Duke
• Fr
• 6’8″
/ 221 lbs
Projected Team
Dallas
PROSPECT RNK
1st
POSITION RNK
1st
PPG
19.2
RPG
7.5
APG
4.2
3P%
38.5%
Flagg is the clear No. 1 prospect in the class and the no-brainer No. 1 pick. He is the second-highest-graded player in my database since 2017 behind only Victor Wembanyama.
Rutgers
• Fr
• 6’5″
/ 213 lbs
Projected Team
San Antonio
PROSPECT RNK
2nd
POSITION RNK
1st
PPG
19.4
RPG
4.6
APG
4
3P%
33.3%
The fit for Harper in San Antonio next to De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle on paper isn’t completely seamless but the debate about it, ultimately, is meaningless. Harper is the No. 2 prospect in the class by a wide margin for me, and with a potential All-Star ceiling I suspect San Antonio prioritizes talent over fit as any smart organization would do in this spot.
Baylor
• Fr
• 6’4″
/ 193 lbs
Projected Team
Philadelphia
PROSPECT RNK
5th
POSITION RNK
2nd
PPG
15
RPG
5.6
APG
3.2
3P%
34%
Philly is the wild card of draft night with the possibility of it moving back from No. 3, dealing the pick or taking any number of prospects ranging from Edgecombe to Ace Bailey or Tre Johnson. Sticking to pick feels the prudent and most likely option, and Edgecombe — a two-way guard with tremendous athleticism — is a perfect blend of talent and fit for No. 3.
Duke
• Fr
• 6’5″
/ 219 lbs
Projected Team
Charlotte
PROSPECT RNK
6th
POSITION RNK
3rd
PPG
14.4
RPG
4
APG
2.7
3P%
40.6%
Knueppel is the best shooter in the draft class and his fit in Charlotte next to Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball is impossible to ignore. The Hornets feel like a sneaky contender to move up to grab Edgecombe, who has elevated in NBA circles as the potential No. 3 pick. But if they don’t, Knueppel or Johnson could be killer consolation prizes.
Texas
• Fr
• 6’5″
/ 190 lbs
Projected Team
Utah
PROSPECT RNK
3rd
POSITION RNK
1st
PPG
19.9
RPG
3.1
APG
2.7
3P%
39.7%
Johnson led freshmen in Division I last season in scoring and made more 3-pointers than any player in his class to boot. He’s a bucket-getter who has opened eyes not just with his versatility as a scorer, but with his rounded skill set as a playmaker, too. He’s in play as high as No. 3 and No. 5 feels like his floor.
Rutgers
• Fr
• 6’8″
/ 203 lbs
Projected Team
Washington
PROSPECT RNK
4th
POSITION RNK
2nd
PPG
17.6
RPG
7.2
APG
1.3
3P%
34.6%
Bailey’s curious handling of the pre-draft process — including canceling on a workout with the 76ers last week days before it was slated to take place — has potentially cost him millions and imperiled his position as a top-five pick. But his combination of size, scoring and youth at this point feels tough to pass on. Washington could welcome him into a position where he walks in as a rookie averaging 18+ points per game.
Oklahoma
• Fr
• 6’3″
/ 180 lbs
Projected Team
New Orleans
PROSPECT RNK
11th
POSITION RNK
3rd
PPG
17.1
RPG
4.1
APG
4.1
3P%
28.4%
Fears is arguably the biggest boom-or-bust proposition in this draft with flashes of stardom in his one season at Oklahoma mixed in with some worrying red flags that admittedly are tough to overlook. He’ll need to develop his shot to be a threat at the next level and excise the errant passes that were too frequently a feature of his game.
Duke
• Fr
• 7’1″
/ 253 lbs
Projected Team
Brooklyn
PROSPECT RNK
8th
POSITION RNK
1st
PPG
8.6
RPG
6.6
APG
0.5
3P%
25%
Brooklyn, for now, is armed with FIVE first-round picks and may be more willing than most in this draft to bet on a prospect like Maluach, who is a raw talent having picked up basketball as a teenager. He’s a 7-foot-2 big with a 7-foot-6 wingspan and capable of wrecking things on the defensive end.
Noa Essengue
PF
France
• 6’10”
/ 200 lbs
Projected Team
Toronto
PROSPECT RNK
14th
POSITION RNK
2nd
PPG
12.4
RPG
5.3
APG
1.1
3P%
29.4%
Essengue is a big riser over the last month and someone who could sneak into the top 10 on draft night. Teams are enamored by the combination of his 6-foot-10 frame and traits as an athletic marvel who can develop into a swiss-army knife defensive stopper.
