2025 NBA Draft Large Board: Does Cooper Flagg have competitors for No. 1 spot?

Now that Feast Week has handed and many of the greatest faculty basketball gamers within the nation have performed actual video games in opposition to important competitors, it’s time to launch a 2025 NBA Draft Large Board.

This 12 months’s High 100 has been fairly troublesome to formulate early within the course of. There aren’t many positive issues outdoors of the highest group of expertise, and there’s extra expertise returning to varsity basketball than in recent times due to the appearance of title, picture and likeness rights. Nonetheless, a lot of that expertise has been evaluated already, and NBA scouts don’t have fairly as a lot curiosity in a lot of these gamers as what their market calls for in faculty hoops.

And but, it’s time to cobble collectively a place to begin. All through the season, you possibly can anticipate some important turnover as gamers rise and fall. We’re coping with small collegiate pattern sizes up to now, which makes it troublesome to formulate precisely the place these gamers sit.

As at all times, right here’s the way in which the Large Board works:

• The Large Board doesn’t take crew match under consideration. It goes with out saying that the Boston Celtics’ board will look totally different from the Phoenix Suns’ board primarily based on the schemes they run and the positions wherein they want depth. I do give a little bit of a bump to gamers who I believe shall be profitable in a number of schemes. I additionally have a tendency to present a bump to guys who appear to be profitable gamers who can defend a number of positions, play effectively inside a crew defensive idea, knock down pictures and play with nice processing velocity. The latter high quality is a very powerful one for non-stars to have for NBA playoff success.

• I get enter and knowledge from NBA executives, faculty coaches, brokers, scouts and different evaluators through the strategy of slotting gamers. Typically, these exchanges are a few prospect’s background and off-court habits. Typically, they’re about his work ethic. Different occasions, they’re simply conversations about whether or not we predict a man can play or whom they could evaluate to within the NBA. These conversations occur day by day, however on the finish of the day, that is my rating. Whereas it’s reflective of the final tenor of NBA groups, it’s not a consensus board both.

• At this stage of the method, as is true yearly, I don’t embody freshmen who’d be ranked outdoors of the highest 50. It’s very early for that to happen, and realistically, freshmen whom I’ve ranked outdoors of the highest 50 ought to in all probability simply return to high school.

• Ages on the board are as of the projected draft day in 2025 (June 25); heights listed are per official crew and college web sites.

Cooper Flagg | 6-9 freshman wing | Duke | No. 1

Flagg has been terrific for Duke as far as the Blue Devils have performed a troublesome schedule early, together with video games in opposition to a robust Kentucky crew and No. 1 Kansas. At simply 17 years previous, Flagg is averaging practically 16 factors, eight rebounds and 4 assists whereas posting 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per recreation. It’s an absurd stat line for somebody this younger, and lots of the tape matches that.

The place Flagg has been most spectacular is in his shot creation from the midrange. NBA scouts know Flagg is a terrific defender with great instincts on that finish. They know he’s wildly aggressive and keen to play in no matter method he must win. Additionally they know he’s a sneaky sharp passer and an elite transition participant. The true query for them coming into the draft cycle was merely what his function could be in half-court settings. Thus far, he’s performed way more on the ball than off it and has significantly been requested to do quite a bit in isolation off mismatch conditions. The outcomes have been blended. He’s had a number of moments which have flashed actual potential to scouts. I broke down intimately the Kentucky loss, when it appeared like Duke’s total technique was predicated upon getting Flagg into mismatch conditions and permitting him to assault in a straight line.

That concerned optimistic and detrimental moments. He had spectacular finishes on the inside the place he beat his man to the basket utilizing his athleticism. He had some extremely impactful pull-up moments. The identical will be mentioned for his different video games up to now this 12 months.

However undeniably, Flagg additionally appears like a 17-year-old on the market typically. His deal with is strong, however he’s not fairly artistic off the bounce but. Principally, he’s utilizing his bodily instruments and dimension to get to his spots. He can get a bit free on occasion with the ball, which has resulted in just a few end-of-game conditions that weren’t perfect as groups collapse round him. The Blue Devils are 5-2 as an alternative of 7-0 largely as a result of they’ve struggled to execute end-of-game conditions. Additionally, scouts would like to see Flagg’s jumper proceed to take strides all year long. Changing into a participant who can play each on and off the ball on offense feels important to his highest-end translations as a participant. Thus far, he’s hit simply 26.9 % from 3, and the wonky mechanics on his 3-point jumper he confirmed in highschool are nonetheless there.

