{"id":15351,"date":"2025-06-26T04:28:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-26T04:28:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/15351\/"},"modified":"2025-06-26T04:28:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-26T04:28:10","slug":"analysis-fits-for-every-nba-draft-pick-from-john-hollinger-and-sam-vecenie","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/15351\/","title":{"rendered":"Analysis, fits for every NBA Draft pick from John Hollinger and Sam Vecenie"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025 NBA Draft is underway<\/a> \u2014 taking place over two days \u2014 and The Athletic\u2019s draft experts Sam Vecenie and John Hollinger are analyzing each pick as it happens.<\/p>\n

1. Dallas Mavericks<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cooper Flagg | 6-foot-8 wing | 18 years old | Duke<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 1<\/p>\n

Flagg is about as complete a prospect as I\u2019ve evaluated in the years I\u2019ve been doing this. I have him as the second-best prospect during my time as an evaluator since 2015, behind only Victor Wembanyama. While I think Williamson\u2019s theoretical ceiling was higher than Flagg\u2019s, Flagg\u2019s overall game on both ends of the court and his blend of skill level and craft will likely translate better to high-leverage situations. Two other factors make me pick Flagg over Williamson. First, with Flagg, there is no roster-building limitation. Because he\u2019s so complete and such an elite competitor in terms of mentality, he\u2019s an amplifier of those around him. With Williamson, you always needed to build a specific type of roster around him, likely needing to find the all-important floor-spacing center, a difficult archetype to acquire. Second, Williamson had injury concerns going back to high school. Flagg has not. The level of safety you get with Flagg drastically exceeds that of Williamson, even on draft day in 2019.<\/p>\n

I see Flagg as a future All-NBA player with his upside being that he could become a top-five player in the league. His overall impact on the game on both ends of the floor is remarkable. He\u2019s the exact kind of player you want to build your organization around in terms of temperament and mentality if you want to try to win championships. He\u2019s an immediate organizational centerpiece.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>A sigh of relief from Dallas fans, as Nico Harrison didn\u2019t trade down or select somebody else. In all seriousness, this is an absolute no-brainer of a pick. Flagg\u2019s mid-case scenario is that he\u2019s an All-Star by the end of his rookie contract, and he has MVP upside. The bigger question for the Mavs is whether they should nuke the rest of their veteran team and rebuild around Flagg.<\/p>\n

2. San Antonio Spurs<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dylan Harper | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Rutgers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 2<\/p>\n

Harper is a terrific bet as a high-level NBA guard. He ticks nearly every box that you look for in that respect. He created rim pressure at an elite level this year at Rutgers, despite playing in an archaic offense that lacked spacing. He drew fouls regularly and showcased enough vision as a passer that you can buy into him as a primary playmaker. Defensively, he\u2019s willing and competitive. He has great size, and you can see him playing up on that end in the biggest moments. Harper\u2019s only cause for concern is that he needs to keep working through his pull-up game, given how important that piece of the puzzle is for lead NBA guards.<\/p>\n

Harper just barely misses being a Tier One player for me and is near the top end of Tier Two. He projects as a potential All-Star with an All-NBA ceiling if things break right developmentally. But even if his next few years of development don\u2019t quite hit that level, the floor here is quite high given his creativity with the ball, ability to shoot off of the catch and size on defense.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Harper\u2019s selection presents a crowd in the backcourt with last year\u2019s Rookie of the Year, Stephon Castle, and the recently acquired former All-Star De\u2019Aaron Fox. That may eventually force the Spurs to consider a trade, but the draft is first and foremost a talent grab and Harper is clearly the best talent left on the board.<\/p>\n

3. Philadelphia 76ers<\/strong><\/p>\n

VJ Edgecombe | 6-4 guard | 19 years old | Baylor<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 4<\/p>\n

Edgecombe is one of the safest prospects in the draft. He\u2019s an elite athlete functionally on the court, and his defense is genuinely tremendous. He is disruptive all over the court on the defensive end and makes opposing players\u2019 lives miserable. On offense, Edgecombe is a shooter off the catch who started to show an ability to knock down shots from 3 off movement. He also knows how to cut and play off the ball well, as we\u2019ve seen in a variety of situations. His mentality to do whatever helps the team most also projects well into his being a positive-value player who helps winning basketball teams throughout his career.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Edgecombe\u2019s upside will be tied to whatever level you think he can reach on the ball. Do you buy into his work ethic enough to think he will become a player who can create advantages at the NBA level with his athleticism? Right now, there is a bit of a skill deficit when it comes to handling the ball and shooting pull-ups. He\u2019s also not that nuanced in ball screens. I\u2019ve been using the comparison of Gary Harris if you attached a jet pack to him throughout the season for Edgecombe. That player is probably a top-40 player in the NBA at his ceiling, given that Harris, without this level of athleticism, had a three-year stretch in Denver in which he averaged 15 points, three rebounds and three assists on 47\/39\/80 shooting splits while getting All-Defense votes in two of those three years. I might be a touch lower than the consensus on Edgecombe\u2019s ceiling. Still, a top-40 player projection that I feel is relatively safe makes Edgecombe a top-five player in this class.<\/p>\n