Arizona
• Fr
• 6’7″
/ 215 lbs
Projected Team
Phoenix
PROSPECT RNK
10th
POSITION RNK
4th
PPG
6.5
RPG
4.1
APG
1
3P%
37.1%
Bryant was merely a bit player in his one season at Arizona but his big frame and promise as a two-way wing who can defend and shoot make him a potential lottery pick in this year’s class. He could add a 3-and-D dimension to a Phoenix team now set to move forward with Devin Booker and Jalen Green as its top two options.
BYU
• Fr
• 6’8″
/ 199 lbs
Projected Team
Portland
PROSPECT RNK
13th
POSITION RNK
4th
PPG
10.6
RPG
3.9
APG
5.5
3P%
27.3%
Portland shook up its backcourt in a big way this week in dealing Anfernee Simons to Boston in return for Jrue Holiday. Demin could give the team a big point to develop for the long-term to help learn under Holiday.
Maryland
• Fr
• 6’9″
/ 248 lbs
Projected Team
Chicago
PROSPECT RNK
9th
POSITION RNK
2nd
PPG
16.5
RPG
9
APG
1.9
3P%
20%
Queen’s the best big man passer in the class with the skill to be a playmaking hub from his position. This feels like a good landing spot for him in Chicago as they add to their frontcourt for the starting center of the future.
Illinois
• Fr
• 6’5″
/ 205 lbs
Projected Team
Atlanta
PROSPECT RNK
7th
POSITION RNK
2nd
PPG
15
RPG
5.7
APG
4.7
3P%
31.8%
This would be a further fall than expected for Jakucionis but it’s increasingly hard to find a robust market for true point guards who have glaring flaws. Jakucionis is a tremendous playmaker but he was turnover-prone at Illinois and shot just 31.8% on 3s.
Joan Beringer
C
France
• 6’11”
/ 235 lbs
Projected Team
San Antonio
PROSPECT RNK
23rd
POSITION RNK
4th
San Antonio adds a Frenchman to its ranks to complement another Frenchman already within its ranks, giving Victor Wembanyama a dynamic big to play and grow around long-term. Beringer is the best shot-blocker in the class and someone whose skill set would fit hand-in-glove as a lob threat next to Dylan Harper, De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle.
Washington State
• Sr
• 6’5″
/ 213 lbs
PPG
17.7
RPG
7
APG
3.7
3P%
40%
A late-riser whose steam over the last month has pushed him firmly into the lottery conversation, Coward and his versatility as a multipositional wing with athleticism and scoring fits the archetype that’d make perfect sense for a championship roster in OKC.
South Carolina
• Soph
• 6’7″
/ 239 lbs
Projected Team
Memphis
PROSPECT RNK
12th
POSITION RNK
1st
PPG
16.8
RPG
8.3
APG
2.4
3P%
26.5%
This is lower than I expect Murray-Boyles to go on draft night but he is a tough one to peg given his profile as a shorter power forward who has clear limitations as a shooter. He’s a throwback player who can win with efficiency in the paint and add physicality on defense.
Michigan
• Jr
• 6’11”
/ 252 lbs
Projected Team
Minnesota
PROSPECT RNK
20th
POSITION RNK
3rd
PPG
13.2
RPG
9.7
APG
3.6
3P%
33.6%
Minnesota has very few holes on its roster but Julius Randle and Naz Reid have upcoming player options on which to decide, so the front office may be wise to consider stacking frontcourt talent either as insurance or for future investments. Wolf is a 6-foot-11 big who has skills of a point guard with his passing and playmaking. Unique prospect who can add value on both ends of the floor.
Connecticut
• Fr
• 6’7″
/ 215 lbs
Projected Team
Washington
PROSPECT RNK
17th
POSITION RNK
6th
PPG
14.5
RPG
6
APG
2.3
3P%
31.7%
Washington’s second pick in the top-20 of the draft nets it another former five-star from last year’s class in McNeeley to add next to Ace Bailey in this mock. McNeeley is a competitive wing who can fit in any system and has long-term shooting potential.
Michigan St.
• Fr
• 6’1″
/ 178 lbs
Projected Team
Brooklyn
PROSPECT RNK
19th
POSITION RNK
4th
PPG
12.1
RPG
3.3
APG
1.9
3P%
41.2%
The son of former NBA player Jason Richardson, Jase, is a silky smooth scorer who can play on and off the ball and would give Brooklyn positional flexibility next to Egor Demin in this mock.
