, the player I believe is the third best prospect available. The one-and-done standout from Texas led all freshmen in scoring while shooting 39.7% from 3-point range on 6.8 attempts per contest. Impressive numbers, all around. And most of them are the type of numbers that should translate to the next level.
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Round 1 - Pick 4
The Hornets went from having as good of odds as anybody to land Flagg and keep him 150 miles from where he starred at Duke to sliding to fourth in this draft. That's bad luck. But they'll still have an opportunity to land a difference-maker -- among them Edgecombe, who is a top-shelf and explosive athlete capable of creating posters in transition. He's the type of prospect who is both safe and filled with upside after helping Baylor make what was a sixth straight trip to the NCAA Tournament.
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Round 1 - Pick 5
Fears is set to join the relatively short list of one-and-done lottery picks who were ranked outside of the top 60 of their high school classes. His unique ability to change speeds and keep defenders off balance is too much to ignore even if his subpar 3-point percentage is a source of concern for some front offices.
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Round 1 - Pick 6
Bailey's unusual predraft process — he still hasn't worked out for any franchises — will likely lead to him being selected lower than he otherwise would've, all of which is reportedly the work of his agent, Omar Cooper, who is an ex-convict and not even a certified agent. It's easy to understand why some have questioned the decision. But if you can get past all of the nonsense, Bailey is clearly a top-five prospect in this draft, and Washington would be fortunate to watch him slip this far.
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Round 1 - Pick 7
Knueppel was mostly excellent through Duke's run to the Final Four, averaging 19.0 points while shooting 63.6% from beyond the arc. He's an elite shooter, obviously, but far from only a shooter — and anybody labeling him as little more than a catch-and-shoot threat is wildly underestimating Knueppel's versatility as a player who projects as a nice building block for a New Orleans franchise forever in search of floor-spacers to put alongside Zion Williamson.
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Round 1 - Pick 8
Maluach's otherwise great freshman year concluded horribly with a zero-rebound effort in 21 minutes during Duke's season-ending loss to Houston. But that was just one game against an older and stronger team, and it shouldn't sour front offices too much on an 18 year-old who can move unusually well for a man his size and serve as a true center in a league that is starting to prioritize them again.
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Round 1 - Pick 9
Queen is a super-interesting forward who offsets some of his physical limitations with incredible skill and above-average smarts. He hit the buzzer-beater against Colorado State that sent Maryland to the Sweet 16, scored 27 against the eventual national champion (Florida) and solidified himself in the NCAA Tournament as an intriguing lottery option.
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From
Houston Rockets
Round 1 - Pick 10
The Suns don't seem to think they're rebuilding after the Kevin Durant trade — but they probably are and should simply take the best building block available. In my mind, that's Bryant. These 2025 NBA Playoffs should've reminded everybody how much great 3-and-D wings impact winning in the postseason. Bryant has the tools to become one and should be selected accordingly regardless of his limited role as a freshman at Arizona.
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Round 1 - Pick 11
The Trail Blazers were a below-average defensive team this past season. Murray-Boyles could help alleviate that issue. Yes, he's a non-shooting and undersized front-court piece, which makes him a somewhat divisive prospect. But the two-year player from South Carolina is impactful in multiple ways on both ends of the court, and his feel for the game, instincts and defensive versatility have many evaluators on board with the 19 year-old being a lottery pick.
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Round 1 - Pick 12
What Jakucionis lacks in explosiveness he makes up for with his diverse skillset and high basketball IQ. The Lithuanian only shot 31.8% from 3-point range in one season at Illinois; that shouldn't be ignored. But Jackucionis has previously shown to be a more reliable shooter than he largely demonstrated with the Illini and could develop into a nice piece for a Chicago franchise heading into Year 6 under coach Billy Donovan.
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From
Sacramento Kings
Round 1 - Pick 13
Demin is a backcourt player with tremendous size — but one who turned it over 2.9 times per game this season, which should be at least a little concerning for franchises viewing him as a ball-in-his-hands guard. The 3-point percentage is also an issue. So it's easy to understand why the one-and-done freshman from Russia is a divisive prospect, but there's still little chance he goes much lower than the middle of the first round.
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From
Atlanta Hawks
Round 1 - Pick 14
It remains unclear if San Antonio will use both lottery picks or make a move. As always, we'll see. But if the Spurs do make this pick, McNeeley is a nice option. He only shot 31.7% from 3-point range in his one year at UConn — but scouts are largely unconcerned and still view him as a strong-shooting wing at the next level. An ankle sprain cost him more than a month of his season, but McNeeley showed enough while on the court to convince evaluators he's worthy of being selected in the lottery.
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From
Miami Heat
Round 1 - Pick 15
Sorber seemed ahead of schedule for a one-and-done prospect before suffering a season-ending left-foot injury on Feb. 15. Regardless, he did enough in 24 games to show he'd either spend next season as a Big East Player of the Year candidate or as a rookie in the NBA. The foot-injury is concerning, if only because big men with foot injuries don't have the best stories. But Sorber should still go in the first round of this draft and could provide frontcourt depth for an OKC franchise that pretty much has everything.
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From
Orlando Magic
Round 1 - Pick 16
Coward committed to Duke before performing well at the combine, at which point he opted to remain in the draft. It looks like a wise decision for the 6-6 guard who is arguably the biggest winner of the predraft process after shooting 40% from 3-point range in six appearances for Washington State before a shoulder injury sidelined him in late November. The fact that Coward is an older player shouldn't be viewed as a detriment in Memphis considering the Grizzlies are still trying to compete in the Western Conference with Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., point being an older player like Coward should be better equipped than most teenagers to make an impact quickly.
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From
Detroit Pistons
Round 1 - Pick 17
Wolf moved from the Ivy League to the Big Ten and, statistically, arguably performed even better. The 7-footer has guard skills and is a better defender than some realize. He could add frontcourt versatility to a Minnesota franchise that's led by Anthony Edwards and set up to compete in the West for the foreseeable future.
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From
Memphis Grizzlies
Round 1 - Pick 18
 
