A Glass Half-Full Look at Every Lottery Pick in the 2025 NBA Draft

Draft grades are boring. I know, not exactly breaking the mold here, so there had to be some other way to talk about these prospects that didn't involve the same five letters (well, really four, no one ever gives Fs). This birthed the idea of the twin pieces I'll be releasing over the next few days, starting here, to see why every team has something to look forward to from their selections in this year's draft.

My predicted order was completely snapped early on in the draft as Philadelphia objected for Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe instead of swinging the pick in a trade, but the collection of players matched my list for 12 of the 14 selected players. I didn't have many quarrels with any of the players projected to go in the top 10 really, but the ones I do, I'll save for the sequel piece of this article. As well as, well, every other nitpick I can make about this class, and trust me, they're there.

Of course, this is all opinion, and there is plenty of hyperbole throughout this piece. The best part of the draft is that you have no idea how everything is going to turn out no matter the pick, despite what the first entry on here will tell you. As a result, the best way to look at these prospects is to see where they can go right, and the controversy of where they can go wrong. Here's the former.

Cooper Flagg Catapaults the Mavericks into one of the Top Situations in the West for Present and Future

The Dallas Mavericks selected the most complete and sure-fire first overall pick since LeBron James in 2003. Yes, I was a major fan of Zion, yes, I was an even bigger fan of Wembanyama. But both of those two had concerns about their bodies and health manifestation, and unfortunately, both seem to be proving that sentiment correct at the moment. Then you have the 18-year-old Flagg (fun fact: Flagg is the first player drafted first overall that I'm older than). It was a lock that the Mavericks were selecting Flagg with this pick the moment the draft order was cemented, and for good reason. The skill and mentality of a 10-year veteran is being ushered into the league in a 10-year veteran's primed conditioned body that just-so-happens to be 18 years old. It makes little to no sense how Flagg has developed such an advanced skillset and frame to be able to complete NBA workouts with ease and show off that previously mentioned downsides of his game mean nothing when put to the test. The Mavericks front office somehow lucked into one of the best prospects I have ever seen with my own eyes, and also made the worst trade I've ever seen with my own two eyes in a span of two months. All Dallas natives who fled the team after the departure of Doncic, this is your one free ticket back home. You're going to want to be there.

Dylan Harper Provides the Final Piece in What Should be Some Version of a Tantalizing San Antonio Backcourt for Years to Come

"Hey, De'Aaron. We're good, Dylan Harper is here." - Colin Cowherd, I think. Harper was the beneficiary of a significant rise throughout the previous college season, as he leapfrogged teammate and fellow draftee Ace Bailey in the draft board rankings, with the two swapping places for the two and three spots. Harper was a highly-touted prospect due to the guard's innate finishing ability and ability to play away from the ball on a not-so-consistent Rutgers offense last season. Harper entered the Big 10 and immediately put on dazzling performances as he was unstoppable going towards the rim and seemed to have the best NBA-like guard game in the class, as close-outs are completely negated due to his robot-like shooting ability that's nearly impossible to guard when he's moving away from the ball. This was a best-available option for San Antonio as Harper will likely be backing up the backcourt duo of Castle and Fox, however a move seems imminent from San Antonio and one of the duo may be involved to make room for Harper, an idea that would greatly benefit San Antonio for the now and the future.

The 76ers Receive the Mentality from Edgecombe that's Been Lacking for Years

Here's all you need to know about this selection: Philadelphia got the dog they desperately needed. For years, the 76ers organization has suffered as a place where the potential of stars goes to die as the team caters to their every need, and more than half of the time, said star doesn't even accrue enough playing time in the organization to justify the selection. Jimmy Butler established that notion years ago, when he left the franchise at the peak of their powers because of the lack of accountability for stars within the franchise. The team hit a low last season, as both Joel Embiid and Paul George succumbed to injury, which allowed this team to wind up back in their second home to be able to select the guard from Baylor. Edgecombe is the shades of Wade and Oladipo talent that every fanbase desperately craves that's a human highlight reel all to themselves. Edgecombe's presence off-ball will create so many more opportunities for the rest of this offense as the defense needs to be aware that any space to the rim will allow for Edgecombe to be there for an easy finish and may result in humiliating fashion from this human highlight reel. This all goes without mentioning Edgecombe's ferocious defense that will provide a comfortable fallback option if 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey struggles to stay with his man, which he often does.

