2025 NBA Draft Class

[CptCrunch]

This class stinks. I tried doing a mock draft for the first time in a month or so and struggled to fill out the entire first round. After like pick 18 I was reaching hard.

There was no Cooper Flagg in the 2024 draft, but the depth of that class seemed a lot better than this one. Flagg is great, Harper is decent enough, but after those two - who?

The 2nd and 3rd best prospects in this class teaming up and not even posting a winning record is a really bad look. I know the coaching was a mess but that should have been enough to do better.

This is a big issue; even if Rutgers only had warm bodies; difficult to not criticize Harper and Ace for not carrying Rutgers to a tourney bid given they are NBA players who both project to be all-star by year 4 in the medina case, at least based on draft position.

I'm not holding Rutgers' failure against them right now, but if one/both fails, you know people are gonna bring this up. "Look, everyone should have seen this coming, Ace being that Jabari/Miller clone with bad advanced stats, questionable shots, no handles. Harper not being able to carry his team to the tourney as #1 pick type of player."

[SeattleJazzFan]

Size. Clayton also can play without the ball and would play well off of a dominant wing/big facilitator, while Sears is useless off the ball. Clayton is 6'3. Sears is 5'10.

yeah, no. clayton not that big (he's tiny) and sears not that small. they are going to measure nearly identical height.

Mark Sears
Measured: 5′ 10.25” barefoot, 192.4 lbs, 6′ 2.00” wingspan, 8′ 8” standing reach, 32 standing vert, 39 max vert at the 2024 NBA Draft Combine

Walter Clayton Jr
Measured 6′ 2.50” barefoot, 8′ 1.50” standing reach, 188.8 lbs, 6′ 4.25” wingspan, 28.5 standing vert, 37.5 max vert at the 2024 NBA G-League Combine

This happened last year. So Sears grew and Clayton shrunk in a year?

i wonder why nba.com doesn't list them in their combine measurements. perhaps because they didn't ultimately enter the draft?

either way, if those are accurate, i stand corrected. 6'2.5 without shoes is quite good for Clayton.

[Chuck Everett]

i wonder why nba.com doesn't list them in their combine measurements. perhaps because they didn't ultimately enter the draft?

either way, if those are accurate, i stand corrected. 6'2.5 without shoes is quite good for Clayton.

They will both have to be re-measure at this year's combine (mandatory), so that is more than likely why not.

[Jadoogar]

I don't follow the draft until after the tourney (and i know where the raptors are drafting) but just taking a look at the mock drafts, are there no top international prospects this year? Seems strange
NBA draft.net has 3 guys from france projected in the latter half of the first round.

[BigGargamel]

I don't follow the draft until after the tourney (and i know where the raptors are drafting) but just taking a look at the mock drafts, are there no top international prospects this year? Seems strange
NBA draft.net has 3 guys from france projected in the latter half of the first round.

Nobody at the very top, but there could be quite a few international guys taken in the first round.

Noe Essengue (in play from about pick 5 on)
Nolan Traore
Ben Saraf
Sergio de Larrea
Hugo Gonzalez
Noah Penda
Joan Beringer (maybe)
Rocco Zikarsky (maybe)
Alex Toohey (maybe)

[FarBeyondDriven]

I don't follow the draft until after the tourney (and i know where the raptors are drafting) but just taking a look at the mock drafts, are there no top international prospects this year? Seems strange
NBA draft.net has 3 guys from france projected in the latter half of the first round.

yeah, it's a weak international class compared to last year which had 1/3 of the players drafted foreign born. It still has a few though. This seems heavy with freshmen but of course we don't know how many of them will be returning so that could change.

[tmorgan]

This class stinks. I tried doing a mock draft for the first time in a month or so and struggled to fill out the entire first round. After like pick 18 I was reaching hard.

There was no Cooper Flagg in the 2024 draft, but the depth of that class seemed a lot better than this one. Flagg is great, Harper is decent enough, but after those two - who?

