The Official 2025 NBA Draft Prospects Thread

[Inigo Montoya]

I've been wondering lately about the merits of trading down. I think there's an argument to be made that there's not a ton of separation between 5 and 8ish. If you could grab another pick for next year I wonder if moving to 8 would make sense.

I find it hard to believe there's a trade that will drop the Jazz from 5 to 8 in this draft for a top 5 pick in the next draft. And they didn't tank the entire season just to trade down, imho. And that's after the Wizards did the Jazz a huge favor when they won the last game of the season on a buzzer-beater. We thought it sucked to drop to 5, it'd suck ten times harder if the Jazz fell to 6. Sometimes there is no need to overthink things or over-complicate things. If the Jazz can't trade up to 1-2, just draft at 5.

[Catchall]

I would guess that if the Jazz stay at 5 the odds of who they draft would look like this:
— Tre (40%)
— Ace (30%)
— Fears (20%)
— VJ (10%)

But I’m assuming the Jazz don’t have an issue with Ace. Almost no one thinks VJ is getting to 5, so that’s why his odds would be low. It’s very likely that one of Tre/Ace WILL get to 5. The question is whether Ace v. Fears is a real discussion, or just a smokescreen.

If the Jazz want Kon, I think they’d trade back a couple spots.

[Inigo Montoya]

Has anyone been able to find out who the Jazz invited to work out from this draft other than some players in the second round range?

[HadAnEffectHere]

Has anyone been able to find out who the Jazz invited to work out from this draft other than some players in the second round range?

They only started working out first round picks this week and won't workout top 10 picks until later according to Sarah Todd.

[Hoops Addict]

https://nbadraft.theringer.com/

[Hoops Addict]

The Ringer has the Jazz taking Drake Powell at #21.


Powell’s entry into the draft is a bit curious, considering North Carolina’s struggles this past season, but the teamwide problems do help explain the failure to launch for one of last year’s top high school recruits. UNC’s inability to find a consistent rhythm on offense made life more difficult for a player like Powell, who is almost exclusively a play finisher and someone who orbits the ball. On the occasions when the ball did find him, he shot it well—even on guarded catch-and-shoot 3s (44 percent)—functioned as a cutter from the corners, and showed savvy timing in actions where he was a screener. Better yet: His motor on those plays was great. Powell has the size, speed, and flexibility to be the kind of versatile switcher and helpside irritant that fits everywhere, but he’ll need to keep developing those offensive flashes to be able to ply his intriguing defensive tools in the NBA.

[Hoops Addict]

The Ringer has Ace Baily at #5.

Bailey is among the most talented pure shotmakers to come through college basketball in the past decade. He looks more like an NBA wing than perhaps anyone else in this draft, with the height and wingspan to thrive at the next level, but it’s his head-to-toe flexibility that truly makes his scoring stand out. He’s lean and rubbery and has narrow shoulders, and although his hands are on the smaller side, he has nice mobility for his size. Altogether, his physical tools should make him a high-level finisher in the NBA—he can best defenders on the ground with creative footwork, or in the air by contorting his way to difficult angles.

The shot looks smooth: His release point is high, he has zero problem elevating over the top of the defender, and he has good touch and consistent and repeatable shot mechanics. The jumper is Ace’s ace in the hole in any given situation, and he’s gone to it repeatedly this season at Rutgers, typically in the midrange. He had to push that easy button frequently because hardly anything was easy within that Scarlet Knights offense; beyond Dylan Harper, his team was not exactly teeming with playmakers or offensive threats who could draw attention away from him.

The book on bothering Bailey at this point is to crowd him, and it hit the bestseller list in Big Ten play. You can be the wiggliest, most athletic player in the world, but the ball has to come to you. Against pressure his handle was often wobbly on his hand and rolling up his wrist, and as a result his decision-making plummeted. This led to some abysmal assist-to-turnover and assist-to-usage numbers and also kept him away from the rim and the free throw line. Yet, somehow, he was still able to wow us—splashing right-shoulder spins in the midrange, one-dribble pull-ups with two and three defenders draped over him, overhand short-range runners or hooks. I don’t know that he’ll ever evolve into a dynamic hub of offense, but with some added strength and weight, he should put up points well into his career.

The worries about Bailey’s limitations in the face of pressure will be lessened if he creates a positive trade-off on the defensive end. Luckily, he’s already started on that path. He can really contort and sit as low as necessary to move with smaller handlers while also extending to dissuade would-be shooters as he’s closing on them. His supplemental rim protection is rare for a player of his size and offensive potential. Ace may be best suited to follow the example of Jaden McDaniels and leverage his physical tools to become a defensive terror—only, with much, much more to offer on offense. He still has the upside to develop into a primary option on offense, but if that doesn’t pan out, becoming a rangy merchant of havoc isn’t a bad fallback option.

[Hoops Addict]

VJ Edgecombe scouting report.

SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
The smooth, frictionless explosion off one or two feet. The sheer elevation. The paraglider hang time. Edgecombe’s run-jump ability is a sight to behold—there may be only a handful of players in the NBA who can match his blend of dynamic athleticism. He has absolute trust in his physical gifts, which grants him a certain level of on-court freedom not afforded to most players. Under those auspices, Edgecombe has honed an anticipatory sixth sense most commonly seen in shutdown cornerbacks. He has the skills, motor, and reaction speed to become one of the best shot-blocking guards in the NBA, to go along with his passing-lane ball hawking. And he has more of a proof of concept than most NCAA players his age, having shown off these abilities at some of the highest levels of international competition. Edgecombe was, at worst, the third-best player on the Bahamian national basketball team in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, on a roster that also featured Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield, and Eric Gordon.

As ever for a player of his ilk, shooting will be the most important swing skill. It was a shaky start from the long range for Edgecombe in nonconference play, but since the New Year, his numbers have rebounded dramatically. His 3-point shooting efficiency from a standstill seems like a fairly safe bet, but the true ceiling of Edgecombe’s game will be determined by what he can do with his shot on the move, both on and off the ball. There have been glimpses of Edgecombe drilling shots off curls and some fascinating shot creation off the dribble, but his broader offensive skill set remains a work in progress.

Edgecombe succumbs to the plight of all hyper-athletes who graduate to a higher level of competition: Wild explosiveness isn’t enough if it can’t be harnessed. Especially since he is already on the small end of acceptable wing size. His leaping ability can get him into trouble at times when he’s trying to create his own opportunities off the dribble. He has a tendency to leap too early on drives, neutralizing any advantage he’s created with his speed by having to adjust and contort in midair. Edgecombe is an unselfish player and has a solid feel for getting the ball to his teammates, but there are discrepancies between action and intent. He is faster and more explosive than his handle is consistently capable of supporting, which leads to some awkward moments when he’s caught in no-man’s-land trying to make a play happen for himself and others. But his effort, tenacity, and raw physical tools can’t be taught. Edgecombe has the ceiling of a two-way star, but he’ll need to erase the lag time between his body and mind to get there.

[Hoops Addict]

Rasheer Fleming report- does the Jazz want him at #21?

[Hoops Addict]

It can be tough to watch Fleming without lamenting a future that was once promised but never delivered. He’s a rumbling athlete with a wingspan longer than humanity’s list of sins, whose arms dig low on steals and rise high on thunderous blocks. He’s a strong, two-footed leaper who happens to hit 39 percent of his 3s at an attempt rate that would have been deemed excessive not 10 years ago. Fleming is a defense-oriented stretch 4, a term hardly used anymore. Turns out the future is way weirder than we could have predicted. Fleming is almost quaint in that context: still extremely cool in theory, but maybe not the game changer he would’ve been considered in a different time.

At minimum, Fleming projects as a versatile 4 or 5 who can chip in steals and blocks, pop or roll hard in the two-man game, and be an active presence on the offensive glass. What potentially pushes him into lottery range is that 3-pointer and whether it can be trusted at the next level. Fleming’s attempts and percentages from deep spiked in his junior season after he shot just 31.3 percent from 3 across his first two seasons. If the accuracy is real, Fleming has a place on just about any roster in the league. If it isn’t, well, he wouldn’t be the first player to rocket up boards because of rosy optimism based on a small sample size.

Another potential worry is his complete and utter lack of self-creation when playing against a lower standard of competition in the Atlantic 10. Fleming had scarcely any reps in isolation or as a ball handler this past season. For a player with his build, coordination, and first step, it’s fair to wonder why there weren’t more flashes of that in what was otherwise a breakout year. Of course, there’s an easy retort there: You dress for the job you want. Fleming will be a finisher in the pros, so that’s exactly what he was in college. If the rest of his game translates seamlessly to the NBA—if he’s a legitimate floor spacer shooting league average from deep and offering serious weakside rim protection—the return on a team’s investment could be massive. Fleming presents a rare archetype that promises teams that what they see is what they’ll get. But it’s fair to wonder whether there’s something hidden in what Fleming’s game doesn’t show.

[Inigo Montoya]

Rasheer Fleming report- does the Jazz want him at #21?

I can see the appeal with Fleming and I'd be surprised if was still on the board at 21, but won't there be a very big overlap with Hendricks?

The line of "He’s a rumbling athlete with a wingspan longer than humanity’s list of sins" made me chuckle.

[BigJimFinn]

VJ Edgecombe scouting report.

SCOUTING REPORT BY Danny Chau
The smooth, frictionless explosion off one or two feet. The sheer elevation. The paraglider hang time. Edgecombe’s run-jump ability is a sight to behold—there may be only a handful of players in the NBA who can match his blend of dynamic athleticism. He has absolute trust in his physical gifts, which grants him a certain level of on-court freedom not afforded to most players. Under those auspices, Edgecombe has honed an anticipatory sixth sense most commonly seen in shutdown cornerbacks. He has the skills, motor, and reaction speed to become one of the best shot-blocking guards in the NBA, to go along with his passing-lane ball hawking. And he has more of a proof of concept than most NCAA players his age, having shown off these abilities at some of the highest levels of international competition. Edgecombe was, at worst, the third-best player on the Bahamian national basketball team in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, on a roster that also featured Deandre Ayton, Buddy Hield, and Eric Gordon.