LaMelo Ball Receives His Offensive Running Mate with an Ever-Present Shooter

The Hornets get away from this year's draft with a perfect side piece to the LaMelo Ball-driven offense that will hopefully bring some maturity and shooting into an offense that was a net negative in both categories last season. Knueppel played a pivotal role for the Blue Devils last season, including the primary factor that Duke was able to overcome the absence of Flagg for the majority of the ACC tournament, culminating in the program's first ACC championship since 2023. The forward is far more than just a shooter, he has arguably the highest off-ball IQ in this year's class, and his gravity surroudning Ball will prove dividends for a Charlotte team that so desperately needed space with the young guard on or off the court.

The Jazz Find the Most Raw Scoring Set in this Class with Ace Bailey

The Jazz are going to be the most fun league pass team next season when Bailey delivers his promise of being the best difficult shot-maker in this draft class. The second-ranked high school player entering last season, just behind Flagg, Bailey had highlights at Rutgers that, without context, would make you think he'd be a unanimous first overall selection in a handful of classes. Lightly built with a thin frame, the length Bailey possesses allows for the forward to get off any shot he so pleases, even when the offense is stagnant. While not known as a defender, his length is also prone to show-stopping blocks where he seems to reach from out of nowhere to send shots back where they came from, and can be developed to pair nicely if the Jazz ever need a defensive front-court running mate with Walker Kessler.

Washington Finds Their Missing Piece to a Quickly Developing Core in Tre Johnson

The Wizards are officially a fun basketball team again. The team should be ecstatic receiving the Texas guard, as moving away from Jordan Poole a few days ago opens up a backcourt of Tre Johnson and Bub Carrington to accompany a myriad of veterans like Marcus Smart and newly acquired CJ McCollum for strong guard depth. Johnson is without a doubt the best shooter out of this guard class, shooting well over 40% from the field and just under that mark from three on seven attempts per game in his lone season at Texas, where he claimed a spot on a very crowded All-SEC team. Oh yeah, he's also 6'6. Pair this with the incredible playmaking skills of last year's second overall selection in big man Alex Sarr, and the Wizards have officially set up shop as perhaps the Eastern Conference's most fun-to-watch young team.

Jeremiah Fears Aims to be the Newest Heir to the Early-2010s Scoring Guard Model of Kyrie Irving for the New Orleans Pelicans

Fears was, well, let's say raw for Oklahoma last season. The 6'4 guard reclassified from the 2026 class like fellow draftmate Cooper Flagg, and it's hard to say he made the wrong decision. Fears is a scorer, through in and through out. His percentages aren't ideal, as he was just under 30% from deep for the Sooners, but this was on a strong set of incredibly difficult shots that will be eliminated with NBA spacing. New Orleans needed anything coming out of this draft, and one thing you can be assured of leaving this draft is that they got something to make them watchable in a few ways.

The Nets Bring Playmaking to a Team That Needed Anything but More Scoring

The first true head-scratcher of this year's draft, the Nets took a massive leap in selecting BYU forward Egor Denim at 8. Despite the generally negative reception, this pick makes good sense for a Nets team that seems to be a jumbled mess of shoot-first guards and forwards. Both Cameron Johnson and Cam Thomas are locks for at minimum 12 shots per game, mostly coming with the ball, and slotting Denim in between the two should allow for movement around the rookie, creating more space for the Nets' offense. He doesn't jump off the screen when it comes to scoring and certainly not intangibles, but he has incredible vision for a player his size and seems to know how an offense operates through-in and through-out.

Collin Murray-Boyles Brings Ready-to-Compete Energy to a Raptors Team that May or May Not Be Slightly Over Their Heads

Murray-Boyles became the first non-freshman player from this year's draft class to join a Raptors team that very clearly has a type when it comes to forwards. Slotting Murray-Boyles next to Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, and RJ Barrett very quickly opens up the door for trade talks as it seems unlikely the four will pair great together, but it also provides possibly the most forward depth for any team in the Eastern Conference. Murray-Boyles showed excellent development throughout his time at South Carolina, and has a high IQ on where the ball needs to be for baskets for himself and his teammates, shooting close to 60% from the field this previous season. The Raptors think they have something with this team here, and selecting the ready-to-go Murray-Boyles only solidifies their thinking in a weak Eastern Conference.

