2025 NBA Mock Draft, Version 2.0 -- Chicago Bulls Go Big
Chicago fans are wishing, hoping, and praying the Bulls get whacked from the Play-In Tourney, sashay into the NBA lottery, and grab their center of the future.
EARLY TOMORROW MORNING — just a few breaths after Houston takes home the March Madness crown by squeaking by Florida, 79-76 (yeah, I said it) — you’re going to see a zillion or so online articles titled something along the lines of, “The First 2025 NBA Mock Draft After the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.”
They should all get plenty of clicks, and while I’m all for clicks, I’m also all for doing things a scootch differently. To that end, dear readers, here’s, “The Last 2025 NBA Mock Draft Before the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship.” Except with a better headline.
(Lottery simulation courtesy of Tankathon.)
1) UTAH JAZZ
Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
Fait accompli, and the Jazz couldn’t be happier, putting together a Cooper Flagg/Lauri Markkanen/Walker Kessler one-two-three punch. Get head coach Will Hardy a backcourt, and Utah could start annoying the bottom half of the West’s elite sooner than later.
2) WASHINGTON WIZARDS
Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Much to the joy of Wizards Nation (is there a Wizards Nation?), the best player available happens to fill a need. This Swiss Army knife from Jersey will wreak havoc from both guard positions, and Washington is in serious need of havoc-wreakers.
3) CHARLOTTE HORNETS
VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
As is the case in Washington, the Hornets need a high-level difference-maker in the backcourt — right now, it’s LaMelo Ball and a cast of thousands — and the smooth 6’5” Bahamian should make a difference from day one.
4) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
Ace Bailey, SG/SF, Rutgers
After Flagg, it’s a virtual lock that Harper, Edgecombe, and Bailey and will be the next three players off the board, most likely in the above order. Being that the Pellies need a wing dude, they’ll be perfectly content with Bailey.
5) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
Derik Queen, PF/C, Maryland
With a truly beastial performance at the NCAA Tourney, Queen’s stock took arguably the biggest March bump. Being that Joel Embiid’s future is in question, it’s doubtful the yoked 6’10” middleman gets past the five spot.
6) BROOKLYN NETS
Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
With the first of their four, count ‘em, four first-rounders, the talent-deficient Nets grab a multi-tooled floor general who flaunts some distinct Jamal Murray vibes.
7) TORONTO RAPTORS
Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
The Raptors will finish the season with the NBA’s seventh-worst three-point percentage and are in desperate need of a shot-maker. Johnson might be the best two-guard gunner of this draft class.
8) SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas
Chris Paul wants to play at least one more season, but he is 5,327-years-old, and will eventually need a successor. At this point in the Draft, the point guard situation ain’t great, but Fland has a bit of Dejounte Murray to his game, so his arrival could help Spurs fans forget the meh Murray trade.
9) PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
Jase Richardson, SG, Michigan State
The Blazers boast an oddly-constructed roster (not as odd as Chicago’s, but that’s for another column), and they have a hole at the three-spot, so Kon Knueppel might be the move. But Richardson’s athleticism is hard to pass up, plus the Portland front office might not be willing to pay Scoot Henderson — who has a team option next season — and Richardson could make for a nifty replacement.
10) HOUSTON ROCKETS (via PHO)
Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke
Houston could use a power forward — Dillon Brooks isn’t the long-term answer — but it might be too early to grab Collin Murray-Broyles, and there could be too much overlap between Asa Newell and both Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr., so here we are.
11) MIAMI HEAT
Asa Newell, PF/C, Georgia
With their oddly-constructed roster, Pat Riley can and should go best-player-available, so they grab a flexible frontcourt-er who has the potential to evolve into a double-double machine.
12) CHICAGO BULLS
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
The Bulls signal the end of the Nikola Vucevic Era by snatching up a defensive prodigy who will help elevate Chicago’s 28th-ranked defense. And my goodness, the Sudanese brute would look awfully good next to Matas Buzelis, wouldn’t he? (Side note: This is exactly the kind of no-brainer pick that Artūras Karnišovas can and probably will screw up.)
13) DALLAS MAVERICKS
Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
The mercurial Illini backcourt maven is one of the Draft’s most polarizing prospects. If he went here at 13, that’s fair. If he goes at six, that’s fair. And if he goes at 20, that’s also fair. But the Mavs royally screwed up their guard situation by exiling Luka Doncic, so the likely-soon-to-be-axed GM Nico Harrison tries to redeem himself with a big backcourt swing.