Not a shock to me that Philadelphia kept the pick even after shopping it all over; that\u2019 s just the way this front office operates, they want to find out the value of what they have first. Edgecombe was the No. 3 player on my board and addresses Philly\u2019s glaring lack of athleticism up and down the roster.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Not a shock to me that Philadelphia kept the pick even after shopping it all over. That\u2019s just the way this front office operates; they want to find out the value of what they have first. Edgecombe was the No. 3 player on my board and addresses Philly\u2019s glaring lack of athleticism up and down the roster.<\/p>\n

4. Charlotte Hornets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kon Knueppel | 6-5 wing | 19 years old | Duke<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 3<\/p>\n

Knueppel gets unfairly characterized as just a shooter. The versatility of his game makes him such an attractive prospect. It\u2019s hard to find players in the NBA who can dribble, pass, shoot, make decisions and defend on top of having solid positional size. Knueppel proved he could do all those things this season, and that\u2019s why I believe he can become the kind of player who helps a team win. He\u2019ll likely be an elite shooter who can get to his shot from a variety of situations. That\u2019s the skill he\u2019ll be able to build his career on early. As defenders close out on him, he should be able to add to his game and build off that threat. We know he can make decisions and pass, and we know he\u2019s comfortable putting the ball on the deck. Realistically, the only thing I\u2019m worried about with Knueppel is the defensive end, where the slow feet might hinder him at the highest levels, but it likely won\u2019t hurt him much in the regular season.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s possible I end up looking silly, and Knueppel becomes nothing more than a solid rotation player. However, my read is that he\u2019ll become the kind of starting-caliber wing who helps you win a lot. In the modern NBA, especially if teams are going to keep allowing the physicality to escalate, this is the kind of player I want on my team in the biggest moments because he is purely additive to those around him.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong> There were rumors that this pick was in play for a move down by Charlotte, but ultimately the Hornets likely didn\u2019t feel great about their ability to trade back and still get their guy. Knueppel is a great fit with the Hornets, a wing who can score and address their lack of shooting. Also, score another for my draft board, as I had Knueppel as my No. 4 prospect and the top option left on the board.<\/p>\n

5. Utah Jazz <\/strong><\/p>\n

Ace Bailey | 6-8 wing | 18 years old | Rutgers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 6<\/p>\n

The ceiling for Bailey is the second-best player in this class if he improves his areas of need. Particularly, he needs to improve his flexibility and ability to play with bend while also getting stronger. That would allow him to access more power and use his gifts across the court in a more functional manner. Once he does that, Bailey would be able to start working on improving his gathers and ball pickups around the rim on his drives to improve his finishing, which would also hopefully get defenders more off-balance and give him more options. That would improve his shooting percentages, which again, even on pull-ups this year, were markedly low. Then, on defense, it would allow him to play the leverage game better. Hopefully, better engagement on that end would follow, too, but he showed enough upside on that end to become a player. If all of this happens, there\u2019s serious All-Star upside. Anyone who says that doesn\u2019t exist is flat-out wrong. There is a chance Bailey could morph into a playmaker and star-level difference-maker on the wing.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, though, it all feels like a bit of a house of cards. He needs to improve the bend and flexibility, which would then improve certain parts of his game. Then, he\u2019d need to also keep improving the shooting percentage, and oh, by the way, he\u2019d also need to keep improving his ability to make decisions off his drives as a passer, and then on top of that he needs to get locked in more consistently and showcase better engagement on defense regularly. There are just a lot of moving parts that make me somewhat uncomfortable with drafting a player like this in the top five. There are so many areas that need improvement. The good news is there\u2019s a floor. Already, Bailey is a shooter off the catch and a player with size, length and athleticism who has shown moments on defense at 18 years old. That should allow him to stick in the NBA for a long while, even if the upside case doesn\u2019t totally come together.<\/p>\n

Bailey is a project. He\u2019s one worth investing in, but it\u2019s going to take time as he continues to mature. Hopefully, he lands in a situation that gives him that chance.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Our first surprise! Nobody was sure what the Jazz would do with the fifth pick under new management with Austin Ainge in charge, but they grab Ace Bailey just ahead of the two teams (Washington and New Orleans) that were rumored to be most interested in him. I wasn\u2019t that excited about Bailey, but I\u2019m more pessimistic than most; the other interesting part will be how he fits in a Jazz frontcourt that already has Lauri Markkanen, John Collins and Walker Kessler.<\/p>\n

6. Washington Wizards<\/strong><\/p>\n

Tre Johnson | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Texas<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking: <\/strong>5<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a believer in Johnson\u2019s game and demeanor. I respect the way he goes about his craft and think he\u2019s going to keep getting better as he ages. Ultimately, two things will be key to his reaching his upside. First, he\u2019s going to have to get stronger. He needs to be able to displace players on his drives a bit more effectively. He\u2019s not afraid of contact. The good news there is he\u2019s only 19 and a worker. He will get stronger. The second point will simply be fit. It would behoove him to land in a situation that allows him to streamline his offensive game early into being more of a high-level floor spacer and movement shooter who attacks off closeouts as opposed to being tasked with creating a significant amount of his team\u2019s offense. Hopefully, that would allow him to get minutes on the court early, then continue to flow into the rest of his game off the bounce, where he can use the threat of his shot to expand his game as he gets older and stronger.<\/p>\n

