Draft Notes: Second-Round Mocks, Round-One Winners, Trades
With round one of the 2025 NBA draft in the books, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo look ahead to what to expect on day two on Thursday, sharing an updated 29-pick mock draft covering the second round.
ESPN’s duo is projecting the Timberwolves to kick off the evening by nabbing Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming at No. 31, with Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud going to the Celtics at No. 32, and the Hornets drafting Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner and French forward Noah Penda with their picks at No. 33 and No. 34.
Still, Givony and Woo acknowledge that we’ll likely see plenty of draft-pick movement on Thursday, potentially involving one or more of those first few selections — Givony singles out the Hornets as a team to watch, noting that the club already added a pair of rookies on Wednesday (Kon Knueppel and Liam McNeeley) and may not want to add two more to their roster at the start of the second round.
Addressing their favorite under-the-radar prospects to keep an eye on during the second round, Givony mentions Penda as an ideal draft-and-stash target for a playoff team drafting in the 30s, though the 20-year-old would likely prefer to come stateside right away. Woo, meanwhile, suggests Florida State wing Jamir Watkins could be a perfect win-now fit for a team in the 30s. ESPN’s mock has him going to the Pacers at No. 38.
Here’s more on the 2025 draft as we prepare for Thursday evening’s second round:
- Sam Vecenie of The Athletic has also shared an updated mock draft for the second round that starts with Fleming to Minnesota and Raynaud to Boston. Vecenie has the Hornets nabbing Sion James and Kalkbrenner, with Penda going to the Nets at No. 36 and Watkins sliding to the Cavaliers at No. 49.
- A panel of ESPN experts, including Givony and Woo, breaks down the biggest winners, most surprising moves, and best picks from day one of the draft. ESPN’s experts liked the Suns taking Khaman Maluach at No. 10, the Spurs getting Carter Bryant at No. 14, and the Heat nabbing Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20, but questioned the Pelicans‘ decision to give up a valuable unprotected 2026 first-round pick to move up 10 spots to take Derik Queen at No. 13.
- Kevin O’Connor of Yahoo Sports isn’t as high on the Jakucionis pick for the Heat, giving them a D+, his lowest grade for any of the top 30 picks. The Grizzlies, conversely, earned an A++ grade from O’Connor for moving up to snag Washington State’s Cedric Coward at No. 11.
- The price paid by teams like the Pelicans, Grizzlies, and Jazz to move up a few spots outside of the top 10 on Wednesday was awfully high, observes John Hollinger of The Athletic. New Orleans and Memphis gave up unprotected future first-round picks to move up 10 and five spots, respectively, with the Grizzlies also surrendering two future second-rounders. The 2026 first-rounder sent from New Orleans to the Hawks is considered a “superfirst” because it’ll be the most favorable of New Orleans’ and Milwaukee’s picks — it’s very possible one of those picks will end up being a pretty high one, Hollinger notes. Utah, meanwhile, didn’t give up a future first, but had to part with three second-round picks to move up just three spots from No. 21 to No. 18.
Celtics Notes: Holiday, Scheierman, Draft, Peterson
The Celtics‘ efforts to cut salary by moving Jrue Holiday could wind up being tied to a Kevin Durant trade, NBA insider Zach Lowe stated on his most recent podcast (hat tip to Souichi Terada of MassLive). Lowe suggested that Boston could get involved as a facilitator, shipping out Holiday while the Suns send Durant to another team.
“The focus for me is on Jrue Holiday,” Lowe said. “I’ve heard that there have been at least very broad discussions of three-team, Durant-related trades where Jrue Holiday is (included). I think these could be conjured by Phoenix in hopes of getting a deal done, more-or-less, where Jrue Holiday moves somewhere. Just like he was the shrapnel in the (Damian Lillard) trade and ended up in Boston.”
The Celtics acquired Holiday from Portland shortly before the start of the 2023/24 season, just days after Milwaukee sent him to the Trail Blazers in the Lillard deal. Boston gave Holiday a four-year, $135MM extension in April of 2024 in a deal that made sense at the time, but has become burdensome considering the team’s projected tax bill and Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles injury.
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Baylor Scheierman figures to get increased playing time next season regardless of who else is on the roster, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. The 24-year-old shooting guard got off to a rough start during his rookie season, but he provided some hope with a strong performance in March. Robb notes that Scheierman’s offensive versatility should make him a valuable member of the bench unit, and he’ll probably be part of the Summer League team again this year.
