2025 NBA Draft Rumors | Hoops Rumors

BYU’s Egor Demin To Declare For NBA Draft

April 8th, 2025 at 10:09am CST by Arthur Hill

BYU freshman Egor Demin has decided to enter the NBA draft, a source tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

The 19-year-old guard is considered a borderline lottery pick, ranking 12th in ESPN’s draft projections and 15th in the latest mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report.

Demin averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 5.5 assists in 27.5 minutes per game this season and was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team.

At 6’9″, Demin played point guard for the Cougars, leading them to a 26-10 record and an appearance in the Sweet 16 for the first time in 15 years. Givony notes that he showed creativity with his passing — finishing fourth in the conference in assists — but frequently had issues with outside shooting, turnovers and defense.

Demin was born in Moscow and moved to Spain when he was 15 to play for Real Madrid. He became one of the top prospects in European basketball, prompting BYU to pay a $1MM buyout to Real Madrid for his services.

Draft Notes: Clayton, Flagg, D. Williams, Olbrich

April 6th, 2025 at 5:59pm CST by Rory Maher

Florida senior Walter Clayton Jr. has boosted his NBA draft stock with an outstanding run in the NCAA Tournament, Adam Zagoria writes for NJ.com. In five tournament games (33.4 minutes per contest), the 6’3″ guard is averaging 24.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists on .500/.487/.905 shooting.

Clayton was ranked No. 63 on ESPN’s big board a couple of weeks ago, but most NBA executives and scouts who spoke to Zagoria believe the 22-year-old will be selected somewhere in the range of mid-first round to early second.

“He has helped himself more with his draft stock than any other player in the tournament,” one executive told Zagoria. “He is going in the first round.”

In 38 games in 2024/25, Clayton has averaged 18.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 4.1 APG and 1.2 SPG on .451/.392/.871 shooting (32.5 MPG). The Gators will face the Houston Cougars on Monday in the final of this year’s tournament.

Here are a few more notes related to June’s draft:

Projected No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg showed last summer in a scrimmage with the Select Team against Team USA ahead of the Olympics that he could more than hold his own against the best players in the world, and his all-around game should help him have a smooth transition to the NBA, per Mark Medina of RG.org. “He looked like a hell of a player, somebody that is only going to get better with more experience,” Kevin Durant said at the time. “He’s 17 years old, coming in and playing like he’s almost a vet. No emotion. He’s just out there doing his job. That’s a good sign.” Flagg’s season with Duke came to an end on Saturday, as the Blue Devils blew a late lead against Houston in the Final Four. Flagg finished with 27 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals and three blocks.
Texas Tech junior Darrion Williams intends to declare for the 2025 draft while maintaining his college eligibility, agent Aman Dhesi tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter links). Williams, who was ranked No. 45 on ESPN’s board, will also enter the transfer portal, according to Givony, who says the combo forward should draw “significant” interest in the late first or early second round after helping guide the Red Raiders to the Elite Eight.
Australian forward/center Lachlan Olbrich, who recently helped the Illawara Hawks win an NBL championship, has officially entered his name in the draft, the league announced in a press release. The 21-year-old averaged 8.7 PPG, 3.8 RPG and 1.6 APG in 29 games this season for the Hawks (16.7 MPG). Olbrich is ranked No. 92 on ESPN’s board.

Yaxel Lendeborg Entering Draft While Maintaining Eligibility

April 5th, 2025 at 9:24am CST by Rory Maher

UAB power forward Yaxel Lendeborg, who led the Blazers in points (17.7), rebounds (11.4), assists (4.2), steals (1.7) and blocks (1.8) per game this past season, plans to enter the 2025 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Ranked No. 28 overall on ESPN’s latest big board (Insider link), Lendeborg says he is committed to the draft process, but if he instead uses his final season of eligibility, he intends to transfer to Michigan.

“I’m focused on the draft process and making the NBA right now,” Lendeborg said. “I want a guaranteed contract. That’s the biggest thing. Make sure I am in a good spot. I would prefer to play college basketball in Ann Arbor than be in and out of the G League on a two-way. I want to find a safe spot.”

