2025 NBA G League Draft Results
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:
South Bay Lakers (Lakers): Dillon Jones- Osceola Magic (Magic): Tyler Smith
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Ace Baldwin
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Adama Bal
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Nolan Hickman
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): Cam Carter
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Stefan Todorovic
- Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Jamal Mashburn Jr.
- Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Ethan Taylor
- Raptors 905 (Raptors): A.J. Hoggard
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Kario Oquendo
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Kenan Blackshear
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): Vinicius da Silva (Brazil)
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Josh Cohen
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Cearius Warren (St. Thomas University)
- Osceola Magic (Magic): Ebenezer Dowuona
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): John Harge (Adams State University)
- Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans): Tray Jackson
- Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Jaden Seymour
- Birmingham Squadron (Pelicans): Chris Mantis
- College Park Skyhawks (Hawks): Tyrin Lawrence
- Raptors 905 (Raptors): JP Pegues
- Greensboro Swarm (Hornets): Olisa Akonobi
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): No pick
- South Bay Lakers (Lakers): Selton Miguel
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): O’Mar Stanley
- Noblesville Boom (Pacers): Ben Coupet Jr.
- Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Des Watson
- Stockton Kings (Kings): Jabri Abdur-Rahim
- Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Carter Whitt
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): J.Z. Zaher
Round Two:
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Sean Durugordon
- Stockton Kings (Kings): No pick
- Salt Lake City Stars (Jazz): Jermaine Couisnard
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Dischon Thomas
- Valley Suns (Suns): Bryce Thompson
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Darius Maddox
- Santa Cruz Warriors (Warriors): Derrin Boyd
- Austin Spurs (Spurs): Pierre Crockrell II
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): Markeese Hastings
- Maine Celtics (Celtics): Vance Jackson
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): Chandler Baker
- Osceola Magic (Magic): No pick
- Wisconsin Herd (Bucks): Onno Steger
- Iowa Wolves (Timberwolves): Donte Ingram
- Memphis Hustle (Grizzlies): Kobe Webster
- Sioux Falls Skyforce (Heat): Tyler Hawkins (Barry University)
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Jason Hubbard (Taylor University)
- Wisconsin Herd (Bucks): T.J. Weeks
- Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets): No pick
- Austin Spurs (Spurs): No pick
- Capital City Go-Go (Wizards): No pick
- Noblesville Boom (Pacers): Ahmaad Rorie
- Maine Celtics (Celtics): Nicolas Timberlake
- Oklahoma City Blue (Thunder): No pick
- Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers): No pick
- Texas Legends (Mavericks): No pick
- Santa Cruz Warriors (Warriors): Franco Miller Jr.
- Motor City Cruise (Pistons): Ray Harrison
- Wisconsin Herd (Bucks): No pick
- Westchester Knicks (Knicks): Fousseyni Drame
- Osceola Magic (Magic): No pick
Teams will fill out their rosters with affiliate players, returning rights players, tryout players, and players who are assigned to the G League from the NBA roster (including those on two-way contracts).
G League training camps open on Monday, with this year’s NBAGL Tip-Off Tournament getting underway on November 7. The Tip-Off Tournament will be played over about a month-and-a-half and will be followed by the G League regular season, which begins on December 19.
UConn’s Karaban Among Prospects Withdrawing From NBA Draft
After winning a pair of national championships as a starting forward at UConn, Alex Karaban will return to the Huskies for his junior year in search of a third consecutive title, he announced today (via Twitter).
The No. 36 prospect on ESPN’s big board, Karaban had been testing the NBA draft waters but will withdraw his name from the 2024 pool in order to retain his college eligibility. He averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 31.4 minutes per game as a redshirt sophomore and has made 38.9% of his three-point attempts across his two college seasons.
Big man Ugonna Onyenso, who spent his first two college seasons at Kentucky, has also opted to withdraw from the NBA draft, agent Daniel Hazan tells Jonathan Givony of ESPN (Twitter link).
Onyenso told Givony last month when he initially declared for the draft that he was “100% focused on the NBA” and wasn’t thinking about “coming back to play college basketball.” However, it appears he changed his mind after getting some feedback from teams during the pre-draft process. The No. 68 player on ESPN’s big board is in the transfer portal and still has to determine where to spend his junior season, Givony notes.
Meanwhile, another player on ESPN’s board (at No. 52), Dayton forward DaRon Holmes II has decided to keep his name in the draft and forgo his final year of college eligibility, as he announced on Instagram.
