College coaches on the top NBA draft picks, surprise risers and fallers, more

Should determination beryllium on-court concerns astir Ace Bailey astatine the adjacent level? How bash Tre Johnson and Jeremiah Fears construe successful the NBA? Were Egor Demin and Cedric Coward deserving of lottery selections?

To reply immoderate of the burning questions pursuing the 2025 NBA draft, ESPN spoke to astir a twelve assemblage hoops coaches -- the radical who person watched and game-planned against these players for the past fewer years -- astir the biggest storylines and apical prospects.

Jump to:
The apical 2 picks
The adjacent tier of picks
More first-round storylines
Other notable first-rounders
Second-round notes

Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper successful their ain tiers

Since Flagg announced successful August 2023 that helium planned to reclassify into the 2024 precocious schoolhouse class, determination has been precise small question astir the apical of this class. Considered 1 of the champion precocious schoolhouse prospects successful caller memory, Flagg had been the favourite to beryllium selected No. 1 for the past 2 years, with the Dallas Mavericks making that authoritative Wednesday. He was the champion subordinate successful assemblage hoops past season, winning the Wooden Award and starring Duke to the Final Four. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists, answering questions astir his shooting by making 38.5% of his perimeter attempts.

Opposing assemblage coaches person zero doubts astir his quality to construe to the NBA level.

"He's got a swagger to him, a toughness and he's physically acceptable to marque an impact," 1 manager told ESPN. "For a young kid going to the NBA, if he's ne'er been successful a concern wherever he's been the guy, it's hard to flip a switch. But he's been successful each azygous 1 of those situations. Playing disconnected shot screens, coming disconnected pindowns, rebounding and going. Showed his versatility each twelvemonth long. He's done each that worldly astatine the highest level of assemblage basketball."

Coming retired of precocious school, Flagg's shooting was thing of a question, but the Maine autochthonal improved arsenic his freshman play successful Durham progressed. He changeable 44% from down the arc successful ACC play, making aggregate 3s successful 9 games.

"Early successful the year, you could spell nether a shot surface against him. You weren't doing that by the extremity of the year," different manager said. "The NBA is simply a large isolation league. So erstwhile it comes to idiosyncratic wiggle and being capable to get by guys, he'll person to fig those things out."

Coaches besides thought Flagg's landing spot volition beryllium a affirmative for his development, mostly owed to the information he'll beryllium playing alongside Kyrie Irving and different veterans.

"I deliberation helium fits successful well," 1 manager said. "He won't beryllium keyed connected arsenic the main feline each azygous night. For a young guy, that tin shingle your confidence. I'm not disquieted astir that with him."

Even without being the Mavericks' apical violative option, Flagg volition beryllium the dense favourite for Rookie of the Year.

"[If helium can] conscionable beryllium a well-rounded 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, a artifact [contributor] ... he'll triumph Rookie of the Year," an ACC manager said, "because Dallas should beryllium good, assuming health."

Nearly each assemblage manager we spoke with agreed that determination was a spread aft Flagg astatine No. 1 and Harper astatine No. 2 -- each successful classes of their own.

"[Harper is] arsenic bully a subordinate arsenic we've played against successful the past 10 years, whether you're going backmost to Markelle Fultz oregon talking astir Paolo Banchero. He's amended than Jabari Smith. I'm super, ace precocious connected him. I deliberation he's person to Flagg than No. 3 is to him," 1 opposing manager said of the caller San Antonio Spurs guard. "He's a pick-and-roll maestro. It doesn't substance what sum you propulsion astatine him, it mightiness instrumentality him a possession oregon 2 but he'll find a mode to bushed it."

"Flagg and Harper are the lone 2 to maine that person an All-NBA ceiling," different manager added. "There's specified a large drop-off -- it's astir similar those adjacent guys are not Tier 3, it's Tier 4. That's however large I deliberation the spread is betwixt Dylan and everyone else."

THE NEXT TIER

No. 3: VJ Edgecombe, 76ers

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The plays that brought V.J. Edgecombe to the 76ers

Check retired immoderate of the apical highlights from Baylor freshman V.J. Edgecombe arsenic he's drafted 3rd wide by the 76ers.

The biggest beneficiary of Bailey's driblet was Edgecombe. The Bahamas autochthonal showed disconnected his awesome athleticism passim his 1 play astatine Baylor, improving his violative consistency and playmaking arsenic the play progressed. Now, he'll person the accidental to articulation a talented backcourt featuring Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain.