As Givony writes, Lendeborg has an unusual background for a possible first-round pick, as the 22-year-old grew up playing video games and not basketball. Since he started playing organized basketball much later than most prospects, he believes he is “just scratching the surface” of what he “can evolve into, and with more work I can reach that potential.”

According to Givony, Lendeborg is only the second Division I player in history to record at least 600 points, 400 rebounds and 150 assists in a season, joining Hall of Famer Larry Bird. He was named first-team All-AAC and Defensive Player of the Year each of the past two seasons, Givony adds.

Maryland’s Derik Queen To Enter 2025 NBA Draft

April 5th, 2025 at 8:38am CST by Rory Maher

Maryland star Derik Queen has decided to leave school early and go pro, he said on SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt (YouTube link).

“I’m proud to say I’m entering the 2025 NBA draft,” the 6’10” center said.

Queen’s decision isn’t a surprise. He is projected to go No. 10 overall in ESPN’s latest mock draft, per Myron Medcalf of ESPN.com, and is the No. 10 prospect on their latest big board (from last week).

Queen was highly productive in his freshman season with the Terrapins, averaging 16.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks in 36 appearances (30.4 minutes per contest). He helped guide Maryland to a 27-9 record and a spot in the Sweet 16, scoring 27 points in a loss to Florida.

As Metcalf notes, the Baltimore native boosted his stock with some impressive postseason performances, including a game-winner in the second round of the NCAA tournament against Colorado State.

Draft Notes: Fland, Flagg, Final Four, Burton, Early Entrants

April 4th, 2025 at 5:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Arkansas guard Boogie Fland has announced (via Instagram) that he’s declaring for the 2025 NBA draft. While Fland, who just finished his freshman year with the Razorbacks, has the option of testing the draft waters and retaining his NCAA eligibility, his statement makes no mention of that plan, so it sounds like he’s preparing to go pro.

Fland, who won’t turn 19 until July, appeared in 21 games for Arkansas in his first – and potentially only – college season, averaging 13.5 points, 5.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 31.8 minutes per contest. He made just 37.9% of his field goal attempts, including 34.0% of his three-pointers.

Fland underwent thumb surgery in January that was expected to end his season, but he returned to action for the NCAA Tournament last month. He wasn’t particularly effective in his three games back from the injury though, scoring just 12 total points on 4-of-18 shooting in 53 minutes against Kansas, St. John’s, and Texas Tech.

The 18-year-old ranked 48th overall on the latest 2025 draft big board from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo.

Here are several more draft-related notes:

ESPN’s Jeremy Woo spoke to NBA executives and scouts about current and past NBA comparables for projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and got some interesting responses. Woo zeroes in on five of those players – Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Lamar Odom, Scottie Pippen, and Andrei Kirilenko – and outlines the traits Flagg shares with each of them, as well as those he doesn’t.
While Duke’s three projected lottery picks (Flagg, Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel) will be the headliners of Final Four weekend for NBA evaluators, there are plenty of other prospects to keep an eye on in the showdowns of No. 1 seeds featuring Duke vs. Houston and Florida vs. Auburn. Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports shines a spotlight on several of those players, including Houston guard Milos Uzan, Auburn big man Johni Broome, and Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr.
After leading the ACC in scoring as a sophomore, Notre Dame guard Markus Burton has decided to remain with the Fighting Irish for at least one more year rather than entering the transfer portal or testing the draft waters, agent Ron Shade tells ESPN’s Givony (Twitter link).
Here are a few more of the prospects who have announced they’re testing the draft waters this spring as early entrants:
- Mohammad Amini, G, Nancy Basket, France (born 2005) (Instagram link)
- John Blackwell, G, Wisconsin (sophomore) (Instagram link)
- Xaivian Lee, G, Princeton (junior) (Twitter link via Givony)
  - Note: Also entering transfer portal.
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, F, Penn State (junior) (Instagram link)

Draft Notes: Quaintance, Martinelli, Hubbard, Mock Draft

April 2nd, 2025 at 11:19pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Arizona State freshman forward Jayden Quaintance underwent knee surgery on March 19 for a tear in his right ACL, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Quaintance, who is seen as a potential top-five prospect in the 2026 draft, is also entering the NCAA transfer portal to seek out his next collegiate opportunity, according to Givony.

