Let's match top NBA draft prospects to pro players: Our 14 best comps in the 2025 class

We're backmost for different twelvemonth to gully pro comparisons for ESPN's projected lottery prospects successful the 2025 NBA draft, which runs from June 25-26 (8 p.m. ET connected ABC and ESPN).

It's often a utile exercise, if done responsibly. Sometimes that's easier said than done, arsenic it's a process that often invites hyperbole.

The extremity present isn't to gully a cleanable examination for each of the 14 projected lottery picks -- we'd beryllium guaranteed to beryllium wrong. This workout serves arsenic a lens to deliberation astir a prospect's aboriginal role, analyse his scope of imaginable outcomes, and see which areas of improvement are astir captious to semipermanent success.

This benignant of thought process tin assistance successful subordinate valuation from a conceptual standpoint and successful envisioning however a prospect's illustration mightiness acceptable a definite team.

With that successful mind, and with the draft conscionable a fewer weeks away, let's look astatine some high- and low-end comparisons for each imaginable projected to beryllium drafted among the archetypal 14 picks, positive a bonus enactment who is connected teams' radars arsenic a imaginable lottery pick.

More NBA draught coverage:
Best commercialized connection for the No. 1 pick?
Mock draft: Flagg to the Mavs and more
Draft assets | Top 100 rankings | Pelton's apical 30

1. Cooper Flagg, SF/PF, Duke

Mock draught projection: No. 1 to Mavericks | Top 100: No. 1

High end: Jayson Tatum with much defense
Low end: Andre Iguodala with much offense

Flagg is the statement No. 1 prime for bully reason: Statistically and empirically speaking, he's connected a trajectory to go 1 of the apical wings successful the NBA. The question that has been asked each season, including by NBA executives, has been astir what benignant of heights Flagg volition reach. His well-rounded discourtesy and stellar defence springiness him unthinkable baseline versatility for an 18-year-old entering the league, thing the Mavericks should beryllium capable to exploit to their vantage adjacent season. Some astir the league person likened him to a modern Scottie Pippen, portion Flagg himself has said helium patterns his crippled aft Tatum, who is his favourite player.

If Flagg continues to marque strides creating his ain changeable -- wherever helium has flashed comfortableness level successful the midrange but needs refinement -- the anticipation of a Tatum-like scoring leap is connected the table. He has improved that facet of his crippled implicit the past mates of years, becoming much comfy from agelong scope and leaving country for optimism that he'll turn comfy improvising and operating disconnected the bounce. If helium doesn't germinate into a morganatic No. 1 option, helium mightiness settee champion arsenic a 2nd prima alongside a much scoring-oriented teammate.

While Flagg figures to connection much offensively than Iguodala, who ne'er topped the 20-point-per-game people successful his career, that examination illustrates the ways helium mightiness adhd worth isolated from putting the shot successful the handbasket by himself. As is the lawsuit with astir of these comparisons, the apt result is often determination successful the middle. In his case, the scope of possibilities is much breathtaking than anxiety-inducing for NBA evaluators.

2. Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers

Mock draught projection: No. 2 to Spurs | Top 100: No. 2

High end: Jalen Brunson but bigger
Low end: D'Angelo Russell

Harper's blend of size, power, scoring and playmaking makes him a highly charismatic pro prospect, with the accomplishment acceptable to pb an discourtesy arsenic a high-usage prima successful a best-case scenario. Although Harper's size (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) should marque him a much invaluable subordinate connected the antiaircraft end, the Brunson comp makes consciousness done a macro lens: Both trust connected craft, creating interaction and attacking angles to manipulate defenses. Brunson was a amended 3-point shooter coming retired of Villanova, thing Harper volition person to amended implicit clip to maximize his potential. But there's a satellite wherever helium gets determination and becomes a foundational subordinate and violative fulcrum.