"Until I saw him successful person, I was captious of him. 'He's a fastener to beryllium a top-five guy?'" 1 manager said. "And past we played him and helium was conscionable relentless. His athleticism, his changeable got a batch amended arsenic the play went on. Started getting much accordant from the perimeter."

"He has to beryllium the astir diversion subordinate oregon imaginable successful the draft," different added. "He's a high-flyer, helium plays bigger than what helium is. He tin support 1 done 5, astatine slightest successful college. He tin astir apt bash the aforesaid due to the fact that the 5s are much mobile. Positional versatility, athleticism and conscionable the mode helium defends."

The acceptable alongside Maxey and McCain could beryllium a concern, though aggregate coaches said determination could person been questions astir his violative relation careless of landing spot.

"Can helium beryllium a superior guy?" 1 Big 12 manager asked. "He's not a feline wherever you tin enactment the shot successful his hands and accidental spell get a bucket. He conscionable isn't that. He's a slasher, a pick-and-roll guy, large successful transition, violative rebounding, does each the small things. But if there's 1 negative, it's conscionable however is helium going to people successful the NBA."

No. 4: Kon Knueppel, Hornets

The 2nd of 3 Duke players selected successful the apical 10, Knueppel skyrocketed successful mock drafts past autumn and maintained that presumption passim the Blue Devils' terrific season. While playing 2nd fiddle to Flagg, Knueppel averaged 14.4 points and changeable amended than 40% from 3-point scope -- popping arsenic a shotmaker precocious successful the play and successful the NCAA tournament. He was considered the champion catch-and-shoot perimeter shooter successful the draft. And helium has a comfortableness level with not being a team's superior violative option, which could beryllium appealing to Charlotte, wherever helium volition play alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.

"He was specified a difference-maker for Duke past season, being the Robin to Cooper Flagg's Batman," 1 manager said. "When you person a feline susceptible of dropping 30 successful a crippled and isn't the main feline connected scouting reports, that's dangerous. The NBA loves guys that tin marque shots, and if you tin bash that, you'll beryllium successful the league for a agelong time."

While Knueppel's level appears high, making him a harmless stake for the Hornets, helium mightiness not person the ceiling of the different players successful this tier, opposing coaches said. The absorption for him moving guardant volition travel astatine the different extremity of the floor.

"Guys tin get played disconnected the level [in the NBA]," 1 manager said. "Can Kon enactment connected the tribunal guarding successful one-on-one situations? He's got the size and frame, but does helium person the footspeed? That's the 1 happening you don't get to spot against Duke, with however overmuch they disguise things, however overmuch they're helping. They don't let violative teams a batch of space, truthful seldom did helium person to defender successful space. He has to beryllium helium tin bash that."

No. 5: Ace Bailey, Jazz

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Bontemps: Going to Utah could beryllium champion happening to hap to Ace Bailey

Tim Bontemps and Shams Charania sermon Utah drafting Ace Bailey without bringing him successful for a workout.

A twelvemonth ago, it appeared that Bailey would beryllium close successful the premix with Flagg and Harper astatine the apical of the board. Bailey showed flashes of that quality during his freshman play astatine Rutgers, but questions continued to popular up that precipitated a flimsy drop. He was listed astatine 6-foot-10 successful assemblage but measured astatine 6-7 1⁄2 astatine the combine. He was besides the lone U.S. imaginable who didn't sojourn an NBA squad installation during the predraft process, canceling a scheduled 1 with the 76ers.

From an on-court perspective, coaches understandably loved his scoring ability.

"He's versatile, he's got size, he's skilled similar an off-guard," 1 Big Ten manager said. "He's the prototypical NBA wing. He's a truly pugnacious cover. He tin move. Not elite athleticism, but a bully athlete. He tin sprout implicit players and the quality to marque contested shots adds value."

But volition each of that translate? And what astir the different aspects of his game?

"If you're [Kevin] Durant, sure, [relying connected hard shots] tin work," 1 manager said. "But he's 7-1. Ace isn't going to beryllium a stand-in-the-corner guy."

"The sound connected him, whether it was successful precocious schoolhouse oregon astatine Rutgers, is that he's disengaged defensively," different Big Ten manager said. "He doesn't request to go an all-NBA defender. But you request to get buy-in from him defensively."