The median\/downside outcome of Johnson reminds me of a bigger version of Malik Beasley, and I don\u2019t mean that as a negative. Beasley has averaged about 14 points per game while shooting 39 percent from 3 on seriously high volume over the last five years and is going to earn nearly nine figures by the time it\u2019s done. It\u2019s just hard for shooters like Johnson to fail much more than that in today\u2019s NBA. If Johnson can be a better, bigger version of that, who doesn\u2019t need to be hidden defensively as often and can make better decisions consistently, he\u2019s a definite NBA starter. These are all achievable outcomes, too. But there are some outcomes where he develops into a 25-point-per-game guy and potentially reaches the All-Star game.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>One rumor making the rounds is that the Ace Bailey non-workout controversy was all part of a plan to ensure he landed in Washington. Welp. I wasn\u2019t as high on Johnson as others, but the Wizards need help across the board and he was the best player available on several public draft boards. Washington now has a surfeit of shooting guards with C.J. McCollum, Marcus Smart and Bub Carrington, but trades will likely have that worked out that by midseason.<\/p>\n

7. New Orleans Pelicans<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jeremiah Fears | 6-3 guard | 18 years old | Oklahoma<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking: <\/strong>18<\/p>\n

I\u2019m going to be lower on Fears than probably anybody in the public sphere, although his stock is much more split among NBA decision-makers than the public would lead you to believe. That\u2019s because with small, on-ball-only players \u2014 and I believe that\u2019s what he is \u2014 you either buy into them as potential All-Star lead guards or you don\u2019t. If you don\u2019t, you probably see them as more likely to be bench scorers, which diminishes their value drastically. Think about how narrow that line is for Collin Sexton, who had a more impressive freshman season at Alabama than Fears did at Oklahoma. Sexton has developed into a lights-out shooter and works hard on defense. But because he\u2019s so small, he isn\u2019t quite good enough as a passer and struggles to defend. He has never been part of a winning team as a starting guard.<\/p>\n

With how I evaluate players and value the ability to dribble, pass, shoot and defend on top of having positional size, Fears ultimately doesn\u2019t clear the line because of his shooting struggles, finishing problems and significant defensive deficiencies. I don\u2019t deny that Fears will likely be a productive NBA player at some point. There\u2019s a solid chance he averages more than 17 points and five assists per game eventually. He\u2019s that crafty and skilled as a ballhandler. It\u2019s exceptionally difficult to stay in front of him.<\/p>\n

However, I think we\u2019re probably quite a long way from that occurring, given how young he is. More importantly, there is such a narrow path toward winning in the NBA with this type of player in a prominent role. His development essentially has to go perfectly from this point for him to be an All-Star; otherwise, he\u2019s probably coming off the bench on a good team. Maybe he will continue to work his way into being that player and I\u2019ll look stupid for having him here. It\u2019s entirely possible. Ultimately, though, he is the kind of player I\u2019m comfortable missing out on.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>I like Fears\u2019 upside, ranking him fifth on my board and the best player available, and think this is a worthwhile pick for a Pelicans franchise that needs talent in the backcourt and faces a question mark in Dejounte Murray\u2019s recovery from a torn Achilles. However, it does undoubtedly raise questions about the defense with a Fears-Jordan Poole combo in the backcourt and Zion Williamson up front.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

BYU\u2019s Egor Demin went to the Brooklyn Nets. (Robert Deutsch \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

8. Brooklyn Nets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Egor Demin | 6-8 guard | 19 years old | BYU<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking: <\/strong>26<\/p>\n

If you think Demin can turn the corner in the NBA with the increased driving lanes that he\u2019ll see, can improve his shot and can defend using his length more consistently, then you should have him as a top-10 player in the class. The tools here are outrageously interesting given his spectacular feel for the game as a passer and processor.<\/p>\n

I just wish that I could get there. Unfortunately, Demin has no track record of shooting, which makes me wonder how he\u2019s supposed to score at the next level if that doesn\u2019t develop. And if he can\u2019t score, he likely won\u2019t be able to consistently force the help rotations that would help him get the best out of his passing ability in half-court settings. Then on defense, I haven\u2019t seen enough to believe that he can bring physicality and hold his line against physical drivers.<\/p>\n

If the jumper comes along for Demin, there is a chance that he is extremely valuable. Being able to shoot off the bounce and get to his step-back would open up the world for him as a driver and scorer, and thus allow him to leverage his elite passing ability. There might not be a more important swing skill in this class than Demin\u2019s jumper. I\u2019m ultimately not enough of a buyer on his touch to believe that it\u2019s going to come at a difference-making level. There\u2019s every chance that Demin ends up making this ranking look quite bad if the jumper works out. But if I don\u2019t buy into that, then I have to rank him quite lowly here, as the floor is that he ends up back in Europe within three years.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:<\/strong> There had been persistent chatter about teams trading up into this region of the draft to select Duke big man Khaman Maluach, especially into Toronto\u2019s spot at No. 9, but the Nets zigged where others thought they might zag. I\u2019m a fan of Demin\u2019s long-term potential as a big, ballhandling wing who can pass \u2014 the thing every team is looking for! \u2014 but he has to develop as a scorer to weaponize the threat of his passing. On a rebuilding Nets team, he\u2019ll have plenty of time to develop. And Brooklyn still has four more firsts to come!<\/p>\n