The 2nd and 3rd best prospects in this class teaming up and not even posting a winning record is a really bad look. I know the coaching was a mess but that should have been enough to do better.

This is a big issue; even if Rutgers only had warm bodies; difficult to not criticize Harper and Ace for not carrying Rutgers to a tourney bid given they are NBA players who both project to be all-star by year 4 in the medina case, at least based on draft position.

I'm not holding Rutgers' failure against them right now, but if one/both fails, you know people are gonna bring this up. "Look, everyone should have seen this coming, Ace being that Jabari/Miller clone with bad advanced stats, questionable shots, no handles. Harper not being able to carry his team to the tourney as #1 pick type of player."

I think the biggest issue, other than mostly garbage filling out Rutgers’ roster, is that Ace Bailey actually kinda sucks at basketball in any kind of team concept way. If he does go third, which he may, it’s gonna be a terrible pick. I never liked Jabari Smith, and I still like him better than Ace.

[greg4012]

This class stinks. I tried doing a mock draft for the first time in a month or so and struggled to fill out the entire first round. After like pick 18 I was reaching hard.

There was no Cooper Flagg in the 2024 draft, but the depth of that class seemed a lot better than this one. Flagg is great, Harper is decent enough, but after those two - who?

The 2nd and 3rd best prospects in this class teaming up and not even posting a winning record is a really bad look. I know the coaching was a mess but that should have been enough to do better.

This is a big issue; even if Rutgers only had warm bodies; difficult to not criticize Harper and Ace for not carrying Rutgers to a tourney bid given they are NBA players who both project to be all-star by year 4 in the medina case, at least based on draft position.

I'm not holding Rutgers' failure against them right now, but if one/both fails, you know people are gonna bring this up. "Look, everyone should have seen this coming, Ace being that Jabari/Miller clone with bad advanced stats, questionable shots, no handles. Harper not being able to carry his team to the tourney as #1 pick type of player."

The dirty little secret is that Ace Bailey should not be considered a top 3 player in this class. Borderline top 10 because of tools IMO.

Rutgers defense ranked 258/364 in the nation
Rutgers team efg% ranked 192/364 in the nation at 50.6% (Harper led the main rotation at 54.6%)
Rutgers team 3P% ranked 221/364 in the nation at 32.9% (Ace Bailey led the main rotation at 34.6%)
Rutgers ranked 67/364 in offensive shot quality rating

Penalize Dylan Harper for that at your own peril.

I think this class has similar depth to last year's class with a better top group. People went too far hating on last year's class and went too far pumping up this year's class. This year's class is still better.

[tontoz]

Rutgers lacked interior defense which is a pretty big problem. Their starting center had 18 blocks on the season, only 1 more than Harper. Ace had 38.

[SeattleJazzFan]

Rutgers lacked interior defense which is a pretty big problem. Their starting center had 18 blocks on the season, only 1 more than Harper. Ace had 38.

they were also a horrendous shooting team.

[TheSuzerain]

Stirtz this year's Cam Spencer.

At some point the game is just undeniable.

[Jamaaliver]

Stirtz this year's Cam Spencer.

At some point the game is just undeniable.

Poor Man's Jalen Brunson?
Better shooting TJ McConnell?

Read on Twitter

[BlazersBroncos]

Stirtz this year's Cam Spencer.

At some point the game is just undeniable.

Came here for this. He has decent height, but likely a bad WS and he is super skinny.

But the kid looks very real on offense. His shot is mechanically probably better than anyone in this draft IMO. He knows how to use his eyes and fast/slow acceleration to manipulate and get to his spots. Even athletically he doesnt seem THAT bad.

That one legged 3 wasnt even a prayer - it was as sound as anyone could shoot a shot like that. Excited to see him some more against this tourneys competition.

[Chi town]

Stirtz this year's Cam Spencer.

At some point the game is just undeniable.

Came here for this. He has decent height, but likely a bad WS and he is super skinny.