No. 6: Tre Johnson, Wizards

Johnson's violative quality has kept him successful the apical fractional of the lottery speech for overmuch of the cycle. The erstwhile top-five enlistee averaged 19.9 points and changeable astir 40% from 3 during his lone play astatine Texas

While helium was the go-to feline offensively for the Longhorns, astir opposing coaches deliberation his champion relation successful the NBA -- assuming he's not instantly Washington's violative focal constituent -- is arsenic a microwave scorer disconnected the seat oregon a specializer catch-and-shoot option. The Wizards struggled mightily from the perimeter and conscionable traded Jordan Poole, making Johnson an casual fit.

"He's a scoring guard, period," a manager said. "He's 1 of the champion shooters successful the draft. He'll person to larn that you don't request to dribble the shot 8 times earlier shooting, but helium tin beryllium a borderline All-Star due to the fact that of however good helium shoots the ball. He tin beryllium a catch-and-shoot feline and sprout 50%."

The questions astir Johnson halfway astir the remainder of his crippled and whether helium volition lend capable successful different facets to interaction winning astatine the highest level.

"He's a large idiosyncratic talent," different manager added. "But if you're not scoring, what different things are you doing that assistance winning? Inevitably the champion players successful the satellite are going to person disconnected nights."

No. 7: Jeremiah Fears, Pelicans

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Jeremiah Fears' champion plays that led him to the Pelicans

Check retired Jeremiah Fears' apical plays astatine Oklahoma arsenic the Pelicans prime him with the seventh wide pick.

The freshman retired of Oklahoma was the biggest riser of the past 12 months -- helium wasn't adjacent successful this draught people a twelvemonth ago, but helium opted to reclassify into 2024 and perpetrate to Oklahoma, wherever helium emerged arsenic 1 of the astir dynamic guards successful the state contempt not turning 18 until October.

"He's wired to score," 1 manager said. "I benignant of comparison him a small spot to [Nets guard] Cam Thomas. He's a amended playmaker than Thomas was coming retired of college. He has the quality to marque reads, you tin double-team him oregon trap a shot screen, but he'll work it perfectly, whereas different freshmen get rattled. He's a sneaky athlete, too."

What volition find his ceiling mightiness beryllium his perimeter shooting. He changeable 28.4% from 3 connected the season, making lone 15 shots from 3 successful 18 SEC games.

"He's streaky, not a accordant shooter," 1 opposing manager said. "He has to proceed to physique up his frame, but he's a young kid, lone 18 years old. As helium matures physically arsenic helium gets older, he'll beryllium capable to instrumentality a small spot greater bid of the position, get into the paint, woody with physicality. "

MORE FIRST-ROUND STORYLINES

Egor Demin: Lottery's biggest riser

Had the draught taken spot astir the commencement of past assemblage hoops season, the erstwhile BYU defender being selected astatine No. 8 by the Brooklyn Nets wouldn't person travel arsenic a surprise. The Russia autochthonal slotted successful astatine No. 7 successful ESPN's November mock draft aft generating important buzz pursuing his accomplishment from Real Madrid. But an uneven freshman play successful Provo caused his banal to fluctuate, ending up astatine No. 13 successful ESPN's last predraft mock.

On Wednesday, however, Demin recovered his mode backmost into the apical 10.

Opposing coaches were mixed connected his quality to lend instantly astatine the adjacent level.

"He's huge," 1 Big 12 manager said. "Ball unit bothers him, helium plays beauteous upright, he's methodical. But helium tin marque each work retired there. ... He's got a small spot of a burst conscionable due to the fact that helium goes from dilatory to medium, it throws you off. He's throwing it implicit the apical of guards. You tin say, 'Oh, that's college,' but he's taller than astir guards successful the NBA, too. His passing is elite. He's a amended shooter than his percentages. And I deliberation he'll get amended with the abstraction of the NBA."

"I don't deliberation helium shoots, I don't deliberation helium truly defends," 1 manager countered. "But radical spot a large defender who tin walk and it's benignant of intriguing."

Demin was 1 of 5 first-round picks for the Nets, with 3 of them -- Demin, Nolan Traore (No. 19) and Ben Saraf (No. 26) -- possessing dense planetary experience. It was a fascinating haul, fixed each 3 were projected successful the lottery backmost successful November. "[The Nets are] evidently committed to their planetary scouting team, taking 3 guys who were planetary players who astir felt underachieved this year," 1 manager said. "There was intelligibly a content successful who Demin was earlier helium came [to the United States]."