However I nonetheless don’t see a prospect on the market who has hit Flagg’s stage but. He’s not the most effective participant within the nation, however he’s actually the most effective mixture of two-way play at his age. Flagg is the simplest participant to wager on being superior on this draft class. As I wrote within the preseason and have talked about at size, I don’t see him in fairly the identical class as a prospect as Victor Wembanyama or somebody like that. However he’s a terrific participant with important all-star upside, particularly given a few of his development as a shot-creator this season.

Egor Demin | 6-9 freshman guard | BYU | No. 2

Demin is one other participant who has stood out immensely. Proper now, if I had been taking bets on the participant who may supplant Flagg at No. 1, Demin could be my decide. Why? His passing and processing skill isn’t simply excessive stage; it’s elite. It’s totally different. He sees the sport with the type of extremely clear understanding that comes from the league’s elite passers. His imaginative and prescient is unimaginable and appears fairly much like somebody like Josh Giddey on the market at that dimension making unimaginable reads throughout the court docket.

The factor that makes Demin a bit extra harmful than Giddey (whom I had as extra of a late lottery-level prospect in 2021) is his athleticism. He’s a bit smoother as an athlete. However he additionally executes his passes at an elite stage. He places actual velocity on the ball when needed and likewise can throw them together with his proper or left hand off a dwell dribble from anyplace on the court docket. He has contact when the time requires it. However most significantly, the ball at all times appears to be immediately in his teammates’ taking pictures pockets. His accuracy from troublesome angles doesn’t actually falter. Thus far, Demin is averaging over six assists per recreation with practically a three-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio.

Why wasn’t he seen as fairly this stage of prospect at Actual Madrid earlier than his dedication to BYU? His offensive bundle of expertise has been opened up drastically by an improved jumper. He’s made substantial mechanical adjustments, together with together with his wrist positioning on the shot. He used to actually bend his wrist considerably on the shot and flick it ahead, resulting in an inconsistent trajectory on the shot. Now, the wrist doesn’t flex fairly as a lot, and he’s capable of preserve a lot better management of the ball popping out of his hand due to it. His base appears higher, as does his shot prep. I broke all of this down on this video, wherein I talk about what makes Demin such a very particular prospect.

As a result of he’s made changes to the jumper, groups now need to account for that when he brings the ball up the court docket, takes a ball display screen or catches in spot-ups alongside the perimeter. The stress that he places on defenses there has helped to open up driving lanes and passing angles for him in a major approach. He’s averaging over 14 factors and virtually 5 rebounds per recreation whereas taking pictures 57 % from the sphere and 44 % from 3. The taking pictures from distance will come down ultimately, however I do see him as a critical playmaker and scorer who’s deserving of top-five consideration. With NBA groups always looking out for potential No. 1 or No. 2 choices, he feels just like the more than likely participant to take action due to his skill to assume the sport at a excessive stage, get paint touches and hopefully knock down pictures effectively. All of us need to see if it will maintain up in Large 12 play, and finally, that’ll inform the story of the place Demin will get picked. But when it does, anticipate the Demin Hype Practice to depart the station.

Ace Bailey | 6-10 freshman wing | Rutgers | No. 4

As I wrote within the preseason, there isn’t a larger swing prospect than Bailey on this class. Some NBA scouts will reply his title while you ask who’s more than likely to problem Flagg at No. 1. Others aren’t significantly excessive on him. Some see him as a critical potential shot-creator within the Brandon Miller mildew with actual All-Star upside. Others see him extra as a Michael Porter Jr. kind participant who’s an elite shot-maker and might be extremely precious in the precise scenario. And but, others fear Bailey may find yourself being a bit worse than that if he doesn’t minimize out among the powerful midrange stuff, learn to create simpler pictures for himself or play off the ball.

