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Spurs Pick Carter Bryant At No. 14

June 25th, 2025 at 8:45pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Spurs have selected Arizona’s Carter Bryant using the 14th overall pick.

A 6’7″ combo forward, Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 block in 37 appearances for Arizona in 2024/25 (19.3 minutes per game). Although he didn’t play a starring role for the Wildcats as a freshman, Bryant was a reliable outside shooter (.371 3PT%) and showed off intriguing defensive versatility.

Considered a potential late first-round pick earlier in the spring, Bryant had a strong pre-draft process, with The Athletic reporting in May that he had a “ton of juice when you talk to front offices.”

Boasting a 6’11.75″ wingspan and a 39.5″ vertical leap, Bryant will go to the Spurs hoping to fit in as a high-level role player. His ability to space the floor should complement the guard trio of De’Aaron Fox, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper, as well as Jeremy Sochan, all of whom struggle to knock down threes to varying degrees.

The 19-year-old also offers a different look defensively than San Antonio’s other wings, namely Devin Vassell and Keldon Johnson, who are both slightly undersized for their positions. As Bryant fills out his frame, he will offer the potential to slide between small and power forward, and should be able to guard three positions.

Bryant’s size and skill set should allow the Spurs to unlock a level of flexibility in rotations, and could make for an intriguing bench running mate with Harper to start their shared rookie seasons.

Pelicans Acquire No. 13 Pick From Hawks, Draft Derik Queen

June 25th, 2025 at 8:39pm CST by Luke Adams

10:31 pm: The trade is official, the Pelicans confirmed in a press release.

8:39 pm: The Pelicans and Hawks have agreed to a trade that will send the No. 13 overall pick from Atlanta to New Orleans in exchange for No. 23 overall and a 2026 first-round pick, reports ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter link). The 2026 first-rounder is unprotected and will be the most favorable of the Pelicans’ and Bucks’ picks.

The Pelicans are using that newly acquired pick to draft Maryland big man Derik Queen, per Charania (Twitter link).

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 30.4 minutes per contest across 36 total games. He helped guide Maryland to a 27-9 record and a spot in the Sweet 16, scoring 27 points in a loss to Florida.

While Queen is perhaps the most offensively gifted big man in the 2025 draft class, reports during the pre-draft process indicated some NBA evaluators had concerns about his lack of length and explosiveness, as well as some questions about what types of players he would guard on defense.

Still, he’s an intriguing addition for a New Orleans team that badly needs frontcourt depth to complement 2024 first-rounder Yves Missi and ranked last in the NBA in defensive rebounding percentage this post season, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets.

Reporting earlier today from Jonathan Givony of ESPN suggested the Pelicans had their eye on Queen in part to new front office executive Troy Weaver, who has “long-standing connections” to Baltimore- and D.C.-area prospects, and whose son was a graduate assistant on Maryland’s coaching staff in 2024/25.

As for the Hawks, after agreeing to trade the No. 22 overall pick to Brooklyn in their three-team Kristaps Porzingis deal, they’ll now move down 10 spots from No. 13 and end up in that range once again. They’re using that No. 23 pick on Georgia forward/center Asa Newell.

Meanwhile, the 2026 first-rounder they’re acquiring from New Orleans could end up being a valuable one. The Bucks will be missing Damian Lillard as he recovers from a torn Achilles and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s future in Milwaukee still isn’t a certainty, while the Pelicans are coming off a 21-win season. The most favorable of those two teams’ picks could easily land in the top half of the first round.

Bulls Select Noa Essengue With 12th Overall Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 8:34pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Bulls have used the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft to select Noa Essengue, the first prospect who has been playing overseas to come off the board.

Essengue, a 6’10” forward from France, signed with Ratiopharm Ulm in July 2023. He spent most of his first season with Ulm’s developmental team, but played a key role for the German club this past season, averaging 12.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 23.7 minutes per game across 18 EuroCup appearances.