Khaman Maluach: Duke's 3rd top-10 pick

After Flagg and Knueppel, determination was a longer-than-expected hold to perceive Maluach's name, but the Suns yet selected him astatine No. 10. He didn't person astir the assemblage accumulation of the different players drafted successful the apical 10, but his 7-2 size, 9-6 lasting scope and 7-6 ¾ wingspan, combined with his antiaircraft potential, are incredibly intriguing to coaches.

"You tin propulsion him retired determination and he's going to beryllium capable to interaction the crippled with his size and shot-blocking, his antiaircraft and violative rebounding," 1 opposing manager said. "In the NBA game, you person to person a 5-man similar that, but the young ones, it's conscionable going to instrumentality him time. He does person immoderate skill, helium banged successful a 3 aboriginal successful the year, helium has the imaginable to measurement retired and sprout 3s."

Another opposing manager questioned however precocious that accomplishment level truly is, and whether the perceived ceiling is really little successful reality.

"I deliberation he's a lob-catching big. He's massive, but I don't deliberation he's an unbelievable athlete," the manager said. "He's not Dereck Lively II, who was a antithetic benignant of mover, antithetic athlete, had much skill. Maluach is not arsenic bully successful immoderate of those categories. I don't deliberation he's got that aforesaid ceiling."

"He's inactive going to beryllium a task astatine the extremity of the day," different manager said.

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Khaman Maluach's plays that led him to the Suns

Check retired Khaman Maluach's highlights from Duke that led him to the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix volition beryllium capable to beryllium diligent with Maluach, arsenic the franchise besides traded 2 first-rounders to Charlotte for seasoned halfway Mark Williams. But astatine No. 10, immoderate of the hazard is mitigated.

"He's the benignant of archetype that usually goes up the committee arsenic clip goes on," 1 manager said. "It remains to beryllium seen whether the changeable is thing that's translatable. It doesn't look atrocious mechanically, but it hasn't gotten to the constituent wherever he's taking them oregon making them with immoderate existent consistency. But it wouldn't daze maine if that's thing helium was capable to bash implicit time.

"I similar the vertical menace helium presents astatine the rim arsenic a finisher, I emotion his changeable blocking, the antiaircraft versatility that helium has. He has to rebound the shot better. But he's not idiosyncratic who is going to travel into the league and instrumentality his ft disconnected the gas."

Cedric Coward: From D3 to lottery

Coward was among the astir fascinating storylines successful the lead-up to the draft. Starting his assemblage vocation astatine the Division III level with Willamette University successful Oregon, Coward was hardly connected NBA draught boards astatine this clip past year, having finished up his 2nd play astatine Eastern Washington successful the Big Sky Conference.

Coward transferred to Washington State, wherever helium played conscionable six games earlier missing the remainder of the play due to the fact that of a enarthrosis injury. But aft emerging arsenic 1 of the standouts from the combine, helium cemented his presumption arsenic a top-20 prime and opted to stay successful the draught alternatively of playing his last assemblage play astatine Duke, wherever helium committed retired of the portal.

On Wednesday, helium was selected No. 11 by the Grizzlies, who traded up to prime him.

"The happening that stuck retired to maine with him was helium got amended each year," 1 Big Sky manager said. "When helium archetypal came successful arsenic a D-III transfer, we didn't truly cognize who helium was. [He was] a skinny kid with length, processing his violative game. He played hard arsenic hell, impacted winning. He started to sprout the shot a small spot better, to the constituent present wherever helium changeable it truly good successful the abbreviated span past year. He kept adding to his game. Little spot much polished, small spot much refined, small spot smoother each clip we played him."

Surrounded by Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., Coward isn't going to beryllium asked to enarthrosis immense violative work aboriginal on, but opposing coaches deliberation he'll person nary occupation being a high-end relation subordinate successful the NBA.

"He has the quality to shoot, legitimately catch-and-shoot," 1 manager said. "He's got the in-between game, helium killed america successful the post. He tin play with a face-up game. He's a beauteous bully defender. Blocked a ton of shots. He does truthful overmuch to interaction winning. He doesn't request to beryllium a feline who carries the load offensively, and I don't cognize if helium ever volition be."

The large question: Was No. 11 excessively precocious for a subordinate who started conscionable 8 vocation games against power-conference opponents?