9. Toronto Raptors<\/strong><\/p>\n

Collin Murray-Boyles | 6-7 | 20 years old | South Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 8<\/p>\n

Given Murray-Boyles\u2019 profile, it shouldn\u2019t come as a surprise that he is quite polarizing for NBA teams. Some see a dynamic, multi-positional defender whom they can work with as a shooter to get true difference-making outcomes. In those cases, teams tend to think they could even play Murray-Boyles minutes at the five because of how strong he is through his chest, allowing him to play more as a screen-and-short-roll player on offense to mitigate some of the spacing concerns of playing him away from the center position. Other teams see him as more of a guy who\u2019s caught between positions and could struggle to make an impact unless the jumper ends up coming through, since he\u2019s not a downhill, athletic force.<\/p>\n

I have Murray-Boyles ranked eighth, and I can assure you, if I were on the NBA team side, I would not have him here. In that case, I\u2019d have a specific situation I\u2019d be drafting him into and thus would know how likely it would be that my coaching staff could get the best out of him. If I were in that situation, there\u2019s a case I would have Murray-Boyles as high as No. 5 \u2014 if I had the right players and a creative coach with him. But if I were in a situation in which I felt like my coaching staff wouldn\u2019t know how to best use him because of the roster fit around him, I\u2019d probably have him outside the lottery. I have him slotted here as a nice middle ground between those two outcomes. More than anything, I am hopeful Murray-Boyles can continue working on his shot, and that he gets selected by a coach who is creative defensively and lets him loose in ways that allow him to thrive.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:<\/strong> This pick may surprise some people, but I had Murray-Boyles as the No. 6 prospect on my board. I think he\u2019s the best defender in the draft, and his offensive game is coming along enough to be projectible as a quality role player at worse. The lefty needs to lose some weight to move from a college center to a pro forward and has to develop his right hand and his 3-point shot, but both his feet and feel are elite.<\/p>\n

10. Phoenix Suns (from Houston)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Khaman Maluach | 7-1 big | 18 years old | Duke<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 11<\/p>\n

Maluach\u2019s size, length, lateral ability and work ethic are extremely enticing tools for NBA teams. If you look across the league, the NBA prefers to get bigs into their systems when they\u2019re quite young. It\u2019s rare to come across a starting NBA center who played more than two years in college or two years as a draft-eligible player overseas. That\u2019s because tools matter, and coaching staffs have gotten quite good at teaching bigs to use them. Given that Maluach is receptive to learning and coachable, there are teams that will buy into his game and believe they can work with what he has at his disposal.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, his upside is the question. For me, Maluach is more of a Mitchell Robinson- or Nic Claxton-style low-usage, high-efficiency big on offense as opposed to some of the more productive high-efficiency rollers such as Jarrett Allen or Ivica Zubac. His higher center of gravity worries me in terms of his ability to add functional basketball strength and roll with downhill force toward the rim. He\u2019ll be awesome on the offensive glass like most of those players. I\u2019m more skeptical than some of the jumper turning into something functional, but it would be a bonus. Still, these players almost always end up returning value if they can defend, and while Maluach has some things to fix there, I believe he will defend well. I see him as something in the ballpark of a league-average starting center. That\u2019s worth a later lottery pick, but I\u2019m also not quite as on board with some who see Maluach as a swing for the fences.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Houston made this pick, but the Rockets will be trading it to the Suns once the Kevin Durant trade executes on July 6. The frontcourt-starved Suns had been rumored as a Maluach destination for a while, but he\u2019s a developmental player going to a win-now system. I\u2019m a little worried about the fit if he isn\u2019t able to take rotation minutes immediately and might have gone for Georgetown\u2019s Thomas Sorber instead. That said, if Maluach can\u2019t beat out Nick Richards and Oso Ighodaro, he probably shouldn\u2019t be the 10th pick in the draft.<\/p>\n

11. Memphis Grizzlies (from Portland)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cedric Coward | 6-5 wing | 21 years old | Washington State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 9<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a believer in the hype for Coward. I had him as a top-35 player entering the season, and he looked well on his way to being a first-round pick before his shoulder injury. He has everything it takes to turn into a useful, starting-quality NBA player. He\u2019s extremely long and has a beautiful 3-point shot with a track record of success. He has defensive bona fides and shows a desire to be impactful on that end. He makes good decisions in the way he processes basketball and moves at a high level without the basketball. And he has an elite frame that he continues to grow into more and more every season. I\u2019m a bit worried some of the on-ball stuff won\u2019t ever come to fruition, and the lack of a track record against elite competition gives me enough pause not to go overboard in how I rank him. Still, there\u2019s every reason to believe he can be an impact NBA player, and the lottery ranking here certainly reflects that.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Zach Kleiman once again trades up to get his guy; this pick was made by Portland but is being sent to the Grizzlies, who weren\u2019t confident Coward would get to them at 16. The Grizzlies have been desperate for size and skill on the wing, something exacerbated by the recent trade of Desmond Bane, and hope that Coward can be a plug-and-play rotation player despite playing only six games for the Cougars last season. Memphis paid a heavy price to move up five spots, sending out a future first and two seconds.<\/p>\n