“He’s already ahead of schedule, the doctor says, and should be cleared for contact in September,” his father Haminn Quaintance said.

With the 2025/26 season slated to tip off in November, that recovery timeline sounds optimal.

“I’m planning on coming back better than last year,” the younger Quaintance told ESPN. “I’m already attacking my rehab aggressively.”

A Big 12 All-Freshman and All-Defensive teamer, Quaintance logged averages of 9.3 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game in his debut college season. Quaintance, born in 2007, graduated high school a year early, so he is not eligible to declare for the NBA until next year’s draft. He was the youngest player in college basketball this season, Givony notes.

There’s more from the upcoming draft:

Northwestern swingman Nick Martinelli, the leading scorer in the Big Ten this season, is testing the draft waters while retaining his college eligibility, per Givony (Twitter link). The 6’7″ forward, who averaged 20.5 PPG in 2024/25 for the Wildcats, would remain at Northwestern – rather than transferring – were he to return to the NCAA. Martinelli was not among the top 100 prospects on Givony’s latest 2025 pre-draft big board.
Two-time All-SEC Mississippi State guard Josh Hubbard will declare for the 2025 draft, but plans to preserve his collegiate eligibility, the 5’10” NBA hopeful informed Joe Tipton of On3 Sports (via Twitter). Hubbard is also not among Givony’s top 100. In 34 contests this season, the sophomore registered averages of 18.9 PPG, 3.1 APG and 2.1 RPG. He posted shooting splits of .402/.345/.878.
In his latest 2025 mock draft, Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report highlights the upside of three intriguing prospects out of Florida and speculates about the appeal of two potential picks out of Auburn, big man Johni Broome and guard Tahaad Pettiford.

Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears Entering 2025 NBA Draft

April 2nd, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears has decided to go pro following his freshman year, announcing today on ESPN’s The Paul Finebaum Show that he’ll enter the 2025 NBA draft and forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility, as Jonathan Givony of ESPN relays.

Fears, who ranks No. 7 on ESPN’s list of this year’s top 100 prospects, averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.6 steals in 30.2 minutes per game in 2024/25, earning a spot on the SEC’s All-Freshman team and helping the Sooners claim a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

According to Givony, Fears’ combination of “size, speed, pace, shot-creation, shot-making and scoring instincts” makes him one of the top backcourt prospects in this year’s draft. He’s also one of the youngest players in the 2025 draft class — he won’t turn 19 until October.

Givony has expressed some reservations about Fears’ defense, which needs improvement. And it’s worth noting that the 18-year-old sometimes struggled with his shot as a freshman, making just 28.4% of 3.9 three-point attempts per game.

However, Fears’ stock remains high enough that he doesn’t feel the need to test the draft waters and leave the door open for a second college season.

Liam McNeeley To Enter 2025 NBA Draft

April 1st, 2025 at 12:58pm CST by Luke Adams

UConn forward Liam McNeeley is entering the 2025 NBA draft, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).

McNeeley, a 19-year-old coming off his freshman year, averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 32.1 minutes per game across 27 outings (26 starts) for the Huskies. He was the Big East Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Big East third team.

Although McNeeley was viewed entering his college career as an efficient outside shooter, the 6’7″ forward made just 38.1% of his attempts from the floor and 31.7% of his three-pointers during his freshman season. However, Givony and fellow ESPN draft expert Jeremy Woo still have McNeeley ranked 14th overall on their top-100 list, projecting him as a potential lottery pick.

Givony and Woo say that the youngster’s “positional size, feel for the game, toughness, and versatility” continue to appeal to NBA teams, adding that he was probably given too much shot-creating responsibility on a team that lacked dynamic ball handlers.