Joan Beringer
C
France
• 6'11"
/ 230 lbs
Beringer is a frontcourt prospect with a 7-4 wingspan who provides defensive versatility and the ability to rim-protect. Is he ready to contribute in the NBA next season? Probably not. But there's a lot to like with this 18 year old who could be a building block for a Washington franchise that hasn't advanced in the playoffs since 2017.
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From
Milwaukee Bucks
Round 1 - Pick 19
Richardson didn't emerge as a starter at Michigan State until halfway through the season but quickly showed himself to be the team's most dynamic scorer. He's the son of 14-year NBA veteran Jason Richardson, which is viewed as a positive among NBA front offices. The combo guard is a high-energy prospect with the type of basketball IQ children of players often possess.
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Round 1 - Pick 20
Clifford is older than the type of prospects some front offices prefer to select with top-20 picks — but he checks a lot of other boxes. Good positional size? Yes. A competent shooter? Yes. Versatile defender? Yes. He could be the next nice NBA player to emerge from the Mountain West Conference.
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Round 1 - Pick 21
 
Hugo Gonzalez
SF
Spain
• 6'6"
/ 205 lbs
Gonzalez hasn't played or produced much for Real Madrid this season, which is mostly the byproduct of being a 19 year old on a first-place team in a legitimate professional league. But the athleticism and high-motor that's made him an intriguing prospect for years still exists and will likely be enough to get Gonzalez selected in the first round.
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From
Los Angeles Lakers
Round 1 - Pick 22
Can Newell keep the floor spaced as a legitimate 3-point threat? If so, he should go higher. If not, he should go lower. Either way, that's the swing-skill for the one-and-done prospect who could be a nice addition for an Atlanta franchise that hasn't won a playoff series since 2021.
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From
Indiana Pacers
Round 1 - Pick 23
 
Noa Essengue
PF
France
• 6'9"
/ 194 lbs
Essengue is a French prospect with great positional size. As one of the youngest players available, he's a long-term bet. But if the shot develops, and the defensive versatility becomes undeniable, the 18 year old could be a steal at this point in the draft.
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From
Los Angeles Clippers
Round 1 - Pick 24
 
Nolan Traore
PG
France
• 6'5"
/ 175 lbs
Traore does enough good things with the ball in his hands to secure a spot in the first round— but his inefficiency and lack of shooting are nonstarters for some front offices. At 18, there are still many years of development for the French native. But that should be of little concern for an OKC franchise well-positioned to take big swings on prospects.
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From
Denver Nuggets
Round 1 - Pick 25
Clayton was the star of Florida's national title run while averaging 22.3 points on 43.5% shooting from beyond the arc in those six NCAA Tournament games. There are concerns about his decision-making and approach to defense, but the Most Outstanding Player of the 2025 Final Four is such a skilled and unique shotmaker that he's worthy of a serious look this deep in the first round for a Magic franchise seemingly ready to compete in a wide-open Eastern Conference.
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From
New York Knicks
Round 1 - Pick 26
Riley didn't get as much attention as some other freshmen — but he was a reliable double-digit scorer for an NCAA Tournament team from start to finish. At Illinois, the long-and-lean wing showed playmaking ability. But the jumper is still more streaky than reliable, and he also needs to add strength.
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From
Houston Rockets
Round 1 - Pick 27
The combine proved that Fleming is a little taller than 6-8 (barefoot) with a wingspan a little better than 7-5. Those measurements are great for somebody who also shot 39% from 3-point range on 4.5 attempts per game as a 20 year-old, and that's among the reasons Fleming should go in the lottery despite mostly operating off of the national radar in three seasons at Saint Joseph's.
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Round 1 - Pick 28
Raynaud improved statistically in four straight years at Stanford — going from somebody who averaged 4.5 points as a freshman to somebody who averaged 20.2 as a senior. His ability to stretch the floor and pass at his size are considered strengths and could be useful for a Brooklyn franchise that ranked 25th in 3-point shooting this season.
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From
Cleveland Cavaliers
Round 1 - Pick 29
 
Ben Saraf
PG
Israel
• 6'6"
/ 201 lbs
Saraf is another international prospect with nice positional size. Concerns about his shooting and athleticism should keep him out of the lottery — but there's enough pick-and-roll playmaking ability already in place to ensure his name is called in this range, either late Wednesday or early Thursday.
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Round 1 - Pick 30
Kalkbrenner is a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He's far from what anybody would call a modern NBA center. But if Zach Edey went in the top 10 of the 2024 NBA Draft, there's no reason Kalkbrenner can't go in the top 30 of the 2025 NBA Draft.
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