Official Early Entrants List For 2025 NBA Draft
After announcing 50 withdrawals from the draft last month, the NBA has officially confirmed (via Twitter) that 13 additional early entrant prospects withdrew from the draft prior to Sunday’s deadline, leaving a total of 46 early entrants eligible to be selected in this year’s draft in addition to 2025’s automatically draft-eligible players.
Of those 46 draft-eligible early entrants, 28 are players from colleges (25 underclassmen and three seniors with eligibility remaining), 16 had been playing in international leagues, and two spent last season in the G League.
This year’s 46 early entrants represents the lowest total in well over a decade, since before the NCAA allowed prospects to test the draft waters — it’s just a fraction of the record set in 2021, when 217 early entrants kept their names in the draft. The sharp decline in early entrants in recent years is a reflection of the new NIL opportunities available to college players, who now have less motivation to go pro early in order to get paid.
[RELATED: Full 2025 NBA Draft Order]
A total of 109 prospects initially declared as early entrants, with 50 of those players removing their names from consideration prior to the NCAA’s May 28 withdrawal deadline to retain their college eligibility.
Here’s the complete list of early entrant prospects eligible for the 2025 NBA draft:
College underclassmen:
- Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers (freshman)
- Carter Bryant, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Egor Demin, G, BYU (freshman)
- V.J. Edgecombe, G, Baylor (freshman)
- Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (freshman)
- Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (freshman)
- Rasheer Fleming, F/C, St. Joseph’s (junior)
- Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (freshman)
- Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Tre Johnson, G, Texas (freshman)
- Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- RJ Luis, F, St. John’s (junior)
- Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (freshman)
- Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (freshman)
- Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (sophomore)
- Asa Newell, F, Georgia (freshman)
- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, F/C, Penn State (junior)
- Drake Powell, G/F, UNC (freshman)
- Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke (junior)
- Derik Queen, C, Maryland (freshman)
- Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State (freshman)
- Will Riley, F, Illinois (freshman)
- Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown (freshman)
- Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas (junior)
- Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan (junior)
College seniors:
- Cedric Coward, F, Washington State
- Omar Rowe, G, Morehouse
- Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State
International players:
Note: The country indicates where the player had been playing, not necessarily where he was born.
- Izan Almansa, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
- Joan Beringer, C, Slovenia (born 2006)
- Mohamed Diawara, F, France (born 2005)
- Noa Essengue, F, Germany (born 2006)
- Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain (born 2006)
- Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2005)
- Muodubem Muoneke, G, Spain (born 2003)
- Ousmane N’Diaye, F/C, Spain (born 2004)
- Eli Ndiaye, C, Spain (born 2004)
- Saliou Niang, F, Italy (born 2004)
- Noah Penda, F, France (born 2005)
- Ben Saraf, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Alex Toohey, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Nolan Traore, G, France (born 2006)
- Hansen Yang, C, China (born 2005)
- Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia (born 2006)
Other players
- Isaac Nogues, G, Rip City Remix (born 2004)
- Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2006)
For the full list of the players who declared for the draft and then withdrew, click here.
LeBron James Discusses Knee, Plans To Play 23rd Season
LeBron James intends to continue his NBA career in 2025/26, which will make him the first player in league history to play a 23rd season, writes Jonathan Landrum Jr. of The Associated Press. For now, the Lakers star’s focus is on making sure his left knee gets healthy after he sustained an MCL sprain in the playoffs.
“I have a lot of time to take care of my injury, my knee, the rest of my body and make sure I’m as close to 100% as possible when training camp begins in late September,” James said.
While James, who expressed uncertainty in the wake of the Lakers’ postseason elimination about his future plans, confirmed he has no plans to call it a career this offseason, he didn’t specifically address his contract situation. The veteran forward holds a $52.6MM player option for next season and is considered likely to either pick up that option or negotiate a new deal to remain with the Lakers.
LeBron, who will turn 41 this December, also isn’t prepared to offer a timeline for when he might call it a career, though he acknowledged that he can’t help but think about how much time he might have left in the NBA.
“At this point of my career, you think about when the end is. That’s human nature,” he told Landrum. “You think: Is it this year? Or next year? Those thoughts always creep into your mind at this point of the journey. But I have not given it a specific timetable, date. I’m seeing how my body and family reacts, too.”
After becoming Lakers teammates with his son Bronny James this past season, LeBron said it would be “insane” if he also got the opportunity to play alongside younger son Bryce James, who would be draft-eligible as early as 2026. Whether or not that happens, the four-time MVP expressed appreciation to his family for enthusiastically supporting him for as long as he wants to continue playing.