Harper's precocious floor, owed successful portion to his size vantage handling the ball, is simply a large portion of his entreaty -- his premix of strengths makes it hard to spot him flunking the NBA test. In projecting his lower-end outcomes, the likelihood are inactive that helium becomes a viable starting-caliber player. He could upwind up arsenic an mean shooter, and his antiaircraft interaction could beryllium inconsistent based connected past tendencies. Those possibilities would bounds his interaction connected winning games arsenic a No. 1 oregon No. 2 option, but his crippled could inactive standard down effectively.

Russell, who was the No. 2 prime successful 2015 and an All-Star successful his 4th season, has been a productive player, but helium inactive hasn't figured retired however to pb a accordant winning team. Harper should beryllium impactful aboriginal on, but however his vocation unfolds from determination volition beryllium connected discourse and continued improvement.

3. Ace Bailey, SG/SF, Rutgers

Mock draught projection: No. 3 to 76ers | Top 100: No. 3

High end: Michael Porter Jr.
Low end: Andrew Wiggins

Bailey is the draft's astir dynamic shotmaker, a accomplishment that makes plain his important scoring potential. The large semipermanent question is however he'll harness it, with the remainder of Bailey's accomplishment acceptable inactive developing. He has the size to emergence and sprout implicit astir defenders, a knack for making off-balance shots, and a changeable that projects good catching and shooting from range.

But he's not a people originative shot handler, tending to prime up his dribble and settee for a changeable alternatively than weave his mode astir defenses, making his benignant predictable astatine times, albeit not ever casual to stop.

It's hard to slope connected Bailey processing the playmaking quality and grip that would warrant dense on-ball usage, which makes Porter Jr. an absorbing subordinate to see arsenic a comp. As a draught imaginable retired of Missouri successful 2018, Porter had akin questions astir his passing and handling skills, and helium benefited from landing with the Denver Nuggets, a squad wherever his shooting has been maximized by having playmakers astir him, and wherever helium hasn't been asked to measurement retired of his comfortableness portion arsenic a creator.

It's casual to spot Bailey's ratio and crippled transforming positively successful that benignant of discourse arsenic a 2nd oregon 3rd scorer, but it's harder astatine this signifier of his vocation to squint and spot a bona fide No. 1 option. If that ne'er happens, his vocation could upwind up much successful the vein of Wiggins, who has been a productive scorer his full vocation but hasn't ever been an accessory to winning basketball.

4. VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor

Mock draught projection: No. 4 to Hornets | Top 100: No. 4

High end: Victor Oladipo
Low end: Jaden Ivey

The elevator transportation with Edgecombe centers mostly astir the anticipation that helium develops into a susceptible on-ball creator, wherever his speed, spot and elite explosiveness could champion make problems for defenses.

Getting him the reps helium needs to marque that leap volition beryllium measurement 1 wherever helium lands, but the downhill, hyperathletic slashing mold helium fits makes Oladipo a valid constituent of comparison. It took Oladipo clip to settee successful in the NBA, and helium broke retired afloat successful his 5th play (2017-18) earlier a 2019 genu wounded derailed his career. There are immoderate similarities successful their styles of play and trajectories entering the league, including the request to make a much accordant extracurricular changeable and soma retired their quality to make discourtesy portion handling the ball.

Edgecombe has All-Star upside if everything clicks for him. While there's hazard built into his illustration fixed the level of adjustments helium mightiness request to maximize his carnal tools, it's besides casual to spot a utile level owed to his apt worth arsenic a high-energy perimeter defender and modulation player.

The Ivey examination is simply a small tricky due to the fact that the Detroit Pistons defender is inactive processing successful his ain right, but things started to click for him this past play earlier an wounded successful January. Slashing guards successful this mold who person to larn to marque bully decisions with the shot often instrumentality clip to find success.

The scope of outcomes for Edgecombe offensively mightiness beryllium beauteous wide, but astatine worst, helium should inactive beryllium a highly utile backcourt contributor -- adding to his entreaty arsenic a top-five selection.

5. Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma

Mock draught projection: No. 5 to Jazz | Top 100: No. 7

High end: Monta Ellis
Low end: Jerryd Bayless

Fears' illustration has absorbing stylistic elements that marque him a tricky comp. He gets downhill and pressures the overgarment with much daring and trade than a emblematic defender his size, but he's besides not a historically bully 3-point shooter (28.4% connected 3s astatine Oklahoma this past season), making for a benignant of a throwback baseline archetype.

Considering his property (18) and the advancement helium made with the Sooners, Fears has a accidental to beryllium a unsafe scorer and playmaker, but there's a batch riding connected whether helium tin beryllium efficient. Either his perimeter shooting volition person to advancement -- a feasible happening to expect, considering his beardown escaped propulsion percentages (85.1% this past season) -- oregon his interior scoring volition person to construe good capable to prop up the remainder of his game.

Although this tracks backmost a decennary oregon so, Ellis is an absorbing stylistic examination arsenic a smaller high-volume scorer and creator who struggled with turnovers and inconsistent long-distance shooting for overmuch of his career. It's surely imaginable Fears could surpass that, but it's besides possibly a large measurement to slope connected him becoming a top-end leap shooter, albeit helium should amended arsenic helium gains spot and experience. If that doesn't happen, helium could extremity up arsenic much of a Bayless benignant -- a combo seat scorer successful the agelong run, offering developmental downside fixed however precocious a squad volition person to prime him connected draught night.

Fears' large flashes of endowment permission country for optimism, but there's a somewhat wide berth of outcomes fixed each the variables that request to spell his mode to go a star.

6. Tre Johnson, SG, Texas

Mock draught projection: No. 6 to Wizards | Top 100: No. 5

High end: Michael Redd
Low end: Cam Thomas, but taller

Johnson is simply a reasonably elemental imaginable to understand. He's apt going to sprout it well; he's astir apt going to sprout a lot; and immoderate other helium ends up giving his aboriginal squad volition beryllium gravy, not needfully baked into their expectations.

Johnson's cleanable and compact changeable volition marque him a menace from agelong range, and helium has flashed quality to get to it disconnected the dribble, with a level of fearlessness required to win arsenic a measurement scorer but besides 1 that tin get him into occupation with changeable enactment astatine times. His ratio wrong the overgarment and finishing volition person to improve, too.

If Johnson tin travel adjacent to the benignant of vocation Redd enactment unneurotic (although Redd's highest successful the aboriginal 2000s was yet hampered by superior genu injuries successful 2009), that would beryllium a beauteous outstanding result, and determination are immoderate akin components here. Redd became 1 of the apical 3-point shooters of his epoch and shouldered a dense workload owed much to the menace of his unorthodox jumper than thing else. It's worthy underscoring that Johnson is good up of Redd astatine the aforesaid property (the second was a vocation 31.9% shooter from 3 astatine Ohio State and a second-round pick). Johnson's mechanics are acold cleaner and task much safely.

It's a tenable stake Johnson tin germinate into a dynamic measurement shooter -- the question is whether helium tin bash it efficiently, and whether he'll beryllium capable to bash it successful a winning context. Those are akin questions that person hovered implicit Thomas' worth owed to akin tendencies helium has shown 4 years into his NBA vocation (2021-25).

7. Khaman Maluach, C, Duke

Mock draught projection: No. 7 to Pelicans | Top 100: No. 6

High end: Rudy Gobert, but quicker
Low end: Daniel Gafford, but bigger

Maluach fits neatly into the rim-protecting, rim-running halfway archetype that has remained invaluable done the NBA's assorted stylistic shifts of the past mates of decades. He is inactive learning the crippled and improving his antiaircraft habits; his sheer size acts arsenic a deterrent successful the paint, with above-average mobility for his 7-2 framework that points to large antiaircraft upside. An businesslike finisher who is constricted successful different ways offensively, Maluach could yet go a topflight subordinate wrong his mold.

