Adama Bal

The NBA G League held its draft for the 2025/26 season on Saturday afternoon. Players who signed NBAGL contracts and whose rights weren’t already controlled by a team were part of the draft pool.

Affiliates from all 30 NBA teams took part in the draft, along with the unaffiliated Mexico City Capitanes.

Dillon Jones, who was a first-round pick in the 2024 NBA draft, was selected No. 1 overall by South Bay, which is the Lakers’ G League affiliate.

The 23-year-old small forward was drafted out of Weber State by Oklahoma City with the 26th pick last summer. He appeared in 54 games as a rookie, but only played 10.2 minutes per night and averaged 2.5 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

The Thunder traded Jones to Washington in June to clear a spot on their roster. The Wizards waived him last weekend and still owe him $2,753,280 for the remainder of the season.

Drafting Jones to South Bay won’t prevent another NBA team from signing him, since holding a player’s G League rights doesn’t mean teams control his NBA rights. However, it will give the Lakers a chance to take a first-hand look at him before potentially offering a standard or two-way contract.

With the second pick, the Osceola Magic selected Tyler Smith, who lost a battle for the Bucks’ final roster spot and was waived last Sunday. The 20-year-old power forward was expected to draw interest as a two-way target, but it doesn’t appear any offers have materialized yet. Smith, who started his career with the now-defunct G League Ignite, was taken with the 33rd pick in last year’s NBA draft.

The Wizards’ affiliate, the Capital City Go-Go, had three of the next four picks, selecting Ace Baldwin at No. 3, Nolan Hickman at No. 5 and Cam Carter at No. 6.

Two notable second-generation players were selected in today’s draft. Jamal Mashburn Jr. was taken at No. 8 by the Westchester Knicks, and Jabri Abdur-Rahim, whose father Shareef serves as G League president, went to the Stockton Kings at No. 29.

Here are the full 2025 G League draft results:

Round One:

1. South Bay Lakers (Lakers): Dillon Jones
2. Osceola Magic (Magic): Tyler Smith
3. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Ace Baldwin
4. Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Adama Bal
5. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Nolan Hickman
6. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Cam Carter
7. Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Stefan Todorovic
8. Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Jamal Mashburn Jr.
9. Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Ethan Taylor
10. Raptors 905 (Raptors): A.J. Hoggard
11. Texas Legends (Mavericks): Kario Oquendo
12. Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Kenan Blackshear
13. Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): Vinicius da Silva (Brazil)
14. Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Josh Cohen
15. Texas Legends (Mavericks): Cearius Warren (St. Thomas University)
16. Osceola Magic (Magic): Ebenezer Dowuona
17. Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): John Harge (Adams State University)
18. Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans): Tray Jackson
19. Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Jaden Seymour
20. Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans): Chris Mantis
21. College Park Skyhawks (Hawks): Tyrin Lawrence
22. Raptors 905 (Raptors): JP Pegues
23. Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Olisa Akonobi
24. Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): No pick
25. South Bay Lakers (Lakers): Selton Miguel
26. Motor City Cruise (Pistons): O’Mar Stanley
27. Noblesville Boom (Pacers): Ben Coupet Jr.
28. Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Des Watson
29. Stockton Kings (Kings): Jabri Abdur-Rahim
30. Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Carter Whitt
31. Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): J.Z. Zaher