12. Chicago Bulls<\/strong><\/p>\n

Noa Essengue | 6-10 big | 18 years old | Ratiopharm Ulm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 16<\/p>\n

Essengue is a really tough prospect to evaluate. On one hand, he\u2019s productive in a professional league overseas and has some athletic traits that make him potentially valuable. On the other, the German league is not great (it\u2019s a level below the French and Adriatic Leagues) and he has some flaws that could cause him issues in the NBA. He struggles to shoot the ball and hasn\u2019t shown many moments as a high-level passer this season. His ballhandling needs to tighten up. Then on defense, he shows impressive flashes, but the possession-by-possession consistency isn\u2019t there and he often will get beat both on and off the ball. Essengue is a project, and the willingness to go down the road with him will vary team to team. Some will love his athletic traits and think they can develop everything else to turn him into the exact kind of big forward who can cover an immense amount of ground on both ends. Others will not be as interested because he is not as far along as his production suggests.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:<\/strong> Once again a solid forward prospect falls into Chicago\u2019s lap in the late lottery; last year it was Matas Buzelis, and this year it is Essengue. While there may be some mild concern about overlap among the two, Essengue was clearly the best player on the board. He\u2019ll need to fill out his body and improve his 3-point shot, but Chicago fans will note a resemblance to a recent Bulls forward in Essengue\u2019s DeRozan-esque ability to get himself to the free-throw line.<\/p>\n

13. New Orleans Pelicans (from Atlanta)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Derik Queen | 6-10 big | 20 years old | Maryland<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 12<\/p>\n

Queen is, unsurprisingly, a polarizing player for NBA teams. Some see the idea of a playmaking center in the Alperen \u015eeng\u00fcn mold, a productive player who will average 20 points and 10 rebounds for a long time. There\u2019s plenty of reason to buy into that. Simply put, Queen has been wildly productive at every stage of his career. He has innate feel for the game and a tremendous skill set on offense that should translate, thanks to his balance and perimeter talent. And yet, there are reasons for skepticism. Defensively, he\u2019ll be asked to do far more than he was at Maryland in the NBA and put in disadvantageous positions. Queen will need to work incredibly hard to become more capable on that end and even then, he may not hit a certain level because he lacks great physical traits.<\/p>\n

The best thing that Queen can do is continue to work on his conditioning and footwork. Becoming a better shooter would also give him outs as a valuable player if star-level production doesn\u2019t come, as there are probably some Naz Reid-level outcomes in his trajectory if his shooting improves without the defense reaching a certain level. It\u2019s probably up to Queen with how good he wants to be. If he can keep doing the right things with his body like he did this year, there are outcomes that make him a very valuable player and All-Star. If he regresses in any way on this front, there are a lot of outcomes that probably don\u2019t result in him impacting winning basketball at a high level. But it\u2019s hard to envision a floor for him outside the NBA. He\u2019s too skilled not to be useful as a backup center even if things go haywire.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>One persistent rumor this week was that newly installed Pelicans executive vice president Joe Dumars was leaning heavily on former Pistons, Thunder and Wizards exec Troy Weaver for the draft. This seems to be a tell, as Weaver was renowned for loving both frontcourt players and guys from the D.C. area during his Pistons tenure. I don\u2019t love Queen\u2019s fit with Zion Williamson, given that both are suspect on D and neither is a shooter, and he\u2019ll be challenged to maintain his iffy conditioning in an organization whose health and performance infrastructure isn\u2019t exactly renowned. The Pelicans also paid a heavy price by surrendering an unprotected 2026 first that is the better of the Pelicans or Bucks just to move up 10 spots and take Queen.<\/p>\n

14. San Antonio Spurs<\/strong><\/p>\n

Carter Bryant | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Arizona<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 10<\/p>\n

Bryant profiles extremely well as a 3-and-D player in the NBA. He has great positional size for a wing and already has defensive chops. He\u2019s aggressive and a high-level competitor who turns up the pressure on that end of the court, plus he has terrific playmaking instincts to get into passing lanes and find weakside rim rotations. He profiles as being switchable on defense and should be able to manage perimeter players. By the time he gets even stronger in his early 20s, he\u2019ll also have no issues managing even fours. The key is finding a role on offense. I\u2019m a little skeptical of his overall game on that end, but he is extremely likely to be a shooter. This could result in his being something of a low-usage player if the ballhandling and passing acumen never totally come along, but this kind of player would still be valuable if he has to be guarded as a shooter and is switchable on defense.<\/p>\n

The guy Bryant reminds me of most is former No. 2 pick Marvin Williams. If that doesn\u2019t sound all that sexy, remember that Williams played for 15 years, started over 800 career games and averaged 11 points and five rebounds over 13 years while making nine figures despite being drafted in 2005. That kind of career would return lottery value, and that\u2019s where I have Bryant ranked.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>I really like Bryant\u2019s fit as a 3-and-D role player, and he goes to the perfect spot in San Antonio. The Spurs already have their backcourt set and obviously the center position is locked down, but they need a forward with size and shooting ability to fill the Harrison Barnes role as their young core develops. Bryant is perfectly cut out for the job, in addition to being the best prospect left on my board. This couldn\u2019t have worked out much better for San Antonio.<\/p>\n

15. Oklahoma City Thunder<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thomas Sorber | 6-9 big | 19 years old | Georgetown<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 15<\/p>\n