I get an extremely big selection of opinion on Bailey from sources contained in the NBA, and it’s simple to see why primarily based on his first few collegiate video games. Thus far, he’s averaging 18.8 factors and 5.8 rebounds per recreation whereas hitting 38 % from 3. Additionally, he’s dished out solely 4 assists in six video games and has gotten misplaced a bit extra usually on protection than you’d wish to see. He additionally exhibits actual hustle performs, too, on that finish. His efficiency in opposition to Alabama, significantly, showcased a major variety of spectacular on-ball defensive moments in addition to sharp switchability. However every thing on offense is on his phrases when he’s concerned. He not often swings the ball rapidly, usually catching and holding to see if there’s a play accessible. Rutgers not often appears to take care of benefits when he catches; as an alternative, he has to self-create every thing. He’s glorious at self-creating pull-up jumpers from the midrange however has actually struggled to get all the way in which to the rim.

There’s a wild vary of outcomes on a possession-by-possession foundation, largely as a result of Bailey takes an immense variety of powerful pictures. When the pictures are falling, he appears just like the No. 1 decide within the draft. After they’re not, he appears like a run-of-the-mill upside swing within the first spherical. I’ve him at No. 4 proper now, however I’d be mendacity if I mentioned I knew the place he results in June.

In case you went purely off a three-minute spotlight reel by way of making your decide for No. 1, I might wager on Bailey profitable that race by a mile. His elite tape passes the attention check higher than anybody else’s. However the full video games present only a bit much less substance. The important thing for Bailey will revolve round persevering with to point out development as an total decision-maker. Porter was equally an elite-level shot-creator and shot-maker from the midrange however not often appeared to get as many simple pictures on the rim as you’d hoped for as a result of his free deal with couldn’t fairly create drives to the rim. Bailey performs very upright, and the ball tends to get dislodged on his forays towards the basket, which is why it looks like he tends to settle within the midrange. But when he could make fast reads, get the ball out of his fingers faster when he doesn’t have a bonus or just drive in a straight line and play with higher bend when he does, there’s immense upside in his recreation.

Jase Richardson | 6-3 freshman guard | Michigan State | No. 15

Richardson is a fast riser up the board this 12 months, an environment friendly playmaker who has showcased the power to play with the ball in his fingers at decrease ranges in addition to play effectively off the ball this season at Michigan State. The son of former Michigan State star and NBA Slam Dunk Contest champion Jason Richardson, Jase isn’t fairly the athlete his father was. Moderately, he’s efficient by way of sharp decision-making and fast processing of what’s occurring round him on the court docket. He’s not a nasty athlete, however he’s robust and appears to have actual size. And greater than something, he’s taken and run with each single alternative he’s gotten so far. Each time he hits the court docket, good issues occur both with offensive move or defensive playmaking.

Richardson’s numbers on their face look a bit pedestrian, as he’s averaging 10.4 factors, 2.9 rebounds and two assists per recreation. However regardless of a troublesome schedule that has included video games on the Maui Invitational in addition to in opposition to Kansas within the Champions Basic, Richardson continues to make an influence together with his presence off the bench. There’s a really actual case he’s been Michigan State’s greatest participant. Richardson is a type of guards who simply is aware of the right way to get to his spots. He’s a lefty who performs off two toes and constantly will get himself into harmful areas of the court docket. Typically, it’s through attacking closeouts. Typically, it’s through the ball display screen. Typically he cuts and finds an open shot that approach. He’s making over 70 % of his 2-point pictures regardless of not being overly vertical, largely as a result of he’s additionally great at discerning when creases are literally accessible. That additionally stands for his passing too; he boasts a seven-to-one assist-to-turnover ratio.

As a lot as Richardson is aware of when to shoot, he is aware of when to not shoot. As a lot as he is aware of when to go, he is aware of when to not go. He’s always on-balance and doesn’t put himself in harmful spots the place he could make a mistake. He additionally does an excellent job defending on the level of assault and has typically achieved an excellent job of entering into passing lanes and rotating throughout the court docket. Richardson’s final draft inventory shall be swung by how his taking pictures holds up over the course of the season. Scouts would like to see him in that 38 to 40 % vary given his dimension. However I’ve seen few freshmen this 12 months are available and genuinely influence profitable basketball in the way in which that he does. There are some translation questions on condition that Richardson might be going to come back in at round 6-2 with out sneakers and isn’t a monster athlete. He additionally hasn’t performed on the ball a ton but in his profession, having performed at Columbus (Fla.) Excessive Faculty final 12 months with the Boozer twins. However in a Miles McBride-style approach, Richardson simply impacts profitable basketball.

