The 2025 NBA Draft will take place tonight at the Barclays Center.

Over the next two days, the lives of 59 young men will change forever as they realize their NBA dreams.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at picks one through 30 and determine which prospects will be going where.

First Round

#1 Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg, Forward, Duke

Flagg was always going to be the number one pick, regardless of who won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. He’s an 18-year-old power forward who has the handles of a point guard. Flagg has superstar potential.

#2 San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper, Guard, Rutgers

Harper is a 6’6″ guard who appeared to be the best player on a Rutgers squad that had two of the top prospects in the country. He can be the Spurs’ starting shooting guard and also play point guard when De’Aaron Fox is resting.

#3 Philadelphia 76ers – VJ Edgecombe, Guard, Baylor

With Ace Bailey refusing to meet with the 76ers, Philly instead drafts a player who wants to be there: VJ Edgecombe. He will be a reliable complement to Tyrese Maxey and will have plenty of options to find success with Paul George and Joel Embiid occupying most teams’ attention.

#4 Charlotte Hornets – Kon Knueppel, Guard, Duke

The Hornets need to improve their perimeter defense, which happens to be one of Knueppel’s specialties. He also shot 40.6% from three, which will help the Hornets, who finished 28th in three-point percentage last season.

#5 Utah Jazz – Jeremiah Fears, Guard, Oklahoma

Even though they need to add star power, and Ace Bailey would fill that hole, Utah was another team he refused to meet with. Therefore, the Jazz take Fears, a soon-to-be 19-year-old who shows promise as a playmaker and scorer.

#6 Washington Wizards – Ace Bailey, Forward, Rutgers

Finally, Ace Bailey is taken off the board. He’s arguably the best scorer in this draft class and has excellent size as a hybrid guard/forward. With Khris Middleton turning 34 soon, he can eventually become the starting small forward, allowing the Wizards to move on from Middleton’s lofty contract whenever they want.

#7 New Orleans Pelicans – Noa Essengue, Forward, France

With the addition of Jordan Poole, the Pels can focus on improving their frontcourt. Though they could go after a center here, I think they will take Essengue. He’s a project player who can serve as a backup to Zion Williamson while taking some of the center burden off of Yves Missi. If Williamson deals with injuries as he so often does, then Essengue can step in and fill his shoes.

#8 Brooklyn Nets – Tre Johnson, Guard, Texas

Johnson is a 6’6″ shooting guard who was 21st in the country in points per game last season (19.9). The Nets need scoring help (29th) and three-point help (25th) next season. Not only can he fill those roles, but he could be the eventual replacement for shooting guard Cam Thomas, who will be a restricted free agent at the end of next season.

#9 Toronto Raptors – Khaman Maluach, Center, Duke

Toronto needs to find another big to back up and maybe even overtake Jakob Poeltl, especially in a division with Karl-Anthony Towns and Joel Embiid. At 7’2″ and 250 lbs., Maluach has the potential to become a star in this league, considering he doesn’t turn 19 until September. If he can develop into a good center, then the Raptors go from a poor Eastern Conference team to a playoff contender.

#10 Phoenix Suns – Carter Bryant, Forward, Arizona

With the departure of Kevin Durant and the addition of Jalen Green, Phoenix needs to add a wing defender who could maybe become a reliable fourth- or fifth-scoring option. Though Bryant saw limited minutes in college, he proved himself as a defender with a high upside. Phoenix is a good situation for the 19-year-old because he will be able to develop without being expected to be an impactful starter right away.

#11 Portland Trail Blazers – Kasparas Jakučionis, Guard, Illinois

After it came out that Jrue Holiday was “pissed” he was traded to Portland, I have a feeling that the Trail Blazers will be looking to add another point guard in case Holiday ends up demanding a trade. Jakučionis is a great pick-and-roll player who can make plays without having to be a team’s primary scoring option. A rotation of Shaedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Jakučionis would solidify Portland’s backcourt for years to come.

#12 Chicago Bulls – Derik Queen, Center, Maryland

The Bulls need to find a successor to Nikola Vučević, who turns 35 this October. They have one of their frontcourt spots occupied by Matas Buzelis, who was drafted in the first round last year. But after him and Vučević, there aren’t many reliable big men in the Windy City. With Derik Queen in Chicago, the Bulls have a chance to add another key rotational player to their frontcourt. He’ll probably be the starter when Vučević calls it a career.

#13 Atlanta Hawks – Collin Murray-Boyles, Forward, South Carolina

They may have just added Kristaps Porzingis, but he isn’t going to play forever, so the Hawks need to have a plan in place in case Porzingis retires in the next few years. Not only can Murray-Boyles play center, but he also has shown strong defensive abilities, which have often been a problem for the Hawks, who finished 27th in points allowed per game. Murray-Boyles can improve this squad’s defensive scoring and defensive rebounding (23rd in the NBA).

#14 San Antonio Spurs – Joan Beringer, Center, France

The Spurs need to add center depth and love French players, so this is a match made in heaven. Victor Wembanyama is obviously the future of the Spurs’ franchise, but they still need to find a reliable backup because Bismack Biyombo isn’t going to cut it. Beringer can provide valuable minutes in relief of Wemby and power forward Harrison Barnes, who turned 33 last month.

#15 Oklahoma City Thunder – Thomas Sorber, Center, Georgetown

The 2025 NBA Champions do not have any glaring needs, so they could part ways with this pick. If they decide to hold onto it, though, then they might be looking to add some more depth to their frontcourt. They’re set at power forward with Chet Holmgren, but Isaiah Hartenstein could leave in free agency after his contract expires in two years. Should that happen, Sorber will be waiting in the wings to take his place.

