With the Final Four set to begin this weekend, it’s time for another mock! Some of the top prospects are still playing, including Duke's Cooper Flagg, Florida’s Walter Clayton, and Auburn’s Tahaad Pettiford. Most others have seen their seasons end, though there’s a host of international prospects who are still in the middle of their seasons overseas.
Below is the first round for my mock. You can find this mock, plus a full second round and scouting reports for every single prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft Guide, which you can explore here.
Let’s get to the first round:
1. Utah Jazz: Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
All that tanking and a $100,000 fine would be more than worth it if Utah lands the first pick to select Flagg. The Duke freshman is a do-it-all forward who hustles like a madman, makes his teammates better as a passer, and has dialed in a knockdown jumper. While leading Duke to the Sweet 16, he’s showing why he’s both the best offensive and defensive prospect in this draft class.
In Utah, he’d slot in perfectly alongside Lauri Markkanen, forming a versatile frontcourt duo that can stretch defenses and lock down opponents. His playmaking also complements Isaiah Collier and Keyonte George. But what Utah really needs is a cornerstone to uplift all of its existing talent, and it’s Flagg’s growth as a shot creator that will decide if he reaches his All-Star floor or soars to his Hall of Fame ceiling.
2. Washington Wizards: Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Harper is a big-bodied lefty combo guard with the skill, poise, and playmaking instincts to dictate the game at his pace, which makes him quite a great consolation prize for the point guard-needy Wizards if they land the second pick. Harper also has NBA blood in his veins, as the son of Ron Harper, who was a 20/5/5 guy before winning five titles as a role player. Like his father, Dylan Harper has a high floor. But the fate of his jumper will determine whether he’s an All-Star or just one of the league’s many solid guards.
3. Charlotte Hornets: Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
Bailey is a ridiculous shot-making machine, capable of splashing contested jumpers from ...