- The Celtics will likely respond to Tatum’s injury by playing at a faster pace next season, Robb adds in the same piece. He notes that Jaylen Brown has talked about liking to run, while Derrick White should also be effective in an up-tempo system.
- The draft could be especially important for the Celtics as they look for low-cost players to fill out their roster, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. With Boston holding picks No. 28 and 32, Washburn talked to ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas, who points to Rasheer Fleming of St. Joseph’s and Adou Thiero of Arkansas as prospects who might be available in that range.
- During a recent appearance on The Garden Report podcast, two-way player Drew Peterson said he enjoys playing for the Celtics and hopes to return next season in a larger role (hat tip to Ryan Stano of Sports Illustrated). “I love it here. It’s been a couple of years, and I hope to be here for a long time. … I love it here,” Peterson said. “I can’t speak better of how much I love Boston and being in Boston, and the organization, top to bottom, is incredible.”
Heat Draft Notes: Workouts, Positional Fits
With the Heat still very much in the mix as a Kevin Durant trade partner with the Suns, there’s no guarantee they’ll be selecting at their allotted spot of the 20th pick in the 2025 draft. However, that hasn’t deterred them from approaching their first-round draft preparation as usual, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Winderman adds that there’s a lot of potential volatility in the Heat’s draft range. The 16th pick has already moved from Orlando to Memphis, while Minnesota, at 17, is also firmly in the Durant mix, and the 18th and 19th picks, belonging to Washington and Brooklyn, respectively, will likely be involved in trade discussions too, since both teams have multiple first-rounders and are rumored to be exploring trade-up scenarios.
The Heat have declined to make their pre-draft workouts public, unlike many teams, which has led to speculation that they’re focusing more on Durant. But Winderman writes that just because the sessions aren’t being announced doesn’t mean there isn’t due diligence happening behind the scenes.
We have more on the Heat’s draft outlook:
- As for who the Heat could select should they stay at No. 20, Miami Herald writer Anthony Chiang has published a trio of articles detailing potential targets. When it comes to guard options, Chiang writes that some, if not all, of Walter Clayton Jr. (Flordia), Egor Demin (BYU), Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois), Jase Richardson (Michigan State), and Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin) could be available, though he views Demin and Jakucionis as most likely to be off the board by the time Miami picks.
- If Miami decides to prioritize a wing, Chiang says that the most likely field of candidates include Nique Clifford (CSU), Cedric Coward (Washington State), Liam McNeeley (UConn), Drake Powell (UNC), Will Riley (Illinois), Adou Thiero (Arkansas), Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid), and Noah Penda (Le Mans). Coward is considered one of the draft’s major risers and is a real threat to go in the lottery. Clifford’s combination of size, age, and a well-rounded skill set could make him a prospect of interest to teams looking to find a more ready-made contributor.
- Finally, Chiang looks at the draft’s big men prospects. Names that could be on the board at No. 20 include Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina), Asa Newell (Georgia), Maxime Raynaud (Stanford), Thomas Sorber (Georgetown), Danny Wolf (Michigan), Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija), and Noa Essengue (Ulm). Of that group, Murray-Boyles and Essengue are the ones viewed as the best bets to be lottery picks, while Beringer has become an increasingly popular name for teams in the middle of the first round after measuring in at an impressive 6’11” barefoot with a 7’5″ wingspan.
Draft Notes: Trail Blazers, Mock, Coward, Nets, More
The Trail Blazers hosted a pre-draft workout on Thursday with six high-level prospects, writes Sean Highkin of The Rose Garden Report (subscriber link).
Michigan State guard Jase Richardson (No. 14 on ESPN’s big board), Illinois wing Will Riley (No. 15), Georgia forward/center Asa Newell (No. 19), UConn wing Liam McNeeley (No. 21) and Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming (No. 28) are all potential first-round picks, while Chinese center Hansen Yang — a combine standout — is viewed as a possible second-rounder, coming in at No. 67 on ESPN’s list.
As Highkin notes, Portland currently controls one pick in June’s draft, No. 11 overall. The team’s previous workouts mainly focused on less heralded players, but some of today’s group could be in contention for the lottery selection.
Richardson, who says he emulates Mike Conley, is out to prove he can orchestrate an NBA offense.
“There are a lot of questions about what position I can play at the next level,” Richardson said. “Playing at Michigan State, I was a two, because coach [Tom Izzo] wanted me to score. But I want to show teams I’m a point guard and I can facilitate.”