14) ATLANTA HAWKS (via SAC)
Egor Denim, SG/SF, Brigham Young
As is the case with Jakucionis, the takes on Denim are all over the map, but if he pans out, he’d look awfully sweet next to Zaccharie Risacher, wouldn’t he?
15) SAN ANTONIO SPURS (via ATL)
Collin Murray-Boyles, PF, South Carolina
With averages of 16.8 points, 8.3 boards, and 2.8 stocks, CMB is exactly the kind of paint parter Victor Wembanyama would embrace.
16) ORLANDO MAGIC
Ben Saraf, G, Ratiopharm Ulm
The Cole Anthony/Antony Black combo platter couldn’t get the Magic beyond the Play-In, tangible proof that backcourt is a huge need. Come Draft Night, Saraf will be just 19, but his size and skill-set are such that Orlando can afford to be patient.
17) MINNESOTA TIMEBERWOLVES (via DET)
Noa Essengue, PF, Ratiopharm Ulm
As of this writing, the 2024-25 Wolves have 46 wins to their name, not bad, but not enough to be a real player in the stacked West. Julius Randle will be 31-years-old when his contract is up after next season — which doesn’t fit Minny’s timeline or salary cap needs — so Chris Finch’s crew needs to start grooming a replacement.
18) BROOKLYN NETS (via MIL)
Liam McNeely, F, Connecticut
Almost every draft, one highly-touted player falls out of the lottery and, thanks to landing in the right situation, becomes a stud. (See: Mitchell, Donovan.) Here in 2025, do-it-all Husky forward might just be that guy.
19) MIAMI HEAT (via GSW)
Carter Bryant, SF, Arizona
If Miami had just one pick in this draft, it’s doubtful they’d take a flyer on a relatively unproven teenager. But a flyer they shall take.
20) WASHINGTON WIZARDS (via MEM)
Nique Clifford, F, Colorado State
After grabbing Ace Bailey, the Wiz, logically enough, go frontcourt, nabbing an athletic box-score-stuffer who should contribute off the bench immediately.
21) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (via LAC)
Nolan Traore, PG, Saint Quentin
The Thunder is stacked, but, believe it or not, they could use a pure point to backup MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The Frenchman has some growing to do, but OKC can well afford to be wait.
22) UTAH JAZZ (via MIN)
Will Riley, SF, Illinois
If you can walk away from a draft with both the class’s best player and his potential backup, you’ve had yourself a hellvuan evening.
23) ORLANDO MAGIC (via DEN)
Walter Clayton Jr. G, Florida
My lord, talk about a dude who helped himself during March Madness. Clayton burnt up nets throughout the tourney, averaging 24.6 points, and capping off his run with back-to-back 30-plus-point performances. If he lights it up during the championship game, he could climb big boards throughout the country.
24) INDIANA PACERS
Danny Wolf, PF, Michigan
Indy could use a two-guard, but the first-round-worthy options are all off the board, so GM Chad Buchanan goes with a seven-footer who will develop the ability to annoy opponents from both frontcourt positions.
25) ATLANTA HAWKS (via LAL)
Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
Is Onyeka Okongwu the kind of center who can get you past the Play-In Tournament? Probably not, so the ATL snatches up a 6’10”, 255-pounder who could grow into a better version of, you guessed it, Onyeka Okongwu.
26) BROOKLYN NETS (via NYK)
Noah Penda, F, Le Mans
The Parisian is raw, but so are the Nets. Patience, me pretties, patience.
27) BROOKLYN NETS (via HOU)
Yaxel Lendeborg PF, Alabama-Birmingham
He’s older than you might want (22), he’s smaller than you’d hope (6’9”, 240), and his level of competition wasn’t awesome (AAC), but Lendeborg has a nose for boards, and the Nets — who average the second-fewest rebounds in the league — need a boarder.
28) BOSTON CELTICS
JT Toppin, PF, Texas Tech
Like Chris Paul, Al Horford is 5,327-years-old, and Kristaps Porzingis is a walking injury, so the C’s need some oomph in the paint. Toppin is a couple years away from being that guy, but who knows, Horford might shut it down in 2028. Maybe.
29) PHOENIX SUNS (via CLE)
Rasheer Fleming, PF, St. Joseph’s
One way or the other, Kevin Durant won’t be on the Suns’ roster at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, so GM James Jones almost has no choice but to grab a big. Fleming is the best of the rest.
30) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS (via OKC)
Hugo Gonzalez, SF, Real Madrid
Another polarizing prospect, Gonzalez could go just after the lottery or…here. His offensive numbers with Real Madrid weren’t at all impressive, but the 19-year-old is a solid defender who could elevate himself from third-man-off-the-bench to starter within two or three seasons.