Givony’s report doesn’t mention anything about McNeeley testing the draft waters while retaining his NCAA eligibility, so it sounds like his intention is to go pro.

Rutgers’ Dylan Harper Declares For NBA Draft

March 31st, 2025 at 3:42pm CST by Luke Adams

Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper, one of the top prospects in this year’s draft class, announced on ESPN’s NBA Today on Monday that he’ll be entering the 2025 NBA draft (Twitter video link).

The decision comes as no surprise, as Harper has long been considered a strong bet to be one of the first players off the board this June. He ranks second overall on ESPN’s board behind only Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, notes draft expert Jonathan Givony.

A 6’6″ point guard and the son of five-time NBA champion Ron Harper, Dylan averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 1.4 steals in 32.6 minutes per game in 29 outings during his first and only college season. He posted a shooting line of .484/.333/.750 and was named to the All-Big Ten third team.

Harper broke Rutgers’ freshman scoring record and finished fifth in the Big Ten in points per game, according to Givony, who says the 19-year-old has drawn comparisons in NBA circles to a young James Harden.

“NBA teams saw I am an all-around player,” Harper said. “I can do whatever it takes to win. Whether it’s score, defend or facilitate. Anything coach needs me to do.”

Here are a few more prospects entering the 2025 draft:

St. John’s junior forward RJ Luis is declaring for the draft while maintaining his remaining college eligibility and entering the NCAA’s transfer portal, agent Sam Permut tells Givony (Twitter link). Luis had a big year as a junior, averaging 18.2 points and 7.2 rebounds per game en route to Big East Player of the Year honors. He ranked 72nd overall on ESPN’s top-100 list as of last week.
Oregon senior big man Nathan Bittle will be testing the draft waters while retaining his final year of college eligibility, he announced on Instagram. The No. 96 prospect on ESPN’s board, Bittle averaged 14.2 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 27.7 minutes per game across 35 starts this season, earning spots on the All-Big Ten third team and the conference’s All-Defensive team.
Following his junior season, Vanderbilt guard Jason Edwards is heading back into the transfer portal while testing the NBA draft waters, he tells Joe Tipton of On3 Sports (Twitter link). Edwards, who transferred from North Texas a year ago, averaging 17.0 points per game for the Commodores in 2024/25.
Jacksonville State senior guard Jaron Pierre will test the NBA draft waters while entering the transfer portal, tweets Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports. Pierre isn’t on ESPN’s top-100 list but ranked first among all Conference USA players with 21.6 points per game in 2024/25. He knocked down 38.2% of a career-high 7.6 three-point attempts per game.

Thomas Sorber To Enter Draft While Maintaining Eligibility

March 27th, 2025 at 5:15pm CST by Rory Maher

Georgetown forward/center Thomas Sorber is entering the 2025 NBA draft while maintaining his college eligibility, he tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

According to Givony, Sorber wasn’t viewed as a one-and-done candidate entering his freshman season in the fall, but he quickly moved up draft boards with his impressive play for the Hoyas. He’s currently ranked No. 24 on ESPN’s big board (Insider link), making him a projected first-round pick.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic is even higher on Sorber, writing that no NBA teams he’s spoken to recently have the 19-year-old outside of the first round, with several projecting him to land in the teens. He’s No. 12 on Vecenie’s latest mock draft, despite the fact that he underwent season-ending foot surgery last month, which will likely cause him to miss much of the pre-draft process.

In 24 games in 2024/25, Sorber averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.0 blocks in 31.3 minutes per contest. His shooting slash line was .532/.162/.724 (he was 6-of-37 from long distance, so pretty low volume).

“I am the type of player who will always make the right play,” Sorber told Givony. “I can do a little bit of everything — pass, rebound, sit down, and switch onto guards. Read plays and come from the weakside for blocks. I have a good touch. A feel for the game. But the main thing is to try and help my team win. Everyone says they want to be like (Nikola) Jokic. I also like to watch Bam Adebayo. His hustle, the way he’s expanded his game and switches from 1-5.”