In addition to Portland’s front office and coaches, three players on the current roster — Scoot Henderson, Justin Minaya and Jabari Walker — also attended Thursday’s workout. According to Highkin, Newell thinks he’d fit in well with the Blazers.
“They like to [push] the pace a lot with Scoot and [Donovan] Clingan,” Newell said. “He cleans up anything down low. I think I’d be a plug-and-play player.”
Here are a few more notes related to June’s draft:
- Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report updated his mock draft following Wednesday’s deadline for early entrants to withdraw in order to their NCAA eligibility. Wasserman, who has the Trail Blazers selecting Newell at No. 11, says Washington State forward Cedric Coward appears to be one of the big winners of the pre-draft process, with one scout comparing his rise to that of Jalen Williams, who went No. 12 overall in 2022. Coward goes No. 14 to San Antonio in Wasserman’s mock.
- Freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford was voted by four of his peers as the “most underrated” prospect in the 2025 class, according to ESPN, but he wound up withdrawing and returning to Auburn prior to yesterday’s deadline. Arizona forward Carter Bryant (three votes) and North Carolina guard/forward Drake Powell (two) also received multiple votes. “Carter Bryant is super underrated,” Newell told ESPN. “I just feel like his game translates to the NBA really well. He’s got the size, he’s got the touch, he’s got the 3-point ability. And seeing him, he can definitely be a versatile defender.”
- The Nets held a pre-draft workout on Thursday with six prospects, including Colorado State wing Nique Clifford and Tennessee guards Chaz Lanier and Jahmai Mashack, reports Brian Lewis of The New York Post (via Twitter). According to Lewis, the Nets — who control a league-high five picks (all in the top 35) — also have an upcoming workout scheduled with Duke wing Kon Knueppel (Twitter link). Knueppell (No. 8 on ESPN’s board) and Clifford (No. 24) are projected first-round picks, while sharpshooter Lanier (No. 40) is viewed as a second-rounder.
Heat Notes: Mitchell, Ware, Draft Prospects, Butler
Davion Mitchell played well enough during his two months with the Heat to become part of their future plans, but tax considerations and other concerns will complicate that decision, according to Ira Winderman of The Sun-Sentinel. Mitchell started 15 of the 30 games he played for Miami after being acquired from Toronto at the deadline in the five-team Jimmy Butler trade. He provided a strong defensive presence in the backcourt and averaged 10.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 31.6 minutes per night while shooting 50.4% from the field and 44.7% from three-point range.
Mitchell will be a restricted free agent this summer if the Heat tender an $8.7MM qualifying offer by June 29. If he doesn’t reach a new agreement before the start of free agency, he can sign a deal with another team that Miami would have the right to match. Winderman points out that the Heat are close to the luxury tax and not far from the first apron, which will factor into the decision on whether to keep Mitchell.
Another consideration is the health of Dru Smith, who was kept on his two-way contract after suffering an Achilles tear in December. Smith played a similar role as Mitchell during the 14 games he appeared in, and he could be fully recovered in time for training camp.
Winderman also notes that Terry Rozier will make $26.6MM next season, so the Heat could be reluctant to make a significant investment in another point guard like Mitchell if Rozier can’t be traded. Isaiah Stevens showed promise in the G League as well, and as a two-way player he’s much cheaper than Mitchell will be.
“I don’t know what the future holds,” Mitchell said in his exit interview. “I’m not gonna try to get into that. But I mean I had an amazing time here. I love my teammates, love the coaching staff, love the adversity that we went through and we accomplished something no one’s ever done before, being the 10th seed, getting into the playoffs.”
There’s more on the Heat:
- After earning second-team All-Rookie honors, Kel’el Ware appears headed for a regular starting spot next season, Winderman states in a mailbag column. However, he cautions that could change if the Heat are able to pull off a major deal for Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo or Zion Williamson without giving up Bam Adebayo.
- Team president Pat Riley and other Heat officials traveled to Southern California to attend Pro Day workouts, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. They were able to watch a few players who might be available with the No. 20 pick, including Illinois forward Will Riley, Florida point guard Walter Clayton Jr. and St. Joseph’s power forward Rasheer Fleming.