Essengue, who is the second-youngest player in the 2025 draft, was actually still playing for Ratiopharm Ulm as recently as Saturday, but left Germany to travel stateside for this week’s draft with Ulm holding a 2-1 lead over Bayern Munich in the best-of-five Basketball Bundesliga championship.

Because Essengue didn’t play college basketball in the United States, most American fans may not be familiar with his game. He’s mobile for his size and can guard a variety of players, but he still needs to develop his outside shot.

He’ll be a welcome addition for a Bulls team that’s loaded with guards, but low on players with size. He’ll likely need time to develop into an effective NBA player, and he may not be asked to contribute a lot right away. Chicago has other options to upgrade at power forward, especially if a rumored deal to acquire Jonathan Kuminga goes through.

Essengue reportedly had a “secret” private workout with Toronto after arriving from Germany, and there was speculation he could be taken as high as No. 9. Brooklyn and Phoenix also expressed interest, according to Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.

Grizzlies Acquire No. 11 Pick Cedric Coward From Blazers

June 25th, 2025 at 8:27pm CST by Earnest Marshall

11:17 pm: The trade is official, according to a press release from the Grizzlies (Twitter link).

8:27 pm: Washington State forward Cedric Coward is the No. 11 overall pick, but he won’t remain with the Trail Blazers. According to Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link), Portland is sending the selection to the Grizzlies.

In exchange for No. 11, the Blazers are acquiring the 16th overall pick, a future first-rounder, and two second-round selections, reports Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link). Portland surprisingly used the No. 16 pick on Chinese big man Hansen Yang — many analysts had second-round grades on the 7’2″ center.

The future first-rounder being sent to Portland is Orlando’s 2028 selection, per Charania (Twitter link). According to Aaron Fentress of The Oregonian (Twitter link), the second-rounders will be Atlanta’s 2027 pick and Sacramento’s 2028 pick.

Coward played just six games at Washington State in 2024/25 before suffering a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the remainder of his senior season. He averaged 17.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 55.7% from the floor and 40.0% on three-pointers during his abridged stint with the Cougars.

Before transferring to Washington State, the 6’6″ wing played two years at Eastern Washington, averaging 11.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 66 games. He spent his freshman season at Willamette University in Oregon.

Due to his lack of reps against high-level college competition, Coward was ranked outside of the first round by a number of draft experts earlier this year, but improved his standing during the pre-draft process, impressing NBA teams at last month’s combine and at workouts.

Coward has the makings of a strong pick for the Grizzlies, who are seemingly re-tooling around Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. after sending away Desmond Bane to Orlando in a blockbuster trade earlier this month. Coward has a tremendous frame and a good-looking three-point shot that connects at a high rate.

The Grizzlies had the ammunition to go up and get a player they coveted after that Bane deal, which included Orlando’s 2028 first-rounder.

This move makes sense for both sides on paper. The Grizzlies get a player who can contribute early on his career, assuming he’ll be fully recovered from the shoulder injury at the start of the season. In return, Portland collects a future first and additional assets to move down five slots.

The Trail Blazers have an impressive defense, and their better-than-expected 36-46 record (including a 23-18 second half) last season reflects the growth of their young core led by the likes of Scoot Henderson, Toumani Camara, Shaedon Sharpe and Donovan Clingan. With no glaring holes to address with a lottery pick, moving down a few spots to pick up a future first-rounder looks like a sound transaction.

Suns Select Khaman Maluach With No. 10 Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 8:18pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Suns have drafted Khaman Maluach with the 10th overall pick.

Maluach was considered by many draft experts to be the top center among 2025’s draft-eligible prospects after starting 39 games as a freshman for a Duke team that made it to the Final Four. He averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 21.2 minutes per contest for the Blue Devils.