Sorber is a fascinating player. On some level, he looks like a relic of a past generation at 6-foot-9 with a bigger-bodied frame. He also lacks some degree of explosiveness that many bigs possess. And yet, he has a remarkably productive game that is very modern in its construction. He has a great natural feel for the game and excels at keeping advantages that guards create for him because of his passing on the move. His natural reactivity is also enticing, and I think there is some improvement potential with his frame. When you see him in person, he looks quite young and like he\u2019s still growing into his body.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the other thing: He\u2019s remarkably productive across the box score in a way that players his age never are. The only other high-major freshman or sophomore to average at least 14 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two blocks and 1.5 steals before Sorber did it this season, per Sports-Reference, was Chris Webber at Michigan. The easiest way to explain it is that he\u2019s just one of those players who gets stuff done on the court with his length and impeccable hand-eye coordination. He\u2019s a bit more of a project than a ready-made player, but there\u2019s enough upside that I think he can develop into a starting center.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>The Thunder have a roster crunch to deal with; Sorber is their 16th contract, and the league only lets you keep 15. Setting that part aside, he gives the Thunder an obvious pathway to a future where they can\u2019t afford to keep Isaiah Hartenstein, and gives them the kind of big-bodied center they haven\u2019t had even as they\u2019ve ascended to the top of the league. I had Sorber ranked 10th on my board, and he was my top center, ahead of Maluach and Queen. He\u2019ll have some time to develop before the Thunder count on him for big minutes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Portland made a surprise pick at No. 16 with Hansen Yang. (Brad Penner \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

16. Portland Trail Blazers (from Memphis)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hansen Yang | 7-1 big | 20 years old | Qingdao<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 48<\/p>\n

Yang has several intriguing skills. Any time a player is this big with elite passing vision and touch around the rim, there\u2019s going to be a lot of intrigue. I worry that it\u2019s going to be hard for Yang to actualize those things in the NBA because of his high-hipped frame, lack of explosiveness and lack of lateral ability. Even though skill absolutely matters with players like this and is what makes them special, the guys who tend to make it in this mold are generally the biggest bullies on the court: Think Nikola Joki\u0107, Domantas Sabonis, Nikola Vucevic and even Karl-Anthony Towns to some extent. They all can put their shoulder into NBA big men and move them backward to establish position wherever they need to on the court. Yang doesn\u2019t have that ability, unfortunately. His defensive translation to the NBA is a major question, too. I love big, skilled centers who can give you a chance to play five-out basketball. I just don\u2019t buy Yang enough as a shooter and don\u2019t buy the functionality of his game enough against the best athletes in the world. He\u2019d absolutely be worth a stash in the mid-second round in case this changes at some point, but I don\u2019t know that he\u2019s ready to come over to the NBA yet.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:<\/strong> I\u2019m sorry \u2026 WHAT???!?!?!?! Nobody had Yang as a first-rounder. Literally nobody. He\u2019s big and fairly skilled and I think he\u2019s potentially a solid backup because of his offense, but this is a serious reach by the Blazers on a player most expected to last well into the second round. (Memphis made this pick, technically, but as noted above the Grizzlies swapped spots 11 and 16 with Portland). The Blazers already had a surfeit of centers with Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams, and 2024 lottery pick Donovan Clingan, so it\u2019s not even clear what Yang\u2019s pathway is to minutes in Portland. I do not get this at all.<\/p>\n

17. Minnesota Timberwolves<\/strong><\/p>\n

Joan Beringer | 6-11 big | 18 years old | KK Cedevita Olimpija<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 13<\/p>\n

Where you fall on Beringer will ultimately be determined by your willingness to take on a project. It\u2019s going to take time to get Beringer up to speed across the board. He\u2019s still exceptionally raw and learning the game. Things move fast for him right now, and his reactions can often be slow in the way that they tend to be when you\u2019re first learning how to do something. Still, there\u2019s not a big man in this class who moves better than Beringer. He\u2019s exceptionally twitchy when he\u2019s on the floor and when he lifts off the ground to block a shot or dunk. He also is flexible and plays with genuine bend. Not many people this size move like this.<\/p>\n

Given that he\u2019s also highly regarded from a character perspective, it\u2019s hard not to buy into him as an NBA player at some point. At the very least, he could turn into a backup center. There is more upside than that, as he could easily turn into a Capela-style big man who runs the floor, defends well and finishes on the interior. The athletic traits are ridiculous to go with his hands. But realistically, every NBA team will feel differently about whether it is willing to take on Beringer as a project. Some do not have interest, and others see him as a starting center of the future if they can get him the right coaching and development.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Beringer is a developmental teenage center who impressed with his potential in the Adriatic League; I had him rated lower than most due to concerns about his limited offensive potential, but there is a pathway here for his shot-blocking to eventually supplant that of Rudy Gobert as he develops. Minnesota may also have felt some pressure to go big here given the potential free agency of Naz Reid and Julius Randle.<\/p>\n

