NBA mock draft 1.0: It’s Cooper Flagg, then everyone else
The men’s college basketball season is here.
Which also means there’s an eye on the NBA draft and the top individual players who may be playing on NBA teams a year from now.
Not only is No. 5 Duke a potential Final Four team, it has multiple projected first-round picks, including three in the lottery and the likely overall No. 1 pick, according to USA TODAY’s 2025 NBA mock draft. Plus, the Blue Devils have at least two other players who could be drafted.
No. 3 UConn, No. 9 Arizona and No. 10 North Carolina also have multiple projected first-round picks, and continuing a trend, there are multiple players born outside the U.S. expected to go in the first round.
Here is USA TODAY Sports’ early-season NBA mock draft. (All ages are as of time of June draft.)
2025 NBA mock draft
1. Cooper Flagg, Duke
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-9, 205, 18 years old
2023-24 high school stats: 16.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, 2.7 blocks per game, 55.1% FG
2. Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-10, 200, 18
2023-24 high school stats: 33.4 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg
3. Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 215, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 22.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg
4. V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
Freshman, guard, 6-5, 180, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.1 bpg
5. Nolan Traore, Saint-Quentin (France)
Guard, 6-4, 175, 19
2023-24 France top-tier pro league stats: 10.3 ppg, 5.4 apg, 36.8% FG
6. Hugo Gonzalez, Real Madrid (Spain)
Guard-forward, 6-7, 207, 19
2023-24 Spain top-tier pro league stats: 2.5 ppg, 45% FG
7. Liam McNeeley, UConn
Freshman, forward, 6-7, 210, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 13.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 spg
8. Drake Powell, North Carolina
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-6, 195, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 17.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.2, spg, 1.2 bpg, 57% FG, 41% 3PT
9. Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Guard, 6-6, 200, 19
2023-24 stats in Israel pro league: 10.1 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.9 rpg, 1.1 spg, 38.7% FG
10. Khaman Maluach, Duke
Freshman, center, 7-2, 250, 18
2023-24 Basketball Africa League stats: 18.2 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 60.3% FG
11. Egor Demin, BYU
Freshman, forward, 6-9, 19
2023-24 Spanish minor-league stats: 13 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, 57.1% FG, 33.6% 3PT
12. Tre Johnson, Texas
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 190, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 15.5 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.3 rpg
13. Kon Knueppel, Duke
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-7, 217, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 25.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 59.4% FG, 39.5% 3PT
14. Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 205, 19
2023-24 Adidas Next Generation stats: 17.9 ppg, 9.0 apg, 6.3 rpg, 2.9 spg
15. Asa Newell, Georgia
Freshman, forward, 6-11, 220, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 67.6% FG
16. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
Sophomore, 6-8, 245, 20
2023-24 stats at South Carolina: 10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 59.7% FG
17. Donnie Freeman, Syracuse
Freshman, forward, 6-9, 205, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 15.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.1 apg
18. Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Forward, 6-10, 198, 18
2024 EuroCup stats: 13.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 bpg, 1.0 apg, 63.6% FG
19. Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane (Australia)
Center, 7-2, 227, 18
2023-24 Australian pro league stats: 3.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 59.7% FG
20. Carter Bryant, Arizona
Freshman, forward, 6-8, 225, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 17 ppg, 9.0 rpg
21. Jalil Beathea, Miami
Freshman, guard, 6-5, 190, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 22.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apg
22. Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes (G League)
Guard, 6-8, 210, 19
2023-24 G League Ignite stats: 8.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.9 rpg, 34.7% FG
23. Michael Ruzic, Joventut (Spain)
Forward, 6-9, 223, 18
2023-24 stats in Spanish league: 5.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 47.5% FG
24. Derrion Reid, Alabama
Freshman, forward, 6-8, 220, 18
2024 USA Basketball U18 stats at AmeriCup: 10.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg
25. Ian Jackson, North Carolina
Freshman, guard, 6-4, 190, 20
2023-24 Overtime Elite stats: 23.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.6 spg
26. Boogie Fland, Arkansas
Freshman, guard, 6-2, 75, 18
2023-24 high school stats: 19.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.4 spg, 46% FG, 37% 3PT
27. Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Sophomore, center, 7-2, 260, 20
2023-24 Arizona stats: 5.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 54.8% FG
28. Alex Karaban, UConn
Junior, forward, 6-8, 225, 22
2023-24 UConn stats: 13.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 49.6% FG, 37.9% 3PT
29. Kwame Evans Jr., Oregon
Sophomore, forward, 6-9, 220, 20
2023-24 Oregon stats: 7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 spg, 44.7% FG
30. JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Sophomore, 6-9, 225, 20
2023-24 stats at New Mexico: 12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 1.1 spg, 62.3% FG
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