Florida
• Sr
• 6’2″
/ 199 lbs
Projected Team
Miami
PROSPECT RNK
29th
POSITION RNK
7th
PPG
18.3
RPG
3.7
APG
4.2
3P%
38.6%
Few teams have as much up-close exposure to Clayton Jr., a Florida native who played at Florida the last two seasons and led the team to the national title this spring. He’s a dynamic shot-maker who can add versatility scoring on dribble jumpers and could elevate Miami’s backcourt.
Nolan Traore
PG
France
• 6’4″
/ 175 lbs
Projected Team
Utah
PROSPECT RNK
16th
POSITION RNK
5th
PPG
11.6
RPG
1.7
APG
5.1
3P%
30.4%
A Tre Johnson + Nolan Traore haul would overhaul Utah’s backcourt and serve as a foundation piece for its new decision-makers. Traore is a prodigious talent from France who has come on strong in the LNB Pro A down the stretch of the season.
Georgia
• Fr
• 6’9″
/ 224 lbs
Projected Team
Atlanta
PROSPECT RNK
21st
POSITION RNK
4th
PPG
15.4
RPG
6.9
BPG
1.0
3P%
29.2%
Atlanta’s been in a near-constant state of searching for bigs in the Trae Young era. Here, I have them taking Asa Newell, who played his one and only college season some 73 miles from Atlanta in Athens for the University of Georgia.
Georgetown
• Fr
• 6’9″
/ 263 lbs
Projected Team
New Orleans
PROSPECT RNK
22nd
POSITION RNK
3rd
PPG
14.5
RPG
8.5
APG
2.4
BPG
2.0
Sorber is an unexpected one-and-done from Georgetown who at No. 23 might be one of the best values in this mock. He dominated the glass in college and measured just over 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-6 wingspan at the Combine.
Penn State
• Jr
• 6’11”
/ 243 lbs
Projected Team
Utah
PROSPECT RNK
33rd
POSITION RNK
7th
PPG
12.9
RPG
6.3
APG
0.8
BPG
2.3
OKC has two first round picks in this draft and an imminent roster crunch that may prompt it to consider moving off one or both selections. Given that I have a projected mock trade with Utah moving in to this slot to secure big man Yanic Konan Niederhauser from Penn State who has enjoyed a strong pre-draft process and profiles as a promising big with starting upside.
Colorado State
• Sr
• 6’5″
/ 202 lbs
Projected Team
Orlando
PROSPECT RNK
16th
POSITION RNK
5th
PPG
18.9
RPG
9.6
APG
4.4
3P%
37.7%
Orlando may look elsewhere positionally after trading for Desmond Bane but adding a player like Clifford who could help contribute early in his NBA career would make sense for the Magic in a wide-open East. He’s a five-year college player who improved each season and developed into a star at Colorado State.
Noah Penda
SF
France
• 6’8″
/ 225 lbs
Projected Team
Brooklyn
PROSPECT RNK
31st
POSITION RNK
9th
PPG
10.2
RPG
5.1
APG
2.6
3P%
30.4%
A French prospect putting together a strong season with Le Mans, Penda checks several boxes as a long forward who can score inside and out and match up well physically defending multiple positions. He could give Brooklyn some long-term flexibility as it enters the next phase of its rebuild.
North Carolina
• Fr
• 6’5″
/ 199 lbs
Projected Team
Brooklyn
PROSPECT RNK
28th
POSITION RNK
7th
PPG
7.4
RPG
3.4
APG
1.1
3P%
37.9%
Powell at No. 27 is just the best player available in this mock. The former five-star recruit is a 3-and-D wing with room to grow into more.
Hugo Gonzalez
SF
Spain
• 6’6″
/ 205 lbs
Projected Team
Boston
PROSPECT RNK
30th
POSITION RNK
8th
PPG
5.2
RPG
1.7
APG
0.9
3P%
27.1%
Gonzalez has flashed real skill and feel for a deep Real Madrid this season at just 19 years old. His athleticism and high-motor pops on tape and his development arc may be a worthwhile investment in this range.
Illinois
• Fr
• 6’8″
/ 186 lbs
Projected Team
Phoenix
PROSPECT RNK
32nd
POSITION RNK
10th
PPG
12.6
RPG
4.1
APG
2.2
3P%
32.6%
Riley has a lot of fans in NBA circles with his big frame and scoring instincts. He’s a young prospect after reclassifying to move up a level and needs to add strength but showed flashes of what NBA teams covet in scoring wings in his one season at Illinois.
Stanford
• Sr
• 7’0″
/ 237 lbs
PPG
20.2
RPG
10.6
APG
1.7
3P%
34.5%
Raynuad quietly flourished on a floundering Stanford team last season as one of the best players in all of college basketball. The center has remarkable movement skills for his size and can not only space the floor with his shot, but can put the ball on the deck and create. A rare skill for a player his size.