"Seeing him this year, helium looked similar a pro. He took a monolithic leap physically," said 1 coach, who added that Coward's highest-end ceiling shares a batch of the aforesaid traits arsenic Kawhi Leonard. "He's going to assistance you triumph successful immoderate capacity. He tin bash a batch to truly interaction the game, whether it's disconnected the seat oregon if helium develops into a starting-caliber player. He's a feline you're going to stake on."

Carter Bryant: Most unproven lottery pick

When the 2024-25 assemblage hoops play ended, Bryant seemed similar helium could spell either mode with his draught decision. He started conscionable 5 games arsenic a freshman astatine Arizona, scoring successful double-figures conscionable a fistful of times.

As the outpouring went on, though, it became wide Bryant wasn't going backmost to college. His banal steadily rose, from a fastener first-rounder into the apical 20 and yet to No. 14 with the Spurs.

At 6-6 ½ without shoes, Bryant changeable astir 39% from 3-point scope successful Big 12 play, making aggregate 3-pointers successful a crippled 9 times aft the calendar turned to 2025.

"He's got the positional size, the athleticism, the shooting, the antiaircraft versatility, with imaginable to get better," 1 Big 12 manager said. "In tiny doses, helium showed immoderate things offensively, that possibly helium tin beryllium a small spot of a playmaker, helium tin marque immoderate passes. It wasn't showcased a ton, but helium did it enough. Whether it was guarded oregon unguarded, he's capable to get his changeable off. He has country to turn successful that area, helium needs to proceed to velocity up his shot, but the NBA loves large wings that tin sprout it."

The Spurs volition person to beryllium patient, though, arsenic he's lone shown his quality successful flashes.

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The plays Carter Bryant is bringing to the Spurs

Check retired immoderate of Carter Bryant's apical highlights from his clip astatine Arizona that led to the Spurs drafting him successful the archetypal round.

Veterans go higher first-round priority

While the apical fractional of the archetypal circular was predictably filled with freshmen -- the archetypal 8 picks were each first-year assemblage players, and 18 freshmen were selected successful the archetypal circular -- the inclination of older players being drafted earlier continued this year.

Coward, Walter Clayton Jr., Nique Clifford, Danny Wolf and Yanic Konan Niederhauser each transferred astatine slightest erstwhile and played astatine slightest 3 years successful college, with Clifford, Clayton and Niederhauser each astatine slightest 22. And older assemblage players Ryan Kalkbrenner (No. 34), Johni Broome (No. 35) and Chaz Lanier (No. 37) were picked reasonably aboriginal successful the 2nd round.

The inclination truly took signifier past year, erstwhile Zach Edey, Devin Carter, Dalton Knecht, Dillon Jones, Baylor Scheierman and Terrence Shannon Jr. were selected successful the archetypal round.

Why is this happening? It's chiefly related to the accrued wealth disposable to student-athletes astatine the assemblage level, allowing much players to enactment successful college, portion the accrued prevalence of the transportation portal has allowed mid-major stars to radiance astatine higher levels and summation their draught stock.

"Financially, they're rewarded to stay. It allows them to beryllium a small much acceptable and polished for the adjacent level," 1 manager said. "The high-end guys, the lottery guys, you're drafting connected upside. But if I'm a playoff team, a play-in squad and inactive growing, getting an older, mature feline that you cognize tin assistance you successful a role, that's a astute bet. You're inactive getting a feline successful the premier of his career. You get much bang for your subordinate successful Year 1 oregon 2, possibly not Year 6 oregon 7."

This mightiness beryllium 1 of the last years of the trend, however. A agelong database of borderline first-round picks opted to instrumentality to assemblage astatine the withdrawal deadline this spring, including Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg, Florida's Alex Condon, Auburn's Tahaad Pettiford, Alabama's Labaron Philon and NC State's Darrion Williams. Duke's Isaiah Evans, Texas Tech's JT Toppin and UConn's Alex Karaban didn't adjacent spell done the draught process.

All of these players -- and galore others -- were compensated handsomely for their decisions to enactment successful school, but with the House vs. NCAA settlement and wage caps perchance impacting players' net imaginable successful the caller revenue-sharing era, volition the wealth to instrumentality to assemblage beryllium capable to support players retired of the draught successful the future?

"I deliberation it'll flip backmost the different mode with rev share," 1 high-major manager said. "You look astatine the rev stock numbers, a batch of SEC schools are putting astir of their wealth into football. Their rev stock numbers are betwixt $2 [million] to $3 million. This year, we had collectives, immoderate of those teams had $10 [million] to $12 million. We had a mates connected our squad that came backmost due to the fact that they're going to marque much wealth present than going successful the 2nd round. But with those numbers going down, those imaginable first-rounders oregon high-second rounders, I tin spot them going to the league instead."