“They’re like ‘Dad, continue on your dream. This is your dream. Continue on your focus. You’ve been here for us this whole time,'” LeBron said. “When you have that type of support… it makes it a lot easier.”
Hoops Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript: 6/17/2025
Hoops Rumors’ Arthur Hill held a live chat today exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers. Topics included how the Kevin Durant trade saga is likely to play out, whether the Magic overpaid for Desmond Bane, the Bucks' strategy if there's no Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, a potential Denver reunion for Russell Westbrook and more!
Draft Rumors: Edgecombe, Bailey, Spurs, Knueppel, Fears, Hawks, More
For the first time since the Sixers claimed the No. 3 overall pick in last month’s draft lottery, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo are projecting Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe, rather than Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, to be the pick in that spot.
As Givony explains within ESPN’s latest mock draft, Edgecombe made a strong positive impression during his visit to Philadelphia, whereas Bailey initially didn’t make plans to meet with the Sixers at all. Bailey has since changed course and will work out for the 76ers later this week, but it sounds like he may not been enthusiastic about his “pathway to development” in Philadelphia.
According to Givony, Bailey hasn’t yet conducted a known workout and has declined invitations from multiple teams in his draft range. Sources tell ESPN that his camp believes he’s a top-three player in the draft class but that they want him to end up in a situation where there’s a path to stardom. With that in mind, some teams have wondered if Bailey has received a promise from a team outside the top five that he views as more favorable in terms of both playing time and geography.
Givony and Woo have Bailey slipping to Washington at No. 6 in their latest mock, with Givony writing that the Wizards and the Pelicans (at No. 7) are both believed to be “highly intrigued” by the 18-year-old’s upside and could probably offer him more minutes right away than a team like Philadelphia could.
Here’s more from ESPN on the 2025 NBA draft:
- Rival teams who have been in touch with the Spurs have come away believing that San Antonio will hang onto the No. 2 overall pick and select Dylan Harper, according to Givony, who says the Spurs are excited about adding a talent like Harper and appear willing to address potential fit issues down the road.
- Although the No. 8 pick is viewed as Kon Knueppel‘s likely floor, he could end up coming off the board a few picks ahead of that. The Hornets (No. 4) and Jazz (No. 5) both appear to have interest in the Duke sharpshooter, Givony reports.
- Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears looks like a relatively safe bet to be drafted between No. 5 and No. 8, writes Woo. The Jazz are viewed as the top end of Fears’ range, while the Pelicans (No. 7) and Nets (No. 8) are thought to be interested. Grant Afseth of RG.org said something similar on Monday while also identifying the Wizards at No. 6 as a possibility for Fears.
- Rival teams believe the Hawks will likely be targeting a big man and a guard with their first-round picks if they hang onto both of them, says Woo. Even if the Hawks do take that route, the order in which they address those two spots will hinge in large part on who’s available after the first 12 picks. ESPN’s mock has Atlanta taking Egor Demin at No. 13 and Danny Wolf at No. 22.
- Collin Murray-Boyles is considered a polarizing prospect, with some evaluators viewing the South Carolina standout as a potential “outstanding” role player while others are concerned about his shooting and his positional size, according to Woo. Murray-Boyles’ range may start around the No. 10 pick.
- Arizona’s Carter Bryant has had a very good pre-draft process and looks like a strong candidate to come off the board in the 9-15 range, per Givony.
Suns, Wolves Hoping Durant Warms To Minnesota Possibility
Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Monday that Kevin Durant has “no desire” to be traded to the Timberwolves, but the Suns and Wolves are still hoping he’ll warm to the idea, league sources tell Sam Amick and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
Durant doesn’t have the ability to veto a trade, so Phoenix and Minnesota would be free to work out an agreement that sends the former MVP to the Timberwolves, even if he’s unwilling to immediately sign an extension with his new team.
However, after advancing to the Western Conference Finals in each of the past two seasons, the Wolves are reluctant to make a significant roster change if the incoming star isn’t on board, according to Amick and Krawczynski, who note that Rudy Gobert‘s enthusiasm for Minnesota was one reason president of basketball operations Tim Connelly gave up a substantial haul to acquire the big man in 2022.
As The Athletic’s duo writes, the Wolves believed when they spoke with the Suns at the trade deadline in February that Durant was open to playing in Minnesota, given his friendship with Anthony Edwards, his D.C.-area ties with Connelly, and the opportunity to team up with Jaden McDaniels, whose defensive prowess would reduce the pressure on KD at that end of the court. However, the Wolves have been made aware during their recent discussions with the Suns that Durant wants to play elsewhere.