#16 Memphis Grizzlies – Jase Richardson, Guard, Michigan State

After trading away Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies need to add another three-point shooter, whether it’s at the guard spot or the forward spot. Jase Richardson was a 41.2% three-point shooter last season, so he can fill that need and split time with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Plus, he’s the son of Jason Richardson, a 14-year NBA veteran, so he knows what it takes to have a long and successful career in this league.

#17 Minnesota Timberwolves – Asa Newell, Forward, Georgia

The Timberwolves need to add more depth to their frontcourt since Naz Reid and Julius Randle could opt to test out free agency this off-season. Newell may be undersized for a center, but he would be a great fit at the power forward spot. Newell won’t have to be a defensive force playing alongside Rudy Gobert, so there is a chance that he could develop into a decent starter or good backup.

#18 Washington Wizards – Egor Demin, Guard, BYU

The freefall of a potential top-ten selection ends when the Washington Wizards snatch up Egor Demin with the 18th pick. C.J. McCollum, Marcus Smart, and Malcolm Brogdon have an average age of 32, meaning those guys won’t be playing much longer. Considering Demin has been labeled as one of the best passers in this draft, his presence could aid the development of last year’s number-two pick, Alex Sarr.

#19 Brooklyn Nets – Cedric Coward, Forward, Washington State

This is a high-risk, high-reward pick that could pay big dividends. Coward may be 21 years old, but he has improved his scoring output every year he was a starter in college. With a 7’2″ wingspan on a 6’6″ frame, there is a lot to be excited about with a guy who averaged 17.7 points and seven rebounds this past season, even if it was only for six games.

#20 Miami Heat – Liam McNeely, Guard, UConn

Shooting guard Davion Mitchell has been a disappointment, and Duncan Robinson is scheduled to be a free agent next off-season. The Heat need to act now to find their next shooting guard. McNeely can be that guy. Hell, he could even play small forward with a 6’7″ frame, which could be helpful since Andrew Wiggins’ contract is set to expire in two years.

#21 Utah Jazz – Hugo Gonzalez, Guard, Spain

The Jazz need to continue to add wing players because their depth drops off severely after Lauri Markkanen, Collin Sexton, and Jordan Clarkson. Gonzalez is very raw, but he’s 19 years old and has played basketball professionally in Spain since 2022. With the expectation for him to come off the bench, there’s a chance Gonzalez could evolve into a starter based on the flashes he has shown.

#22 Brooklyn Nets – Nolan Traoré, Guard, France

Already making their third selection in the draft, the Nets take a swing on a guy who was projected to be a top-ten pick before the season started. He is fast and possesses a ton of talent, so this is a low-risk, high-reward pick for a team that already has a short-term answer at point guard in D’Angelo Russell. Even if he doesn’t pan out, Traoré can provide points coming off the bench as a team’s third or fourth guard.

#23 New Orleans Pelicans – Walter Clayton Jr., Guard, Florida

Walter Clayton Jr. was the best player on a National Championship team, so he clearly knows how to win. As one of the most effective scorers in the country last season, he could provide valuable minutes off the bench in relief of Jordan Poole and Dejounte Murray. His defense leaves something to be desired, but his offensive abilities make him a promising backup at the very least.

#24 Oklahoma City Thunder – Will Riley, Forward, Illinois

A smart pick for the defending champs, who add another wing player to the mix with excellent offensive potential. His age (19) and size (6’8″) are incredibly promising, but it would be ideal if he put on some weight since he’s less than 190 lbs. The Thunder can bring him along slowly and allow him to reach his full potential as a swingman.

#25 Orlando Magic – Drake Powell, Guard, UNC

Even after the addition of Desmond Bane, the Magic still need to find ways to improve their three-point shooting. Powell fits the mold as an effective three-and-d prospect who was able to make almost 38% of his three-point attempts this past season. He can either be Orlando’s second shooting guard or its third point guard.

#26 Brooklyn Nets – Nique Clifford, Guard, Colorado State

The Nets have taken a few swings on some high-upside guys, so with this pick, they go with a proven commodity with Nique Clifford. He’s a 23-year-old guard who has improved his scoring, rebounding, and assist numbers each of the last three seasons. At the worst, he will become a rotational guard for the Nets.

#27 Brooklyn Nets – Rasheer Fleming, Forward, St. Joseph’s

I highly doubt that the Nets will use all five of their first-round picks. I believe they will make a trade in this draft, but that’s not what this type of article is. Assuming they hold on to their last first-round pick, they use it on Rasheer Fleming. He flashes a lot of potential and has a ridiculous 7’5″ wingspan, which might be too promising to pass up.

#28 Boston Celtics – Danny Wolf, Forward, Michigan

Porzingis is gone, and Al Horford’s future with the team is up in the air. The Celtics need to add a big man to their frontcourt, and Wolf can be that guy. He’s 6’11” and weighs 252 lbs., so he’s not going to be bullied down low. He’s an impressive offensive playmaker with great handles. Wolf could come in and immediately provide valuable minutes for Boston off the bench.

#29 Phoenix Suns – Maxime Raynaud, Center, Stanford

Phoenix has had issues at the center position ever since Deandre Ayton left. Maxime Raynaud averaged a double-double in college after playing professionally in France alongside Victor Wembanyama. Raynaud could be the long-term solution the Suns have been looking for at center, especially with a 7’1″, 250 lbs. frame.

#30 Los Angeles Clippers – Noah Penda, Forward, France

The Clippers need a player who can provide valuable minutes right away. Penda was able to do that for two different professional teams in France’s LNB Élite, where he was named the league’s best young player this season. At just 20 years old, Penda is an ideal fit for the Clips and the final pick of the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.