As ever for a player of his ilk, shooting will be the most important swing skill. It was a shaky start from the long range for Edgecombe in nonconference play, but since the New Year, his numbers have rebounded dramatically. His 3-point shooting efficiency from a standstill seems like a fairly safe bet, but the true ceiling of Edgecombe’s game will be determined by what he can do with his shot on the move, both on and off the ball. There have been glimpses of Edgecombe drilling shots off curls and some fascinating shot creation off the dribble, but his broader offensive skill set remains a work in progress.

Edgecombe succumbs to the plight of all hyper-athletes who graduate to a higher level of competition: Wild explosiveness isn’t enough if it can’t be harnessed. Especially since he is already on the small end of acceptable wing size. His leaping ability can get him into trouble at times when he’s trying to create his own opportunities off the dribble. He has a tendency to leap too early on drives, neutralizing any advantage he’s created with his speed by having to adjust and contort in midair. Edgecombe is an unselfish player and has a solid feel for getting the ball to his teammates, but there are discrepancies between action and intent. He is faster and more explosive than his handle is consistently capable of supporting, which leads to some awkward moments when he’s caught in no-man’s-land trying to make a play happen for himself and others. But his effort, tenacity, and raw physical tools can’t be taught. Edgecombe has the ceiling of a two-way star, but he’ll need to erase the lag time between his body and mind to get there.

Edgecombe is the only lottery-mooted guy I have watched (for Bahamas vs. Finland), and his athleticism really stood out because he takes full advantage of it in games, playing with high intensity all over the court. He would immediately be the best guard defender in the squad. Based on reports, unlikely he drops to 5th, but should be automatic choice if he does. Otherwise, Bailey sounds like a walking red flag. Another blinkered chucker with shaky ball-handling, bad decision making and no passing would just confirm the Jazz as unwatchable, no matter how much POTENTIAL and TALENT he may have.

[babyjax13]

I don't think Bailey has a bad handle. Part way through the year he started shaking defenders with it.

Watch on YouTube

[babyjax13]

Here is Tre's best scoring game:

Watch on YouTube

And VJ

Watch on YouTube

And Fears

Watch on YouTube

[Inigo Montoya]

Only 13 days to go!

[Hoops Addict]

Rasheer Fleming report- does the Jazz want him at #21?

I can see the appeal with Fleming and I'd be surprised if was still on the board at 21, but won't there be a very big overlap with Hendricks?

Similar attributes with Fleming and Hendrix is good. There is always a need for duplicate players that can defend and shoot.

Fleming looks very good defensively with a 7'5' reach. He also shoots lot's of 3 pointers, accurately at 39% like Hendrix.

The modern NBA game values spacing and shooting........I am all in with Fleming. but would like Coward or the NC guard who is 6'6'.

[Catchall]

I don't think Bailey has a bad handle. Part way through the year he started shaking defenders with it.

Watch on YouTube

I actually think Ace DOES have a handle, but he's got a high waist and tight hips that hurt his first step.

[Catchall]

There could be a trade scenario brewing where Kevin Durant goes to San Antonio, Lauri Markkanen goes to Phoenix, and Spurs players along with the #2 pick go back to Utah. Maybe the #5 pick also goes back to Phoenix.

The Suns have been working out players this week in the late lottery range, when they otherwise don't have a 1st-round pick this year. So maybe the Spurs are moving #14. It's notable that the Jazz have also worked out a couple late lottery prospects in the past week, suggesting that the Jazz might also be exploring a trade-up scenario.

Meanwhile the Spurs have been working out bigs, including Raynaud and Wolf, whose draft range is likely the early 20s where the Jazz have a pick.

It's something to watch. Rafael Barlowe said there are murmurs that Dylan Harper doesn't want to go to San Antonio.

[babyjax13]

There could be a trade scenario brewing where Kevin Durant goes to San Antonio, Lauri Markkanen goes to Phoenix, and Spurs players along with the #2 pick go back to Utah. Maybe the #5 pick also goes back to Phoenix.

The Suns have been working out players this week in the late lottery range, when they otherwise don't have a 1st-round pick this year. So maybe the Spurs are moving #14. It's notable that the Jazz have also worked out a couple late lottery prospects in the past week, suggesting that the Jazz might also be exploring a trade-up scenario.

Meanwhile the Spurs have been working out bigs, including Raynaud and Wolf, whose draft range is likely the early 20s where the Jazz have a pick.

It's something to watch. Rafael Barlowe said there are murmurs that Dylan Harper doesn't want to go to San Antonio.

The Spurs are not going to trade the second pick for a 37 year old. They have other assets.

[Inigo Montoya]

Tre Johnson worked out for the Jazz:
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2025/06/11/tre-johnson-works-out-for-utah-jazz-nba-draft/