But the kid looks very real on offense. His shot is mechanically probably better than anyone in this draft IMO. He knows how to use his eyes and fast/slow acceleration to manipulate and get to his spots. Even athletically he doesnt seem THAT bad.

That one legged 3 wasnt even a prayer - it was as sound as anyone could shoot a shot like that. Excited to see him some more against this tourneys competition.

Spencer is probably a decent comp due to athletic limitations. Both play winning ball. Think Stirtz is a much better shot maker and shooter. He’s similar to Huerter with some movement shooting and playmaking chops but he’s only 6’4 not 6’7. Wonder how he looks on D against NBA athletes.

[CP War Hawks]

I don't follow the draft until after the tourney (and i know where the raptors are drafting) but just taking a look at the mock drafts, are there no top international prospects this year? Seems strange
NBA draft.net has 3 guys from france projected in the latter half of the first round.

Nobody at the very top, but there could be quite a few international guys taken in the first round.

Noe Essengue (in play from about pick 5 on)
Nolan Traore
Ben Saraf
Sergio de Larrea
Hugo Gonzalez
Noah Penda
Joan Beringer (maybe)
Rocco Zikarsky (maybe)
Alex Toohey (maybe)

I'm same as OP, don't really pay attention until March. Essengue I wouldn't hesitate with the Sac pick the Hawks have, however prefer CMB.

I can see the intl slander, no guy is threatening to move inside top 5 status. Beringer seems like the most athletic big in the draft. Seems to be able to jump high enough and suspend long enough for him to make some plays.

[Chi town]

Fears is a bucket. Can see him going over Ace and VJ. He’s way better than both right now. He gets a 3 ball which he will because of his FT % is so high he will be Lillard good. He can create space and draw fouls. Once he does that for 3s off the bounce it’s game over.

[nykballa2k4]

Fears is a bucket. Can see him going over Ace and VJ. He’s way better than both right now. He gets a 3 ball which he will because of his FT % is so high he will be Lillard good. He can create space and draw fouls. Once he does that for 3s off the bounce it’s game over.

Very young, has the ball on a string, great feel for finishing, shooting. Quick impression was Kyrie-like.

[Chi town]

Fears is a bucket. Can see him going over Ace and VJ. He’s way better than both right now. He gets a 3 ball which he will because of his FT % is so high he will be Lillard good. He can create space and draw fouls. Once he does that for 3s off the bounce it’s game over.

Very young, has the ball on a string, great feel for finishing, shooting. Quick impression was Kyrie-like.

Yep. Solid comp. He’s more of a bully ball draw contact and FT type of Kyrie. He’s so good at getting space he reminds me of Lillard. Fears does it inside the arc. Lillard does it outside the arc.

[juanc]

Fears is a bucket. Can see him going over Ace and VJ. He’s way better than both right now. He gets a 3 ball which he will because of his FT % is so high he will be Lillard good. He can create space and draw fouls. Once he does that for 3s off the bounce it’s game over.

Very young, has the ball on a string, great feel for finishing, shooting. Quick impression was Kyrie-like.

Yep. Solid comp. He’s more of a bully ball draw contact and FT type of Kyrie. He’s so good at getting space he reminds me of Lillard. Fears does it inside the arc. Lillard does it outside the arc.

I have Fears in my top5 since the first time I saw him. But I think that he will end uo in his own tier with Harper(after Flagg)

[Chi town]

Very young, has the ball on a string, great feel for finishing, shooting. Quick impression was Kyrie-like.

Yep. Solid comp. He’s more of a bully ball draw contact and FT type of Kyrie. He’s so good at getting space he reminds me of Lillard. Fears does it inside the arc. Lillard does it outside the arc.

I have Fears in my top5 since the first time I saw him. But I think that he will end uo in his own tier with Harper(after Flagg)

I think he goes 3 before Ace VJ and Tre. If he drops to 10ish someone is going to get a young building block.