I'm happy that the 2024 Draft is officially in the books, so we can begin talking about the way more exciting and promising 2025 NBA Draft!
This draft has got it all. The consensus #1 pick is a kid from Maine, Cooper Flagg who will enter college basketball as the most hyped player since Zion. He grew up idolizing Jayson Tatum, is a destroyer on defense, and has a smooth offensive game that promises to score at all three levels. He re-classified in high school so he is very young, and won't turn 18 until December, meaning when we first see him play for Duke he will only be 17 years old.
Flagg's competition though is fierce. Ace Bailey, a lanky forward headed to Rutgers, was his main competition for the #1 spot on the recruiting circuit, has drawn some comparisons to Tracy McGrady. He isn't nearly as polished as Flagg, but may have even more potential, especially as an offensive player. He is joined at Rutgers by Dylan Harper, the son of Ron Harper, who unsurprisingly, is a big, physical point guard,
Then there is the mystery box of Khaman Malauch, a 7'2" center headed to Duke. Malauch is originally from South Sudan, went to the NBA Africa Academy, and possesses incredible physical ability. Scouts have not seen nearly as much of him as the other recruits, so it could be a situation where he blows people away and outshines even Flagg at Duke--or he is a lot rawer than people expect and he tumbles down draft boards--it feels like anything is on the table.
We've also got another elite French prospect--combo guard Nolan Traore, as well as Spainard Hugo Gonzalez, who are believed to be the two best prospects coming out of Europe. There are also just a bunch of other fun players to keep an eye on--Connecticut's Liam McNeely who could thrive in Hurley's system, Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, who has a whiff of Anthony Edwards as an ultra-elite 6'5" guard, as does Texas guard Tre Johnson, and just for fun, let's keep an eye on 7'3" Aussie teenager Rocco Zikarsky, who earned a little playing time at 16 years old in the NBL.
This draft has got it all. The consensus #1 pick is a kid from Maine, Cooper Flagg who will enter college basketball as the most hyped player since Zion. He grew up idolizing Jayson Tatum, is a destroyer on defense, and has a smooth offensive game that promises to score at all three levels. He re-classified in high school so he is very young, and won't turn 18 until December, meaning when we first see him play for Duke he will only be 17 years old.
Flagg's competition though is fierce. Ace Bailey, a lanky forward headed to Rutgers, was his main competition for the #1 spot on the recruiting circuit, has drawn some comparisons to Tracy McGrady. He isn't nearly as polished as Flagg, but may have even more potential, especially as an offensive player. He is joined at Rutgers by Dylan Harper, the son of Ron Harper, who unsurprisingly, is a big, physical point guard,
Then there is the mystery box of Khaman Malauch, a 7'2" center headed to Duke. Malauch is originally from South Sudan, went to the NBA Africa Academy, and possesses incredible physical ability. Scouts have not seen nearly as much of him as the other recruits, so it could be a situation where he blows people away and outshines even Flagg at Duke--or he is a lot rawer than people expect and he tumbles down draft boards--it feels like anything is on the table.
We've also got another elite French prospect--combo guard Nolan Traore, as well as Spainard Hugo Gonzalez, who are believed to be the two best prospects coming out of Europe. There are also just a bunch of other fun players to keep an eye on--Connecticut's Liam McNeely who could thrive in Hurley's system, Baylor's VJ Edgecombe, who has a whiff of Anthony Edwards as an ultra-elite 6'5" guard, as does Texas guard Tre Johnson, and just for fun, let's keep an eye on 7'3" Aussie teenager Rocco Zikarsky, who earned a little playing time at 16 years old in the NBL.