18. Utah Jazz (from Washington)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Walter Clayton Jr. | 6-2 guard | 22 years old | Florida<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 19<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve long loved Clayton as a player, and he has been featured on The Athletic\u2019s Big Board within the top 45 throughout the entire season, even before the explosive end to his collegiate career. But his improvements over the last three months of his college career have rightfully pushed him into first-round status. His ability to play more consistently at pace with his hoppy cadence to find his shot off two feet has made him lethal to deal with defensively. He\u2019s an underrated athlete in terms of explosiveness and balance. He competes on defense and is strong, even if his size will create limitations. It\u2019s easy to see Clayton developing into a high-end scorer off the bench in the NBA, and there is upside beyond that if he proves capable of improving his ball-screen reads and becoming an even better passer. It\u2019s hard to find scoring guards with this kind of pull-up gravity, so Clayton should rightfully be sought-after.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis: <\/strong>Washington is trading this pick to Utah. Clayton is the first senior off the board after he showcased his deep shooting ability during Florida\u2019s run to the NCAA title. He\u2019ll get chances to earn point guard minutes on a rebuilding Jazz squad; Utah has a couple of other young guards on the roster, but they\u2019ve already been given chances and haven\u2019t shown much. Clayton profiles as a combo guard whose long-distance game works best with other ballhandlers around him, so we\u2019ll see what else the Jazz can add to the backcourt.<\/p>\n

19. Brooklyn Nets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nolan Traore | 6-3 guard | 19 years old | Saint-Quentin<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 22<\/p>\n

It is difficult to be as productive as Traore was in the French league and in the Basketball Champions League this season. He averaged 12 points and five assists with nearly a 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, which is awesome for an 18-year-old. He\u2019s terrific with the ball and has a sense for how to get his teammates involved as a passer and playmaker.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, Traore will need to develop his jumper. He\u2019s not quite as quick as Jeremiah Fears and will need the threat of the jumper to get defenders off-balance. Otherwise, he\u2019s probably going to end up as more of a backup point guard. But if the shot comes along, he could be the kind of solid lead guard who makes good decisions, scores when required and defends his position.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>Traore had a rough year in France but still has fans from his standout performance at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit; he was seen as a potential top-five pick a year ago before his stock fell. He is the second of five Brooklyn first-round picks, and it will be interesting to see how the roster looks if the Nets end up keeping all five.<\/p>\n

20. Miami Heat<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kasparas Jaku\u010dionis | 6-5 guard | 19 years old | Illinois<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking: 7<\/b><\/p>\n

Jaku\u010dionis is a tremendously skilled basketball player who fits into the kind of archetype that I love. I\u2019m a big fan of players who can dribble, pass, shoot, process the game at a high level and have good positional size. The reason I love those players is that they just have so many outs. If Jaku\u010dionis ends up not being able to separate enough on the ball, I feel confident in his ability to play off the ball and hammer advantages that are created for him by high-level creative guards because he can shoot, drive and read what\u2019s going on around him to make excellent passing reads. Think of something in this respect like a better passing Bogdan Bogdanovic, who has averaged 14 points per game over eight years in the NBA and has also been sneaky awesome in the playoffs and big international events.<\/p>\n

Jaku\u010dionis is also a truly special passer who I hope continues to work on his craft as a ballhandler to get separation from his man consistently without turning the ball over and feeling rushed. There would be some really high-upside outcomes in his profile if that ever happened. My read is to bet on him being more of a great secondary ballhandler who can play with and help your starters while also running second units, but don\u2019t discount the potential for more.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>This is a bit of a slide for Jaku\u010dionis, who was seen by many as a potential top-10 pick, but I also think it\u2019s a more realistic landing spot for a guy who probably projects as a combo guard off the bench more than a long-term starter. Miami could use a guy like him, though, because he can handle the ball and shoot stepback 3s; he offers a nice contrast in the backcourt to defensive bulldog Davion Mitchell.<\/p>\n

21. Washington Wizards (from Utah)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Will Riley | 6-8 wing | 19 years old | Illinois<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking: <\/b>23<\/p>\n

I ended up a bit higher on Riley than I expected coming into the draft process largely because I loved the growth within his offensive game throughout the season. Riley is fearless as a driver and can play as a secondary creator. He also showed better understanding of how to make passing reads than I expected this year and has a really natural feel for the game. Ultimately, two big questions stop me from moving Riley higher. First, I worry that his frame won\u2019t allow him to consistently play through contact at the NBA level effectively on either end in spite of that fearlessness. Second, his jumper is too inconsistent to rely upon. His mechanics are really spotty. While I buy that he has touch and I think it will improve in time, he has to get to a level of being a sub-elite shooter to reach his peak level of effectiveness. Ultimately, I buy that Riley has a chance to be a good NBA player. I\u2019m not sure that I\u2019d want to be the team that has to draft and develop him, as I think he\u2019s more likely to pop as a good player in his second stop as opposed to his first.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:<\/strong> The Wizards moved down from 18 to pick here in return for pick 43 and two future seconds from Utah (2031 and 2032). This organization has shown a consistent preference for working with raw clay, even if it means younger players who aren\u2019t filled out physically \u2014 the parallels between this pick and the selection of Bub Carrington in 2024 are hard to ignore. Washington got a great return on its move down three spots in the draft, but I\u2019m not as bullish on Riley\u2019s game.<\/p>\n

22. Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Drake Powell | 6-5 wing | 19 years old | North Carolina<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:\u00a0<\/b>34<\/p>\n