While Maluach’s box-score numbers don’t jump off the page, he has an impressive frame – a height of 7’1″ and a wingspan of 7’7″ – and could excel in the NBA as a defensive anchor and a rim-runner and lob threat on offense. The South Sudanese big man, who won’t turn 19 until September, has also shown some shooting potential and is one of the youngest players in the draft, notes ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.

The Suns acquired the 10th pick as part of the Kevin Durant trade with Houston. Phoenix also acquired Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and several second-rounders as part of that blockbuster deal.

Just before Maluach was selected, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported (via Twitter) that the Suns have traded the 29th pick in this draft as well as a 2029 first-round pick for Hornets center Mark Williams. The ’29 pick, Shams tweets, is top-five protected and is the least favorable of the Timberwolves’, Jazz’s, and Cavaliers’ picks.

By trading for Williams and selecting Malauch, the Suns have revamped their frontcourt depth in one fell swoop, and now have multiple young big men to grow with guards Devin Booker and Green.

Maluach will likely come off the bench to start, but represents a major swing for a team that is looking to rebuild its identity on the fly. A college head coach who spoke to The Athletic earlier this month stated that Maluach has “the biggest upside of anybody” in this year’s draft class.

Raptors Draft Collin Murray-Boyles At No. 9

June 25th, 2025 at 8:11pm CST by Arthur Hill

Collin Murray-Boyles is officially the ninth overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, as the Raptors used their lottery pick to select the South Carolina standout.

After establishing himself as a potential first-round pick with a strong freshman season, Murray-Boyles took another step forward as a sophomore in 2024/25, averaging 16.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.3 blocks in 30.6 minutes per game across 32 outings. The 6’7″ forward/center made 58.6% of his shots from the floor and 70.7% from the free throw line.

Though he isn’t a threat as an outside shooter, Murray-Boyles has a sturdy frame and physical style that has allowed him to play bigger than his height — he has earned comparisons to Draymond Green due to his play-making, toughness, and defensive versatility.

The Raptors received considerable interest from teams hoping to trade up to the No. 9 pick, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link), but they’re going to keep Murray-Boyles as part of their young foundation.

He will bring a much-needed physical presence to their front court and should help upgrade the defense. He’s also an accomplished passer and may get a chance to handle the ball frequently in Toronto’s offense.

Adding another big man in the draft could affect the Raptors’ decision on whether to re-sign Chris Boucher. The versatile 32-year-old forward is ready to hit the open market after spending the past seven years in Toronto.

Nets Use No. 8 Overall Pick On Egor Demin

June 25th, 2025 at 8:03pm CST by Earnest Marshall

Armed with five first-round picks entering Wednesday’s draft, the Nets have used the first of them – No. 8 – on BYU’s Egor Demin.

It’s the first major surprise of the night, as Demin was just outside the top 10 in most mock drafts leading up to the draft.

At 6’9″, Demin has the length of a forward but the skill set of a guard — ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has referred to him as the best passer in this year’s draft class, noting that the 19-year-old’s combination of size and play-making ability is rare.

Demin, who was born in Russia, played for Real Madrid’s B squad in Spain before making the move to BYU for the 2024/25 season. He was named to the Big 12 All-Freshman team after averaging 10.6 points, 5.5 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 27.5 minutes per game across 33 starts, with a shooting line of .412/.273/.695.

On paper, Demin makes sense for a Nets team that is virtually a blank slate. Brooklyn was competitive under first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez despite the 26-56 record, but the team doesn’t have cornerstone player to build around right now. Even if they re-sign Cam Thomas and Day’Ron Sharpe, the Nets have the room to take swings on high-upside players.

Brooklyn also doesn’t have a true point guard on the roster. Demin provides lead-guard intrigue with his passing ability, though it will be interesting to see how he scores at the NBA level.

Pelicans Draft Jeremiah Fears With No. 7 Pick

June 25th, 2025 at 7:55pm CST by Rory Maher

With the seventh overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the Pelicans have selected guard Jeremiah Fears.

