The 2025 NBA Draft, kicking off on June 25, is around the corner and the early entry list is considerably shorter than previous years. Just over 100 players entered this year compared to 195 last year and 242 the year before — dwindling numbers that could be attributed to the rise of extravagant NIL deals.
A number of the early entrants are still expected to pull out and return to college, but agents are beginning to play checkers, trying to figure out if so many guys are going to pull out of the draft that it is worthwhile to enter this year, because this would be their best chance to be selected.
Who Will Be the First Overall and Last Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft?
NBA teams have questions about whether this draft class will bring real value outside the top five picks, which is essentially why the draft lottery will be very important. Lucky teams could select a potential game changer for the franchise, while some might find themselves with just another piece they are adding to the roster.
Regardless of the lottery outcome, Duke superstar Cooper Flagg is almost locked in as the overall number one pick this year.
As it stands, the Utah Jazz are projected to win the number one pick and select the 6’9 forward. Flagg is considered one of the most complete prospects in the draft with elite defensive skills and a well-rounded game.
Kon Kneuppel and Khaman Maluach, Flagg’s Duke teammates, are also projected to land in the top 10, while Rutgers’ dynamic duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are projected to land in the top five.
National champion Walter Clayton Jr., Maryland’s Derrick Queen, and Georgia’s Asa Newell are all projected to be first-round picks.
2-Round 2025 NBA Mock Draft: Projecting Every Pick Ahead of the NBA Draft Lottery
The last pick this year will be number 59, as the New York Knicks have forfeited picks due to irregularities surrounding the free agency signing of Jalen Brunson in 2022. The Houston Rockets currently have the 59th pick, and Amari Williams, a 6’10 “center from Kentucky, is projected to be heading to Houston.
Williams earned multiple accolades playing for Drexel, including three-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year. He averaged 10.9 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game in 24/25 with Kentucky.
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