Different notes

• Proper now, I’ve a bunch of three gamers in my prime tier in Flagg, Demin and Dylan Harper. I’ve Bailey in a tier by himself titled “????” after which the group from No. 5 all the way down to No. 9 fairly tightly bundled collectively.

• I really feel good that the highest 13 names will doubtless be chosen within the first spherical. Past that, it undoubtedly looks like a free-for-all proper now, with scouts questioning a bit how deep this draft will really be. That’s to not say the gamers beneath that stage aren’t gifted. They’re. However there’s simply extra inconsistency to their efficiency. Or in some instances, they’ve important deficiencies that may’t be modified. As an illustration, Boogie Fland has been unimaginable up to now for Arkansas, however he’ll in all probability are available measuring proper round 6-feet with out sneakers. We’ll see the place all of it settles on the finish. After these prime 13 names, there’s actual room for any variety of gamers to rise into that first-round combine.

• In that vein, I used to be speaking not too long ago to my good buddy and The Athletic colleague John Hollinger, and he introduced me this query: Who’s the non-freshman faculty participant who shall be taken within the prime 20? I didn’t have an excellent reply, so I requested my associates across the league. To say there was zero consensus to this query could be an understatement. The returning class of collegiate gamers simply doesn’t have an immense variety of names that scouts are significantly enthused about.

• The title I at the moment have highest as a university returnee is Collin Murray-Boyles, a big-bodied ahead for South Carolina who defends effectively. However his total offensive recreation doesn’t precisely scream that it matches within the NBA. Connecticut wing Alex Karaban is a man whom I really feel fairly assured is a rotation participant within the NBA, however he can’t actually create off the bounce in any respect. Adou Thiero has began effectively at Arkansas, however scouts have actual questions on the place his taking pictures will fall into place. Marquette’s Kam Jones has been excellent up to now, and he’s about as environment friendly a scoring guard as you’ll discover. His passing additionally has continued to make strides since he took over as Marquette’s main playmaker after Tyler Kolek went out late final 12 months with an harm. Any of these 4 appear to be the most effective wager proper now.

• Two off-the-radar gamers who may find yourself entering into this dialog are Saint Joseph’s ahead Rasheer Fleming and Washington State wing Cedric Coward. Coward declared for the draft final 12 months and impressed NBA groups in exercises however returned to high school and transferred to Washington State to play for his former coach at Japanese Washington, David Riley. Coward is a type of guys who simply does slightly little bit of every thing at 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan. He shoots it effectively, passes effectively and defends at a strong stage. Fleming is the wilder card of the 2. Scouts aren’t even satisfied but what his main NBA place shall be. He’s about 6-8 with an enormous wingspan effectively over 7-feet lengthy, plus has important athleticism. He slides his toes effectively, has critical explosiveness off the bounce and has coordination. From an athletic perspective, he appears not dissimilar from somebody like OG Anunoby. Nonetheless, he doesn’t actually deal with the ball effectively proper now and hasn’t proven a lot by way of computerized really feel for the sport but. There are flashes however not consistency. He would possibly find yourself as extra of an influence ahead/middle type participant positionally versus an influence ahead/small ahead. The latter could be way more precious.

• Just a few different gamers I’ve cherished watching this season: Marquette wing Chase Ross has been a demon on protection, as disruptive as I’ve seen any participant this season. Houston’s JoJo Tugler is analogous on that finish of the court docket as an enormous. That is in all probability an aggressive rating for him inside the highest 40 proper now given the place his offensive recreation is, however his bodily instruments give him an immense quantity of margin for error. Maryland’s Derik Queen can be shaping as much as be fairly polarizing, as he has immense offensive expertise however appears to be within the 6-9 vary on the middle place and doesn’t have a ton of athleticism to compensate for it. Nonetheless, his passing and shot making have been terrific up to now.

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(Illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic; prime images:  Brian Rothmuller / Icon Sportswire, Robin Alam / ISI Photographs, Adam Ruff / Icon Sportswire)