The Atlantic 10’s Defensive Player of the Year and co-Player of the Year in 2023/24, Holmes averaged 20.4 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 2.1 blocks in 32.5 minutes per game for the Flyers, posting an impressive shooting line of .544/.386/.713 in 33 games (all starts).
Here are more of today’s draft decisions from early entrants ahead of the NCAA’s withdrawal deadline:
Withdrawing from the draft:
- Swingman Chibuzo Agbo will transfer from Boise State to USC for his super-senior season (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports).
- Northwestern swingman Brooks Barnhizer will return to school for his senior season (Twitter link via Jeff Goodman of The Field of 68).
- Guard Johnell Davis will transfer from Florida Atlantic to Kansas for his super-senior season (Twitter link via Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN).
- Guard Garwey Dual will return to school for his sophomore season. He played at Providence last season but is in the transfer portal now (Twitter link via Givony).
- St. Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming will return to school for his junior season (Twitter link via Rothstein).
- Clemson guard Chase Hunter will return to school for his super-senior season (Instagram link).
- Forward Arthur Kaluma will return to school for his senior season. He played at Kansas State last season but is in the transfer portal now (Twitter link via Jeff Borzello of ESPN).
- Forward Baba Miller will transfer from Florida State to Florida Atlantic for his junior season (Twitter link via Givony).
- Southern Idaho center Shahid Muhammad will return to school for his junior season (Twitter link via Rothstein).
- UIC swingman Toby Okani will return to school for his super-senior season (Twitter link via Goodman).
Remaining in the draft:
- Memphis senior forward David Jones will stay in the draft and forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility (Twitter link via Givony).
- Bowling Green State sophomore guard JZ Zaher will stay in the draft and forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility (Twitter link via Rothstein).
Kyshawn George, Justin Edwards Among Players Entering Draft
Miami Hurricanes wing Kyshawn George intends to enter his name in the 2024 NBA draft pool, he said in a French interview with BeIN Sports (YouTube link; hat tip to Inside The U).
A 6’8″ swingman, George started 16 of the 31 games he played for Miami in his freshman season. While his averages of 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists in 23.0 minutes per contest were relatively modest, the youngster can handle the ball and has displayed a promising outside shot, having knocked down 40.8% of 4.2 three-pointers per game. He currently ranks 25th on ESPN’s big board of 2024 prospects, making him a potential first-rounder.
It’s unclear at this point whether George plans to forgo his remaining NCAA eligibility or if he’ll test the waters for now, leaving the door open for a potential return to school.
Kentucky wing Justin Edwards – another freshman who has a chance to be a first-round pick – also indicated he plans to declare for the 2024 draft, making his announcement on Instagram. Edwards’ statement didn’t mention anything about maintaining his college eligibility, so it sounds like he intends to go pro.
ESPN’s No. 30 overall prospect, Edwards averaged 8.8 PPG and 3.4 RPG on .486/.365/.776 shooting in 32 games (21.4 MPG) for the Wildcats in 2023/24. He’s one of several Kentucky players who have a chance to be drafted in 2024 — that group includes probable lottery picks Rob Dillingham and Reed Sheppard.
The following prospects are also said to be declaring for the 2024 NBA draft as early entrants while hanging onto their NCAA eligibility (players marked with an asterisk are also entering the transfer portal):
- Aziz Bandaogo, C, Cincinnati (senior) (Twitter link)
- Note: Bandaogo says he’s testing the draft, but plans to finish his college career at Cincinnati.
- Lamont Butler, G, San Diego State (senior) (Twitter link via Jon Chepkevich of DraftExpress)
- Wesley Cardet Jr., G/F, Chicago State (junior) (Twitter link via Chepkevich)
- Johnell Davis, G, Florida Atlantic (senior) (Instagram link) *
- Norchad Omier, F, Miami (FL) (senior) (Twitter link via Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports)
- Great Osobor, F, Utah State (junior) (Twitter link via Joe Tipton of On3 Sports) *
- Max Shulga, G, VCU (senior) (Twitter link via Rothstein)
- Trey Townsend, F, Oakland (senior) (Twitter link via Jonathan Givony of ESPN) *
- Jaylen Wells, F, Washington State (junior) (Instagram link)
- Terrance Williams II, F, Michigan (senior) (Instagram link)
- JZ Zaher, G, Bowling Green State (sophomore) (Instagram link)