- Former Heat star Dwyane Wade recently spoke on his podcast about the team’s deteriorating relationship with Butler that led to his trade to Golden State, Jackson adds. Wade questioned Butler’s approach to the game after the Warriors fell to Minnesota in the second round. “I know Jimmy is a pass-first guy. I know he’s about getting his teammates the ball, and want to see them shine,” Wade said. “But it’s a point where, you’re getting $60 (million). This ain’t working. You gotta go. He won’t look at the basket. And I’ve seen this before. I’ve seen it in the Heat jersey.”
Draft Notes: Raynaud, Coward, Combine, Chinyelu, Demary
In the wake of the NBA’s 2025 draft combine, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have updated their mock draft, taking into account which prospects saw their stock rise – or decline – as a result of their performances in Chicago.
While there weren’t any major changes at the top of ESPN’s latest mock, there were some movers further down the draft order. Stanford big man Maxime Raynaud, for instance, was considered one of the big winners of the combine due to his strong play during scrimmages. After coming in at No. 34 in ESPN’s mock draft last Monday, Raynaud has jumped to No. 24 in the newest version.
Forward Cedric Coward was another prospect who moved up from the second round (No. 35) in ESPN’s previous mock draft to the first round (No. 30) in today’s update. Although Coward has committed to transferring from Washington State to Duke, signs are pointing to him keeping his name in the draft and going pro, according to Woo.
Coward, whose 2024/25 season was cut short due to a shoulder injury, has limited reps against high-level competition despite spending four seasons in college, which is a concern for some NBA teams who are “hesitant about his surprising rise,” Woo adds.
Here are a few more draft-related notes:
- A panel of ESPN draft experts and analysts share their takeaways from last week’s combine, while Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype identifies his winners and losers from the event. His list of winners includes prospects like UNC’s Drake Powell, UConn’s Liam McNeeley, and Rasheer Fleming of St. Joseph’s, while Maryland’s Derik Queen, Michigan State’s Jase Richardson, and Michigan’s Vladislav Goldin are among his losers.
- John Hollinger of The Athletic has also shared his impressions from the combine, including the best and worst performers in scrimmages, as well as the player measurements that stood out for better (like Thomas Sorber‘s 7’6″ wingspan) or worse (Richardson’s height coming in below 6’1″).
- After declaring for the 2025 NBA draft as an early entrant, Florida center Rueben Chinyelu has decided to pull out and return to school for his junior season, per Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Chinyelu was a full-time starter for the national champions in 2024/25, averaging 6.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks in 19.0 minutes per game across 40 outings.
- According to Rothstein (Twitter link), sophomore guard Silas Demary Jr. is also withdrawing from the draft after testing the waters as an early entrant. Demary, who is transferring to UConn for his junior year, spent his first two college seasons with Georgia, averaging 13.5 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.7 steals per game in 33 starts for the team last season. He made just 39.6% of his shots from the floor, but had a solid 37.4% mark on three-pointers.
Draft Notes: Flagg, NIL, Combine, Lakhin, International Prospects
Cooper Flagg is as close to a lock to go number one in the 2025 draft as any non-Victor Wembanyama prospect can be, writes Sam Vecenie for The Athletic. In breaking down Flagg’s potential fit with all of this year’s lottery teams, Vecenie illustrates how the 18-year-old’s well-rounded skill set on both sides of the ball will allow him to slot in seamlessly with just about every team construction.
In his breakdown, Vecenie writes that the Pelicans and Raptors are the only rosters in the lottery that could make for a questionable fit, given that the two teams are already primarily built around a plethora of wings and forwards.
Still, Vecenie emphasizes that questions around fit are secondary to adding the level of talent Flagg promises, so even those two teams shouldn’t hesitate to take the 6’8″ forward if the opportunity presents itself. However, that scenario might necessitate a trade involving one or more of the incumbent forwards already rostered.
More from around the 2025 draft:
- NIL is playing a massive role in the dismantling of the middle class of the NBA draft, writes The Athletic’s John Hollinger. He says that while the draft still has the one-and-dones and seniors it always has, the amount of NIL money coming in has meant non-lottery locks with additional college eligibility are more inclined to return to school than go pro. Hollinger notes that Collin Murray-Boyles and Rasheer Fleming have a chance to be the only sophomore and junior, respectively, taken in the first round.
- The NBA combine scrimmage rosters have been released, and ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has identified the top 10 prospects taking part (via Twitter). Yaxel Lendeborg, Maxime Raynaud, and Tahaad Pettiford top Givony’s list, followed by Alex Toohey, Milos Uzan, Boogie Fland, Kam Jones, Darrion Williams, John Tonje, and Michael Ruzic. Toohey and Ruzic are international players, coming from Australia’s NBL and the Spanish Liga ACB, respectively, while Fland is considered a name worth monitoring as he tries to regain draft stock following a thumb injury that caused him to miss 15 games.