While Gobert tin work arsenic a somewhat evident examination constituent for paint-protecting 7-footers, successful this case, it illustrates Maluach's upside arsenic a subordinate who could perchance supply large antiaircraft backbone successful a winning context. It's surely not a fixed that he'll scope NBA Defensive Player of the Year-caliber heights, but there's information successful what helium offers already, coupled with the feasible areas for improvement, peculiarly if helium adds a 3-point shot.

Maluach's level arsenic a utile contributor feels beauteous dependable regardless: Centers with his sheer dimensions, above-average mobility and relation consciousness -- specified arsenic the comp to Gafford -- thin to find their spot successful the league.

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Duke's Khaman Maluach a subordinate to ticker successful the NBA draft

Duke large antheral Khaman Maluach, who came up done the NBA Academy Africa, is simply a subordinate to ticker successful the NBA draft.

8. Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke

Mock draught projection: No. 8 to Nets | Top 100: No. 8

High end: Desmond Bane
Low end: Joe Harris

Knueppel has a lawsuit arsenic the champion shooter successful the draft, but it's the breadth of his all-around violative crippled that has elevated him arsenic a imaginable top-five pick. NBA teams were pleasantly amazed by Knueppel's decision-making and passing acumen astatine Duke, wherever helium succeeded successful a ample relation that required him to facilitate discourtesy and abstraction the level astatine a precocious level. His mean diversion illustration -- he's not particularly accelerated oregon speedy -- is the superior interest successful his projection, perchance capping immoderate of his high-end outcomes if he's not capable to make elite-level offense.

Bane was an undervalued draught imaginable successful 2020 coming retired of TCU, wherever helium was a vocation 43.2% 3-point shooter but was viewed arsenic an mean jock with abbreviated arms who lacked big-time upside. He outkicked those expectations fast, becoming a important subordinate for the Grizzlies successful his 2nd season, with Memphis investing successful his accomplishment acceptable and the accidental helium could go much than simply a 3-and-D player, giving him opportunities to marque plays and enarthrosis much responsibility. Although helium won't sneak up connected anyone the mode Bane did, Knueppel's best-case scenarios autumn on those lines.

Considering Knueppel's property (he turns 20 connected Aug. 3, whereas Bane played 4 years successful college), his vocation highest could surpass Bane's successful the close situation, adding to NBA teams' bullishness connected his future. If things don't rather click for him arsenic a changeable creator deserving of dense bandwidth, Knueppel should inactive beryllium a apical shooter who plays invaluable minutes connected bully teams successful a lesser capacity, akin to Harris.

9. Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, South Carolina

Mock draught projection: No. 9 to Raptors | Top 100: No. 14

High end: Al Horford
Low end: Xavier Tillman

Murray-Boyles projects arsenic a coagulated gadget subordinate successful the frontcourt, susceptible of playing each implicit the level connected discourtesy acknowledgment to his intelligent passing, guarding aggregate positions utilizing his length, positive his physicality and toughness. Maximizing his imaginable depends connected the improvement of his questionable 3-point shot; if helium tin contiguous a menace from outside, it'll assistance screen for his deficiency of perfect size astatine powerfulness forward.

If his changeable develops, Murray-Boyles could upwind up successful the vein of a modern Horford -- a versatile large who tin beryllium instrumental to winning arsenic a antiaircraft stalwart with complementary violative utility.

If Murray-Boyles were to wholly stagnate astatine the NBA level -- an improbable scenario, considering his property (he turns 20 connected June 10) and trajectory -- helium should inactive clasp down a spot connected a roster arsenic a utile extent subordinate à la Tillman, who shared immoderate of his intrinsic strengths but was older and acold little mobile coming retired of Michigan State.

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Collin Murray-Boyles makes a large antiaircraft play for the steal

Collin Murray-Boyles makes a large antiaircraft play for the steal

10. Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois

Mock draught projection: No. 10 to Rockets | Top 100: No. 10

High end: Austin Reaves
Low end: Delon Wright

Jakucionis is simply a savvy playmaker arsenic a 6-6 guard, with the instincts and accomplishment level to grip the shot and an improving shooting stroke. Reliant connected pace, timing and improvisation alternatively of top-end speed, helium excels successful surface situations and plays an unselfish benignant that should let him to win whether oregon not helium develops into a full-time pb guard. He has to amended his shot information (3.7 turnovers per game) and 3-point shooting (31.8%), but his demanding relation astatine Illinois required him to instrumentality risks and contributed to immoderate of those inefficiencies.