Durant reportedly prefers to end up with the Spurs, Rockets, or Heat – and San Antonio may be atop that list, per The Athletic – but the offers from those teams haven’t been especially compelling from the Suns’ perspective, as Amick and Krawczynski explain. If Durant were more enthusiastic about Minnesota, the Wolves could feel more confident about making an aggressive play for him, which may in turn inspire another suitor to increase its bid.
“Phoenix is trying to drum up better offers,” one rival executive told The Athletic.
The Rockets have had “meaningful” talks with the Suns about Durant and have put a firm offer on the table, but Phoenix was underwhelmed by that proposal, according to Amick and Krawczynski, who hear from league sources that San Antonio has been “conservative” in its pursuit of the 15-time All-Star.
As for the Heat, it’s unclear whether they have the right pieces to really entice the Suns, since salary-matching veterans such as Andrew Wiggins and/or Duncan Robinson are unlikely to hold significant appeal to Phoenix.
While the Suns are said to have interest in Gobert, it remains to be seen whether the Timberwolves would be willing to put the four-time Defensive Player of the Year into their offer for Durant, The Athletic’s duo notes. The Wolves would likely be even more hesitant to put Gobert on the table if Durant remains opposed to the idea of becoming a Timberwolf.
Nuggets Parting Ways With Assistant GM Tommy Balcetis
The Nuggets won’t be retaining assistant general manager Tommy Balcetis, according to a report from DNVR Sports (Twitter link).
Multiple sources confirmed the news to Bennett Durando of The Denver Post, who notes that Balcetis had been on an expiring contract, which won’t be renewed.
Balcetis has been with the Nuggets since 2013. He was initially hired as the team’s basketball analytics manager and worked his way up the organization from there, earning the title of director of strategy and analytics, then VP of basketball strategy and analytics. In 2020, following Arturas Karnisovas‘ departure from the organization, Calvin Booth was promoted from assistant GM to general manager, with Balcetis promoted into Booth’s old assistant GM role.
Notably, however, it was VP of basketball operations and G League GM Ben Tenzer who was named the Nuggets’ interim general manager in April when the club dismissed Booth, with Balcetis remaining in his assistant GM position at that time.
Although Balcetis has since been mentioned as a potential candidate to become the Nuggets’ permanent head of basketball operations, the fact that the club initially chose Tenzer over him perhaps signaled that this split was coming.
With little indication that the Nuggets have been seriously considering options outside of the organization, Tenzer now looks like the clear favorite to run the team’s basketball operations department going forward, though it’s possible Denver has just done an excellent job keeping a more expansive front office search under wraps. As for Balcetis, I wouldn’t expect it to take long for him to find work with another NBA team.
Atlantic Notes: Sharpe, Knueppel, Horford, Kornet, Embiid
Day’Ron Sharpe is headed to free agency this summer. The Nets can make the backup big man a restricted free agent by extending him a $5.98MM qualifying offer. Sharpe told Michael Scotto of HoopsHype he’s looking forward to what the summer may bring for his career.
“I’m looking forward to the experience because I don’t know too much about free agency. This is my first year experiencing it. I’m looking forward to learning from it and how to move later on in my career,” he said.
Sharpe believes he can enhance any team’s second unit.
“I think I’m one of the best (backup bigs),” he said. “I’m a humble person, so I don’t like really talking or comparing myself to other people. But when it comes to backup bigs, I think I’m one of the best. I’m trying to continue to prove myself and work hard.”
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Should the Nets target Duke’s Kon Knueppel with their No. 8 overall pick? Lucas Kaplan of NetsDaily.com believes Knueppel can make up for his limitations by his competitive nature as well as his shot-making and play-making abilities.
- There’s a general sense that Al Horford will continue his long career next season but where he’ll wind up in free agency is another matter. High-level playoff contenders are monitoring Horford to see if he would consider leaving Boston, according to Scotto. Another Celtics big man and free agent, Luke Kornet, is expected to have a robust market this summer after his career year. Teams with the non-taxpayer mid-level exception available are expected to pursue him, says Scotto.
- The Sixers moved up to the No. 3 spot in the draft lottery but their success next season will be predicated on how well Joel Embiid bounces back from his latest knee surgery, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer opines. The team has yet to offer an update on Embiid’s progress since he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on April 9.