Suns Move Up to Finalize Their Frontcourt Pair by Selecting Khaman Malauch

Just days after trading Kevin Durant to the Rockets for a package revolving around Jalen Green, the Suns used the 10th overall pick they also received in the deal to select Duke prospect Khaman Malauch. Malauch just started playing basketball less than six years ago and has shown flashes of being one of the top rim runners in a league where they're desperately needed. The Blue Devils started him in a stacked lineup as a tantalizing frontcourt mate with Flagg, where he was an ever-present bailout option under the basket if needed and was a forceful shot blocker on the other end. The Suns also traded for former Charlotte center Mark Williams on draft night, creating one of the most ferocious defensive frontcourts in the Western Conference. Phoenix now pairs the backcourt duo of Devin Booker and Jalen Green with two credible lob threats that should, at the very least, provide for some notable highlights next season.

The Grizzlies Take on a Project in Cedric Coward that Provides High Upside if Done Correctly

Washington State forward Cedric Coward pushed his way through the college ranks for years as he began at Division III Willamette College, served two seasons at East Washington, and had his senior season cut short at Washington State after just six games after a strong start to the year. The first true senior drafted this year, Coward has an NBA build that, if used correctly, can be a dominant force when paired next to shooters and other defensive studs that the Grizzlies possess, like Jaylen Wells. He's been a credible three-point shooter in his own right, nearing the 40% marker in all four seasons as a college athlete and right at the mark before his injury cut short his senior season. From Division III to the NBA is a mighty jump and proves the determination and force Coward needs to develop into a solid NBA piece.

Chicago Receives a Quickly Developing Prospect that can One Day be a Core Piece with Noa Essengue

Essengue was certainly one of my least researched prospects entering draft night, but the name was widely floated around circles as a potential lottery selection, and Chicago was the one who pulled the trigger. The 18-year-old has played professionally overseas for the previous two years and saw a massive leap in production last year as he was a lob threat around the rim with a high finish rate. The 6'10 forward seems to have impeccable timing of knowing where he needs to be to give his team the highest chance of finishing around the basket, and this also translates on the defensive side of the ball. He finished last season at under a block per game, but his presence drove away proven professional EuroCup players from the basket and was a major reason for his club's meddling success last season. Don't expect the big man to start early on, but fully expect his minutes with both Bulls' guards Josh Giddey and Coby White to be fun basketball, especially around the rim.

Derik Queen Brings a Proven Track Record to New Orleans to Pair with a Potentially Dangerous Duo with Zion Williamson

While comparisons can be made between Queen and Zion's shape and body structure, the players are hardly the same style-wise and provide a nice contrast for a frontcourt. Queen had a very convincing lone season at Maryland as he led the Terrapins to a Sweet 16 appearance, which included a game-winning turnaround jumper against Colorado State in the round of 32. The big man has an unbelievable touch around the rim for somebody of his playstyle and is a proven ball-handler even under pressure, as his post game is something rarely seen for prospects as of late. While his touch beyond the three-point line has yet to prove dominant, an NBA offense and role should allow for that inside touch to shine more from deep as he develops. Even if Zion succumbs to injury throughout the season, which he's prone to do, Queen should make a solid pairing with up-and-coming Trey Murphy III for years to come.

Carter Bryant Finds the Perfect Home for His Game in San Antonio

One of the Combine darlings from this draft season, Bryant finds himself in perhaps the best position possible to develop his highly untapped game with the Spurs. The forward spent his lone season in Arizona as a bench player who was more relied on to be a strong and athletic force for scoring off the bench than what you usually see for touted prospects. His swingman game pairs well with his body, which is far stronger than what his height and weight would suggest, and seems to be able to develop in an NBA-type size with ease. I'd expect Bryant to spend a good majority of his time in the G-League for this upcoming season, but should, in theory, be a solid role option for San Antonio in a not-so-depth-heavy forward spot for them this upcoming year. This was a pick the Spurs made on potential, a heavy gamble in their self-confidence of developing prospects into their full potential, a track record which they've shown highlights from in the past.

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