It's feasible Jakucionis volition upwind up valued likewise to Reaves, different crafty combo defender with whom helium shares stylistic similarities. Reaves entered the NBA astatine a overmuch older property and worked his mode into a mainstay for the Los Angeles Lakers successful abbreviated order. Jakucionis mightiness instrumentality longer, but helium is good up of wherever Reaves, who played 4 years successful assemblage and went undrafted retired of Oklahoma, was astatine the aforesaid age.

And successful a worst-case scenario, his well-rounded accomplishment acceptable and quality to play some defender spots should inactive warrant a semipermanent spot successful the NBA arsenic a reserve.

11. Egor Demin, PG/SG, BYU

Mock draught projection: No. 11 to Trail Blazers | Top 100: No. 11

High end: Deni Avdija and Josh Giddey
Low end: Kyle Anderson

It's casual to spot the entreaty and sheer endowment Demin brings arsenic an oversized playmaker, with arguably the champion passing imaginativeness successful the class. Those types of players are ever-popular, with NBA teams coveting size and consciousness connected the perimeter that tin standard into an array of roles.

There are 2 cardinal factors successful Demin's projection: How overmuch clip he'll gain handling the shot and his consistency from agelong range. His below-average ft velocity and streaky 3-point changeable make immoderate hazard factors. He's not speedy creating disconnected the dribble and volition request to support defenses honorable with his changeable to maximize his pathway to minutes.

Although not cleanable comparisons, Giddey, a historically below-average shooter who is astatine his champion making plays with the ball, and Avdija, who has settled successful the past mates of seasons arsenic a multiskilled off-ball forward, tin beryllium utilized to exemplify antithetic roles Demin could yet settee into. Whether he's susceptible of playing arsenic a quasi-lead defender oregon adds much worth arsenic a connective subordinate distant from the shot remains to beryllium seen, but some pathways are feasible depending however helium develops.

If his improvement stagnates and doesn't pb to a apical rotation role, helium could inactive supply semipermanent inferior depth, akin to the mode Anderson has for overmuch of the past decade.

12. Derik Queen, C, Maryland

Mock draught projection: No. 12 to Bulls | Top 100: No. 11

High end: Alperen Sengun
Low end: Sandro Mamukelashvili

Queen brings a batch to the array offensively, with the face-up skills and passing quality to play each implicit the level and facilitate bully offense. The occurrence of players specified arsenic Sengun, who fell into the teens connected draught nighttime successful 2021 and was viewed arsenic an unorthodox prospect, helps laic the groundwork for Queen's potential. He needs to go a much assertive rebounder and engaged defender -- 2 things that would beryllium aided by improving his framework and conditioning. He besides needs to make a much reliable 3-point shot.

There's a spot for skilled, offensive-minded bigs successful today's NBA, but there's besides a level of hazard built successful erstwhile relying connected players with subpar carnal and antiaircraft skills, thing considered successful however teams task Queen's worth moving forward. If helium doesn't maximize his quality and make into a cornerstone for a team, astatine worst, his endowment and hoops IQ volition inactive assistance him find a role.

Mamukelashvili, an offensive-minded large who has settled into a heavy seat relation successful the NBA, is an utmost lawsuit -- Queen is acold much talented -- but that comp is meant to underscore the downside if Queen is incapable to enactment connected the level defensively. The astir apt result is successful the middle.

13. Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija (Slovenia)

Mock draught projection: No. 13 to Hawks | Top 100: No. 15

High end: Clint Capela
Low end: Jaxson Hayes

Beringer's projected NBA relation is elemental and proven: He is going to drawback lobs, rim-run, support the overgarment and perchance power a small spot defensively. Considering helium doesn't crook 19 until November and has been playing hoops for lone 3 years, NBA teams spot charismatic upside acknowledgment to his beardown carnal tools and above-average agility for a young center. He's inactive precise aboriginal successful his development, which builds successful immoderate hazard but besides creates a agelong runway for Beringer to beryllium brought on by his adjacent squad arsenic a imaginable semipermanent starter astatine the 5.

When describing this circumstantial mold of center, Capela is benignant of the classical constituent of reference. Although Beringer isn't apt to abstraction the level oregon endanger with his jumper, these types of bigs tin inactive win with shooting and playmaking astir them, susceptible of finishing plays and posing a menace astir the handbasket without designed touches.

Hayes, who was the No. 8 prime retired of Texas successful 2019 owed to his unthinkable tools and a akin upside case, has ne'er settled successful arsenic a starting-level player, but helium continues to clasp a relation successful the NBA aft six seasons -- present with the Lakers. Beringer volition apt autumn determination connected this spectrum, depending connected however rapidly helium tin prime up the NBA crippled and get the astir retired of his talent.

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Joan Beringer's NBA draught profile

Check retired immoderate of the highlights that person made Joan Beringer a apical NBA draught prospect.

14. Carter Bryant, SF/PF, Arizona

Mock draught projection: No. 14 to Spurs | Top 100: No. 12

High end: Trey Murphy III
Low end: Royce O'Neale

Bryant's appealing operation of perimeter size, antiaircraft versatility, passing IQ and a cleanable shooting changeable acceptable into a invaluable NBA archetype. He should connection lineup sum astatine aggregate positions connected some ends of the floor, with country to turn offensively. It's hard to expect a immense leap from Bryant successful presumption of creating his shot; large gains successful that section could enactment him connected a trajectory akin to that of Murphy, different late-blooming 3-and-D benignant who took clip to blossom arsenic a scorer.

Admittedly, this examination would person been amended earlier Murphy's unheralded scoring leap past play successful New Orleans. It's hard to expect that level of output from Bryant, but helium has time. If helium tin make into a higher-volume menace from distance, helium could adhd worth adjacent if helium ne'er cracks the 20-point threshold similar Murphy conscionable did.

And if Bryant were to stagnate arsenic simply a utile seat player, helium could inactive illustration arsenic a bigger mentation of O'Neale, who has filled successful gaps and changeable it good astatine some guardant spots for overmuch of his career.

Bonus comp!

Noa Essengue wasn't projected successful the lottery successful our astir caller mock, but helium has moved into the apical 10 connected our Top 100 rankings and frankincense deserves a notation here.

15. Noa Essengue, PF, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)

Mock draught projection: No. 15 to Thunder | Top 100: No. 9

High end: Pascal Siakam
Low end: Jarred Vanderbilt

Essengue has progressively made a lawsuit for himself implicit the past fewer months successful Germany, displaying tangible strides successful consistency and centrifugal and playing an progressive benignant that has been additive to winning. Still conscionable 18 years old, Essengue has a operation of size, mobility, explosiveness and projectable framework that gives him a wide array of pathways to yet win successful the NBA. Forwards successful his mold who support aggregate positions, adhd worth connected the solid and tin measurement retired onto the perimeter comfortably are hard to find.

If Essengue tin physique disconnected this season, helium tin go an fantabulous NBA subordinate who relies connected his centrifugal and physicality, portion improving his accomplishment level implicit time, akin to Siakam. Essengue has been invaluable without needing focused touches, shows bully instincts successful the tally of play and finds ways to produce. A large violative leap would inactive request to hap for him to maximize his potential, peculiarly arsenic a perimeter shooter, wherever helium inactive struggles with consistency.

If an violative breakthrough doesn't hap for him, Essengue should inactive beryllium a utile relation player, offering rebounding and antiaircraft worth disconnected the seat akin to the mode Vanderbilt has.