- Clemson’s Viktor Lakhin, a projected second-round pick in the 2025 draft, will be sidelined for at least three months with a torn tendon in his left foot, Givony reports (via Twitter). The 6’11” big man shot 37.5% from three while adding 1.5 blocks per game as a senior in 2024/25.
- Several international draft prospects will not be attending the combine because their teams are still playing, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto (via Twitter). This list includes Noa Essengue, Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, Hugo Gonzalez, Joan Beringer, Noah Penda, and Bogoljub Markovic. Many of these players are expected to receive first-round consideration and will participate in pre-draft workouts upon completion of their team responsibilities.
NBA Announces 75 Invitees For 2025 Draft Combine
The NBA announced today (via Twitter) that 75 prospects have been invited to attend this year’s draft combine, which will take place in Chicago from May 11-18.
In addition to those 75 players, a handful of standout players from the G League Elite Camp, which is also held in Chicago just before the combine begins, are expected to receive invites to stick around for the main event.
Not all of the prospects invited to the combine will end up remaining in the 2025 draft pool, since many are early entrants who are testing the waters while retaining their NCAA eligibility.
College players must withdraw from the draft by the end of the day on May 28 if they wish to preserve that eligibility, while non-college players face a decision deadline of June 15. The feedback they receive from NBA teams at the combine may be a deciding factor for players who are on the fence.
Here’s the list of players who have been invited to the 2025 draft combine:
(Note: For players in international leagues, the country listed is where they had been playing, not necessarily where they’re from.)
- Izan Almansa, F/C, Australia (born 2005)
- Neoklis Avdalas, G/F, Greece (born 2006)
- Ace Bailey, G/F, Rutgers (freshman)
- Joan Beringer, C, Slovenia (born 2006)
- Koby Brea, G, Kentucky (senior)
- Johni Broome, F/C, Auburn (senior)
- Carter Bryant, F, Arizona (freshman)
- Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State (sophomore)
- Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida (senior)
- Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State (senior)
- Alex Condon, F/C, Florida (sophomore)
- Cedric Coward, F, Washington State (senior)
- Egor Demin, G, BYU (freshman)
- Eric Dixon, F, Villanova (senior)
- V.J. Edgecombe, G, Baylor (freshman)
- Noa Essengue, F, Germany (born 2006)
- Isaiah Evans, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma (freshman)
- Cooper Flagg, F, Duke (freshman)
- Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas (freshman)
- Rasheer Fleming, F/C, St. Joseph’s (junior)
- Vladislav Goldin, C, Michigan (senior)
- Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain (born 2006)
- PJ Haggerty, G, Memphis (sophomore)
- Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers (freshman)
- Ben Henshall, G/F, Australia (born 2004)
- Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois (freshman)
- Sion James, G, Duke (senior)
- Tre Johnson, G, Texas (freshman)
- Kameron Jones, G, Marquette (senior)
- Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton (senior)
- Karter Knox, F, Arkansas (freshman)
- Kon Knueppel, G/F, Duke (freshman)
- Chaz Lanier, G, Tennessee (senior)
- Yaxel Lendeborg, F, UAB (senior)
- RJ Luis, F, St. John’s (junior)
- Khaman Maluach, C, Duke (freshman)
- Bogoljub Markovic, F/C, Serbia (born 2005)
- Alijah Martin, G, Florida (senior)
- Liam McNeeley, F, UConn (freshman)
- Jalon Moore, F, Oklahoma (senior)
- Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina (sophomore)
- Grant Nelson, F, Alabama (senior)
- Asa Newell, F, Georgia (freshman)
- Otega Oweh, G, Kentucky (junior)
- Dink Pate, G/F, Mexico City Capitanes (born 2006)
- Micah Peavy, G/F, Georgetown (senior)
- Noah Penda, F, France (born 2005)
- Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn (freshman)
- Labaron Philon, G, Alabama (freshman)
- Drake Powell, G/F, UNC (freshman)
- Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke (junior)
- Derik Queen, C, Maryland (freshman)
- Maxime Raynaud, F/C, Stanford (senior)
- Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State (freshman)
- Will Riley, F, Illinois (freshman)
- Michael Ruzic, F, Spain (born 2006)
- Hunter Sallis, G, Wake Forest (senior)
- Kobe Sanders, G, Nevada (senior)
- Ben Saraf, G, Germany (born 2006)
- Mark Sears, G, Albama (senior)
- Max Shulga, G, VCU (senior)
- Javon Small, G, West Virginia (senior)
- Thomas Sorber, F/C, Georgetown (freshman)
- Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas (junior)
- John Tonje, G, Wisconsin (senior)
- Alex Toohey, F, Australia (born 2004)
- Nolan Traore, G, France (born 2006)
- Milos Uzan, G, Houston (junior)
- Jamir Watkins, G/F, Florida State (senior)
- Brice Williams, G/F, Nebraska (senior)
- Darrion Williams, F, Texas Tech (junior)
- Danny Wolf, F/C, Michigan (junior)
- Hansen Yang, C, China (born 2005)
- Rocco Zikarsky, C, Australia (born 2006)
It’s worth noting that the NBA and the NBPA agreed to several combine-related changes in their latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. Here are a few of those changes:
- A player who is invited to the draft combine and declines to attend without an excused absence will be ineligible to be drafted. He would become eligible the following year by attending the combine. There will be exceptions made for a player whose FIBA season is ongoing, who is injured, or who is dealing with a family matter (such as a tragedy or the birth of a child).
- Players who attend the draft combine will be required to undergo physical exams, share medical history, participate in strength, agility, and performance testing, take part in shooting drills, receive anthropometric measurements, and conduct interviews with teams and the media. Scrimmages won’t be mandatory.
- Medical results from the combine will be distributed to select teams based on where the player is projected to be drafted. Only teams drafting in the top 10 would get access to medical info for the projected No. 1 pick; teams in the top 15 would receive medical info for players in the 2-6 range, while teams in the top 25 would get access to info for the players in the 7-10 range.
Rasheer Fleming To Declare For 2025 NBA Draft
Saint Joseph’s forward/center Rasheer Fleming is declaring for the 2025 NBA draft, agents Rich Paul and Lucas Newton tell Jonathan Givony of ESPN.
Fleming is coming off an impressive junior season in which he averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in 35 appearances (31.1 minutes). He posted a shooting slash line of .531/.390/.743 for the Hawks.
According to Givony, Fleming wasn’t a highly touted prospect coming out of high school, but he has improved across the board over the past three years for St. Joe’s, particularly in 2024/25, when he was named to All-Atlantic Ten First Team. He’s ranked No. 30 in ESPN’s latest draft projections, making him a potential first-round pick.
Givony’s report doesn’t say anything about Fleming maintaining his college eligibility, so it sounds like he intends to stay in the draft.
And-Ones: Fears, 2025 Draft, 2026 Draft, Graham, Young, Wells
Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears has improved his draft stock with his early season performances, according to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report. In Wasserman’s view, Fears now projects to go anywhere from No. 3 to No. 10 next June after leading the Sooners to a 12-0 start, including a 30-point outing against Michigan.
Saint Joseph’s forward Rasheer Fleming and Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis have also been impressive during the first two months of the college season. Fleming is now receiving first-round consideration, while Jakucionis is solidifying his projected lottery status.
We have more from around the basketball world:
- While the 2025 draft class has received plenty of hype, the top of the 2026 draft could be even more impressive, according to Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. Wing AJ Dybantsa is the top player in his class, while Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson have also generated some buzz regarding their futures. One NBA executive suggested to Vorkunov that teams might start positioning themselves for the 2026 draft ahead of this year’s trade deadline.
- Unsigned NBA veteran guard Devonte’ Graham may have earned at least a 10-day deal with his outing in the G League Showcase, according to John Hollinger of The Athletic. Graham had a 24-point game for the South Bay Lakers. Graham spent training camp and the preseason on a non-guaranteed contract with the Trail Blazers before being waived. A few other unaffiliated players stood out, Hollinger adds, with Grand Rapids Gold guard Jahmir Young heading that group. He had 50 points in two games. He was waived by the Nuggets during training camp.
- The race for the Rookie of the Year award is wide open, The Athletic’s Fred Katz notes. With the Sixers‘ Jared McCain sidelined, Grizzlies‘ second-rounder Jaylen Wells currently tops Katz’s ballot. He lists Pelicans big man Yves Missi second and Spurs wing Stephon Castle third but any number of players could emerge from the pack in the coming months and challenge for top honors.