Weltman: Acquiring Bane Was Priority For Offensively-Starved Magic
Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman believes Desmond Bane is the perfect fit for his team, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel.
“The guy is almost the player you would design if you could start from scratch,” Weltman said. “Because obviously we’ve spoken a lot about our need for shooting but we’ve also talked about play-making and adding skill … Desmond is such a unique player because he’s one of the best shooters in the NBA, but he’s also a gifted play-maker and he generates shot-creation for himself and others. He creates advantages with and without the ball.”
In desperate need for more offense from the backcourt to complement high-scoring forward Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Weltman dug deep into the team’s assets to acquire Bane from the Grizzlies. He traded guards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony, four first-round picks and a 2029 pick swap in order to acquire Bane.
Weltman believes Bane’s timeline fits in well with his young core and the loss of draft capital was offset by the possibility of Bane making the Magic one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference.
“We feel that the other unique thing about a guy like Des being available to obtain in a trade is the fact that he’s just about to turn 27, so if we are a good team then we hope to be a good team for a while,” Weltman said. “Hopefully, we’ll have this group together for a long time wearing Magic uniforms. That will determine what the value of those picks are and some of this is what the NBA is about. It’s betting on yourself. It’s putting pressure on yourself and elevating your standard.”
Bane averaged 19.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 1.2 steals this season while shooting 39.2% from 3 on 6.1 attempts. Orlando shot a league-low 31.8% from 3-point range and averaged the third-fewest points.
Weltman said that the trade talks for Bane were a gradual process.
“We valued him very highly for a while,” Weltman said. “There are few guys in the league that if they become available, you’re going to be aggressive. When I stood here after the season, I honestly didn’t expect him to be available in these conversations. But when we learned about that as we did our laps around the league, we shifted gears and made it a priority for us.”
Bane’s contract could become an issue if the trade doesn’t work out as planned. He has four years left on his five-year, $197.2MM deal.
Magic Declining Options On Gary Harris, Cory Joseph
The Magic are declining their options on the contracts of guards Gary Harris and Cory Joseph for next season, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets. Harris’ team option is worth $7.5MM, while Joseph’s is equivalent to his minimum salary ($3.47MM).
Neither move comes as a surprise. Harris, 30, had a limited role this season and once again battled injuries. He saw action in just 48 games this season, averaging just 3.0 points in 14.8 minutes.
In previous seasons, Harris was at least a part-time starter. He recently expressed a desire to stay in Orlando, but if he does, it’ll come at a reduced salary.
“I love Orlando,” Harris said earlier in the spring. “My kids love it here. It’s been great to be a part of what we’ve been building here in this city, but you know how the league is. There’s a lot uncertain. You never know what’s going to happen. So all I can do is control what I can, continue to put the work in [and] stay ready for whatever the future may hold. But I definitely love my time here in Orlando, so we’ll see if it continues.”
Joseph, 33, received some unexpected playing time due to injuries. He averaged 3.5 points and 1.4 assists in 12.2 minutes per game, appearing in 50 contests (16 starts).
These moves are a byproduct of the Desmond Bane blockbuster trade with the Grizzlies. Orlando will presumably be looking to stay below the luxury tax line and avoid operating in apron territory — declining these options will assist that cause. Bane has a $36.7MM salary for next season.
Six More Players Receive Green Room Invitations
Noa Essengue (France), Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina), Thomas Sorber (Georgetown), Liam McNeeley (UConn), Nolan Traore (France) and Will Riley (Illinois) have been extended green room invitations to next week’s draft, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets.
That brings the number of invites to 19. The 13 players previously named included Cooper Flagg (Duke), Dylan Harper (Rutgers), Ace Bailey (Rutgers), V.J. Edgecombe (Baylor), Tre Johnson (Texas), Khaman Maluach (Duke), Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma), Kon Knueppel (Duke), Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), Egor Demin (BYU), Carter Bryant (Arizona), Derik Queen (Maryland) and Asa Newell (Georgia).
Among the newcomers on the list, Essengue is the highest ranked on ESPN’s current Best Available list. The 6’10” Essengue has moved up to the No. 9 spot. Murray-Boyles (14), McNeeley (16), Riley (17) and Sorber (18) are all ranked among the top 20 prospects with Traore at No. 25.
According to Givony, five more invites are expected to be extended by the league. The players invited to the green room can usually feel pretty confident about their chances to be first-round picks, since the league only decides who to invite after asking teams to vote on the 25 prospects they expect to come off the board first.