"I deliberation this volition beryllium 1 of the past years of it," different manager added. "There are a batch of truly bully players staying successful assemblage due to the fact that of NIL. Once gross stock kicks into effect and the NIL marketplace gets immoderate stability, you're going to spot a batch much of these fringe first-rounders enactment successful the draft. It utilized to beryllium wherever if you were apical 40, 90% of those guys were staying successful the draft. Now it's shifted to wherever you request to beryllium a top-20 subordinate to enactment in."

One byproduct of each the aforementioned players staying successful assemblage arsenic opposed to entering the draught was the deficiency of surefire hits successful the 2nd round. A manager pointed retired that 14 second-round picks past twelvemonth received guaranteed deals, with lone 2 of the archetypal 47 picks landing two-way deals.

That mightiness not beryllium the lawsuit this year.

"It's 1 of the worst 2nd rounds of each time. A immense portion of that is due to the fact that of NIL," the manager said. "Go done each the guys that would've been precocious first, aboriginal second, it would've truly moved things. It wasn't a beardown draught to statesman with, but with each those guys going back, aft No. 35 oregon so, I don't cognize if I would springiness [many] of these guys a guaranteed deal."

OTHER NOTABLE FIRST-ROUNDERS

No. 9: Collin Murray-Boyles, Raptors

First non-freshmen picked: Murray-Boyles has a genuinely unsocial profile. He measured astatine conscionable 6-6 ½ without shoes, but helium did astir each of his violative harm astir the basket. He attempted conscionable 39 3-pointers during his 60 games with South Carolina but was ascendant successful the paint.

Murray-Boyles was capable to flooded his size issues successful college, making an interaction defensively and with his passing, but he'll person to grow his accomplishment acceptable astatine the adjacent level.

"He's got benignant of a unsocial game, and the NBA falls successful emotion with guys who person a small spot of a batch of things," 1 manager said. "He's a feline who has a accidental to beryllium a precise bully defender. He doesn't person large height, but helium has bully size successful presumption of measurements and strength. He tin bash a small spot of everything, helium tin pass, helium tin rebound, he's not a precise bully shooter astatine this point. I deliberation he's a bully player, but I deliberation he's a blend player. I don't think, individually, he's got unbelievable endowment wherever he's bringing thing to the array close away. If he's connected a bully team, helium tin assistance it function. But I don't cognize if Toronto is that."

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Collin Murray-Boyles' champion plays that led him to beryllium drafted by the Raptors

Check retired immoderate of Collin Murray-Boyles' champion moments from South Carolina arsenic the Raptors instrumentality him with the tenth pick.

No. 13: Derik Queen, Pelicans
No. 25: Jase Richardson, Magic
No. 27: Danny Wolf, Nets

Mixed reviews: Coaches were divided connected this trio of Big Ten picks.

Maryland's Queen established himself arsenic 1 of the astir skilled bigs successful assemblage hoops past season, highlighted by his buzzer-beater to sound disconnected Colorado State successful the 2nd circular of the NCAA tournament. But determination are questions astir his maturity, and his deficiency of athleticism could headdress his perceived upside.

"He's truthful skilled," 1 Big Ten manager said. "I emotion his passing ability. You ticker him connected film, you deliberation he's not athletic. But successful person, it doesn't matter. If he's capable to make a motor, I truly deliberation he's got a accidental to beryllium 1 hellhole of an NBA player."

Michigan State's Richardson saw his banal fluctuate passim the past fewer months, rising into the archetypal circular and yet the lottery aft Tom Izzo moved him from the seat into the starting lineup successful aboriginal February. But aft measuring astatine conscionable implicit 6 feet without shoes astatine the combine, Richardson's spot successful mocks dropped into the 20s -- and helium yet didn't person an invitation to the greenish room.

Orlando bought the dip and selected him astatine No. 25.

"I similar Jase Richardson. He would beryllium a nightmare to manager against successful assemblage adjacent year, but I don't spot it [in the NBA]," 1 Big Ten manager said. "He's a 6-foot defender whose superior accomplishment is scoring -- not shooting, but scoring. He's not a large defender, not a ace dynamic playmaker for others. He's got below-average size. So is helium Trae Young? Is helium T.J. McConnell? Is helium Davion Mitchell?"