Fears raised his stock significantly over the course of his first and only college season at Oklahoma — he didn’t show up at all on ESPN’s 59-player mock draft last November. The former four-star recruit was among the NCAA’s best ball-handlers and play-makers as a freshman, averaging 17.1 points, 4.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game in 34 outings (31 starts).

Fears’ jumper remains a work in progress, as he knocked down just 28.4% of 3.9 three-point tries per game for the Sooners, but the 6’4″ guard still has plenty of room to grow — he won’t turn 19 years old until October.

While Fears is viewed by some talent evaluators as having star-level upside, it could take him a while to reach that point, with defense and decision-making two other critical areas he needs to improve on going forward, writes Jonathan Givony of ESPN.

Interestingly, the Pelicans recently agreed to trade CJ McCollum and Kelly Olynyk to Washington for Jordan Poole and Saddiq Bey. Assuming Poole is New Orleans’ starting point guard, Fears — whose game is somewhat similar to Poole’s — could initially be a spark-plug scorer off the bench.

Wizards Select Tre Johnson At No. 6

June 25th, 2025 at 7:49pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards have used the sixth overall pick in the draft to add Texas guard Tre Johnson.

A 6’6″ shooting guard with a 6’10” wingspan, Johnson averaged 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists on .427/.397/.871 shooting in 33 games (34.7 MPG) for the Longhorns in 2024/25 as a freshman.

Johnson was named the SEC Freshman of the Year and made the All-SEC second team in his lone college season. While there have been some questions about his inconsistent engagement level on defense, per Jonathan Givony of ESPN, the Dallas native is one of the best shooters and scorers in this year’s draft class.

Johnson will bring more scoring punch to a team that just added CJ McCollum in a trade with New Orleans. Washington, which often struggled to score consistently this season, will welcome a dynamic offensive force in Johnson, who showed an ability to create his own shots in college.

Washington also invested heavily in young guards in last year’s draft, selecting Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George in the first round. Johnson will arrive with a stronger pedigree than either of them and figures to have a featured role in his rookie season.

The Wizards have remade their backcourt over the past 12 months, adding point guard AJ Johnson as well in a February trade with Milwaukee. They seem likely to focus on adding more size when they pick again at No. 18.

Jazz Pick Ace Bailey Fifth Overall

June 25th, 2025 at 7:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Jazz have selected Rutgers forward Ace Bailey with the fifth overall pick in the draft.

There’s no trade in the works, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, who tweets that Utah intends to hang onto Bailey.

Bailey’s situation had been one of the most popular subjects of speculation in the weeks leading up to the draft. While he was widely considered the third-best prospect in this year’s class by draft experts, he canceled a workout with the Sixers at No. 3 and declined invitations to visit other teams in the top half of the lottery, fueling speculation that his agents were trying to steer him to a preferred destination.

Rumors leading up to the draft suggested that Bailey might be trying to get to a team on the East Coast, such as Washington at No. 6 or Brooklyn at No. 8. Instead, he’ll begin his NBA career in Utah.

Bailey played alongside No. 2 pick Dylan Harper at Rutgers in 2024/25. The 6’8″ forward averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game across 30 contests (all starts), registering a .460/.346/.692 shooting line.

Bailey, who will turn 19 in August, is considered one of the best scorers in this year’s draft and brought a “high level of intensity” on the defensive end as a freshman, per Givony. While there have been questions about his maturity, Bailey has the potential to be as impactful on the court as anyone in the 2025 draft.

Bailey’s high ceiling is crucial for the Jazz, who don’t have any obvious future All-Stars or franchise cornerstones among their players on rookie scale contracts and finished with a league-worst 17-65 record in 2024/25. Despite entering lottery night with the best odds of any team to land a top-four pick, Utah fell to No. 5 — having drafted Bailey, the Jazz were still able to add a prospect with legitimate star-level upside.