Michigan's Wolf had 1 of the much absorbing roles successful the Big Ten past season, with Dusty May utilizing the 6-11 Yale transportation arsenic a playmaker with the shot successful his hands due to the fact that of his decision-making retired of shot screens and passing ability. But determination are questions connected however it volition construe to the adjacent level.

"He tin play successful pick-and-roll, arsenic a large antheral helium tin marque unthinkable passes," 1 manager said. "But he's a high-turnover guy. With his relation successful the NBA, you're not going to beryllium capable to marque an unthinkable walk and past 2 atrocious passes. An NBA squad is not going to fto him conscionable rotation done his turnovers."

"Part of his quality is that helium tin bash truthful galore things, but nary of it he's fantabulous at," different added. "Will a squad effort to marque him elite astatine something, oregon are they OK with the buffet?"

No. 18: Walter Clayton Jr., Jazz

NCAA tourney impact: Clayton's emergence to No. 18 connected the heels of an unthinkable NCAA tourney tally was highlighted by 1 coach. Clayton was unbelievable during Florida's march to a nationalist championship, averaging 24.6 points successful the Gators' archetypal 5 tourney games, including 34 points successful the Final Four against Auburn and 30 points against Texas Tech.

"He's a large illustration of what winning does for a player's stock," the manager said. "He went from a mid-to-late second-round prime to a precocious first-round pick. Florida going connected a run, him being capable to beryllium connected that level and showcase his talents. That close determination made the kid millions and millions of dollars."

No. 20: Kasparas Jakucionis, Heat
No. 29: Liam McNeeley, Hornets

Biggest slides of opening night: Illinois' Jakucionis was ranked No. 10 connected Jonathan Givony's Big Board and projected astatine No. 11 successful ESPN's last predraft mock, portion UConn's McNeeley was No. 17 connected Givony's committee and mocked astatine No. 20, each falling notably beneath their evaluations. Multiple coaches thought the 2 could beryllium tremendous values for the teams that landed them.

Jakucionis looked similar a morganatic All-American successful nonconference play, averaging 16.4 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.4 assists done 14 games, headlined by a agelong of 20-point outings against Arkansas, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Missouri.

While 1 Big Ten manager agreed this landing spot was bully worth for the Heat and a perchance bully acceptable for Jakucionis, alongside Tyler Herro successful the backcourt, helium besides understood the slide.

"He's a three-level scorer," the manager said. "He played with a large alteration of pace. As the play went connected and arsenic teams scouted him, helium benignant of came backmost down to earth. But helium plays with a toughness. He's not an elite athlete. His stats tailed disconnected the 2nd fractional of Big Ten play, and he's idiosyncratic you could spell astatine and isolate connected defense."

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Why the Heat similar Kasparas Jakucionis

Check retired immoderate highlights from Kasparas Jakucionis arsenic helium heads to the Miami Heat.

McNeeley was a five-star enlistee coming retired of precocious schoolhouse but was hampered by an wounded during the mediate portion of his freshman run successful Storrs. He's a shotmaker with size and had immoderate of the champion idiosyncratic performances of immoderate freshman past season: 26 points and 8 rebounds against Gonzaga, positive 38 points and 10 rebounds against Creighton.

One Big East manager thought McNeeley's ankle wounded that caused him to miss 8 games during league play impacted his ratio and effectiveness astatine some ends of the floor, which mightiness person contributed to his slide.

"I don't deliberation he's the 29th-best subordinate successful the draft," helium said. "He's 6-8 and he's a overmuch amended shooter than his percentages suggest. He's truly competitive. I deliberation he's a small spot amended [overall] hoops subordinate than helium gets recognition for, successful presumption of his quality to thrust the shot and walk the ball."

No. 22: Drake Powell, Nets

Surprise pick: The North Carolina helping was thing of a astonishment astatine No. 22, with the Nets utilizing their 3rd first-round enactment connected the erstwhile five-star recruit. He had an inconsistent relation arsenic a freshman for the Tar Heels with 7.4 points per crippled but tested arsenic arguably the champion jock astatine the combine, pacing the subordinate excavation successful some max vertical leap and lasting vertical leap.

Can helium assistance Brooklyn immediately? Opposing coaches person questions.

"He fits the prototype of that 3-and-D guy, but is helium truly bully capable astatine either of those to really acceptable that profile?" 1 ACC manager asked.

"A batch of what radical thought astir Powell dates backmost to immoderate of the enthusiasm astatine the extremity of his precocious schoolhouse career, erstwhile radical saw a feline who wasn't a bully shooter but had size and versatility. Good passer, immoderate feel, bully athlete, possibly the imaginable to beryllium a large constituent guard," 1 manager added. "And past helium gets to North Carolina, and helium becomes a full-time helping subordinate with existent limitations offensively."

No. 30: Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Clippers

Made the cut: The Penn State large antheral capped his meteoric emergence by seeing his sanction taken with the past prime of the archetypal round.

Niederhauser raised his banal arsenic overmuch arsenic anyone during the predraft process, moving his mode from averaging 12.9 points past play for the Nittany Lions to the G League Elite campy and past earning an invitation to the NBA draught combine. Remember, this is simply a subordinate who averaged 7.3 points astatine Northern Illinois conscionable 2 seasons ago.

"He's conscionable scratching the surface. He's idiosyncratic that tin beryllium similar a Dereck Lively benignant successful the NBA," 1 manager said. "I deliberation if helium came backmost to college, helium would've been a lottery prime adjacent year."

SECOND-ROUND NOTES

No. 35 Johni Broome, 76ers
No. 42: Maxime Raynaud, Kings
No. 48: Javon Small, Grizzlies
No. 53: John Tonje, Jazz

Auburn's Broome, Stanford's Raynaud, West Virginia's Small and Wisconsin's Tonje stood retired to coaches arsenic values. Two pointed retired that the spread betwixt Broome -- a statement first-team All-American and the perceived runner-up to Flagg for Player of the Year honors -- and first-round large men specified arsenic Murray-Boyles shouldn't person been that wide.

"He's a subordinate that is constricted athletically. There's astir apt much things radical tin accidental astir him, age, each this stuff," 1 manager said. "But helium got Player of the Year successful the champion league successful the country, helium went to the Final Four. Some of that has to person immoderate substance astatine the adjacent level. He did everything that everyone asked. And helium produced each night. What other is helium expected to do? He had a historical twelvemonth successful a league that was historically 1 of the champion ever."

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What the 76ers are getting successful Johni Broome

Check retired immoderate of Johni Broome's apical moments arsenic helium is drafted by the 76ers with the 35th prime successful the NBA draft.

Raynaud was besides 1 of the astir productive players successful assemblage hoops past season, averaging 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds portion shooting astir 35% from 3 astatine 7-foot-1.

"I similar Raynaud. He's large and tin shoot. He tin prime and pop. He rebounds," 1 manager said. "What tin helium bash defensively? He's not switchable, he's not a rim protector, truthful what does that look like? But offensively he'll beryllium capable to play. He's a plug-and-play relation player."

Of the group, Tonje had the astir circuitous way to the draft. He spent 4 years astatine Colorado State, played sparingly astatine Missouri earlier suffering an injury, past transferred again to Wisconsin, wherever helium emerged arsenic a statement first-team All-Big Ten selection.

"His shotmaking is real," a Big Ten manager said. "I don't cognize wherefore radical don't similar him."

Finally, 1 manager compared Small to erstwhile Houston defender Jamal Shead, who made an interaction astatine some ends of the level for the Raptors successful a cardinal seat relation arsenic a rookie.

"He's the consummate backup NBA constituent guard," the manager said. "Experience, size, shotmaking ability. Pick-and-roll passer. He should beryllium a amended defender, but he's a bully rebounder for a guard."

No. 33: Sion James, Hornets
No. 43: Jamir Watkins, Jazz

Two ACC wings, James from Duke and Watkins from Florida State, drew praise arsenic second-round picks.

"James' physicality is connected different level," 1 manager said. "He's going to person the antiaircraft part. He tin spell play defensively successful a playoff crippled close now. He tin defender antithetic guys, helium tin switch. Is helium going to beryllium a bully capable shooter to bent successful the country and marque capable 3s wherever guys person to defender him?"

"I similar Jamir Watkins," an ACC manager said. "He's big, helium tin defender aggregate positions, helium tin marque immoderate plays. I deliberation he's a bully capable shooter, immoderate radical don't spot the shooting. But ticker the playoffs. He fits that prototype of a aboriginal relation player. He'll beryllium capable to power 1 done 4 and clasp his own. I deliberation helium tin acceptable that 3-and-D illustration amended than, like, Will Riley and Drake Powell."