I\u2019m a big believer in Powell\u2019s defense, which is why I\u2019m willing to rank him as a top-40 prospect despite having as many questions as I do about his offensive game. He is terrific on that end of the court. He\u2019s awesome on the ball and does a good enough job staying engaged off the ball. For a freshman, his instincts were quite good. My only issue is that he\u2019s a such a significant project on offense that I worry about him being able to get on the floor before his first contract\u2019s clock runs out. He would need to iron out the jumper within the next year or so and feel much more comfortable getting it off at volume than he seems to be now. I would bet on Powell being a useful NBA player by the time he\u2019s 25 or so, much in the same vein as someone like Derrick Jones Jr. as a defensive specialist. But you\u2019re drafting him at 19, unfortunately, and I worry that the process is going to take a bit too long. But the bet on him figuring out the jumper sooner rather than later pushes him just above the two-way contract level and into guaranteed contract range for me.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:<\/strong> This pick is going from Atlanta to Brooklyn in the Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is trade. It is the Nets\u2019 third pick of the first round, and they still have picks 26 and 27. Powell is the best athlete left on the board, but his offensive projection is a bit concerning; if he makes it is likely to be as a defense-and-energy guy. Brooklyn will hope it can fine-tune his shooting and decision-making to the point that Powell has rotation-level utility.<\/p>\n

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Georgia\u2019s Asa Newell is heading to Atlanta. (Jamie Squire \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n

23. Atlanta Hawks (from New Orleans)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Asa Newell | 6-9 big | 19 years old | Georgia<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:\u00a0<\/b>29<\/p>\n

Newell\u2019s NBA role is a question mark. It\u2019s hard to play on the court if you don\u2019t put immense pressure on the rim as a roller, don\u2019t see the court well as a passer and also don\u2019t shoot consistently. Newell was productive and efficient this year purely by using his athleticism to his advantage, but I wonder how it all looks for him on offense when that advantage goes away. I\u2019d feel much better about his profile if he were a shooter already, but he\u2019s not there, having hit only 29.2 percent of his 3s. I buy him as a useful rotational player on defense who will cover ground and occasionally make plays both on the interior and perimeter. But I\u2019m not sure that it\u2019ll be good enough for him to stick on the court while he works through his jumper concerns. I like the athletic tools enough that I think he can stick as a backup big man, but it\u2019s going to take some time for him as he works through his feel for the game on defense, his frame and his offensive skills. If Newell turns into a shooter, he probably sticks in the NBA. If he doesn\u2019t, there are concerns. I have him as more of a late first-round player as opposed to a mid-first-round guy.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>This pick goes from New Orleans to Atlanta, and the Hawks stay local by taking the Athens native and Bulldogs product, adding to a reshaped frontcourt that includes the recently acquired Kristaps Porzi\u0146\u0123is. The Hawks ran out of quality frontcourt bodies at the end of last season, and this seems to be a clear area of emphasis for the Hawks\u2019 offseason, especially with Clint Capela\u2019s likely free agency departure. Newell also might be underrated given his lack of electrifying highlights; analytic models view the southpaw more favorably than the eye test.<\/p>\n

24. Sacramento Kings (from Oklahoma City)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Nique Clifford | 6-5 wing | 23 years old | Colorado State<\/strong>
<\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:\u00a0<\/b>25<\/p>\n

Clifford is older, and his track record when he was younger doesn\u2019t inspire much excitement. However, his improvement over the past two years has been remarkable. He consistently proved he can play with anyone. He also possesses skills that NBA teams covet as he\u2019s a wing who can process the game, dribble, pass, shoot and defend all while having solid positional size. It\u2019s hard to find NBA players who can bring all of those things to the floor.<\/p>\n

If Clifford ends up failing, it\u2019ll likely be because his jumper was too streaky and he couldn\u2019t quite settle in. If that happens, the rest of his offensive game could fall apart. But he\u2019s been a good enough shooter over the larger sample of the last two years that I\u2019m willing to bet on it, and him. Clifford profiles as a solid rotational wing who could be a starter when surrounded by the right stars in the NBA.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>As I suspected, the Thunder are trading this pick because they already have 16 players on the roster for next season and need to cut it by at least one. Clifford has a nice role-player resume with his defense and decision-making and could fit in on a roster that is short on wings, especially if he can knock down perimeter shots consistently.<\/p>\n

25. Orlando Magic<\/strong><\/p>\n

Jase Richardson | 6-1 guard | 19 years old | MIchigan State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 17<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard to be a small guard in the NBA, and I\u2019m not totally convinced Richardson is ready for the leap. It took Tom Izzo a while to realize weaponizing Richardson was his best chance to get efficient offense, but Izzo also did a great job of hiding some of Richardson\u2019s weaknesses by constantly putting him in the right positions in zoom\/Chicago actions, where could get the ball going downhill to his favored left hand. Richardson is going to have to spend the next few years diversifying his all-around game to make it work in the NBA given how thin the margin for error is for smaller guards. The good news is he has terrific touch and amazing contact balance through bumps. If he can find the right team situation or can improve his separation ability, he has a shot to be a useful scoring guard. But he simply won\u2019t be for everyone because of how they will have to work around his limitations with his right hand, as a passer and as a pull-up shooter early in his career.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>Richardson\u2019s size is a concern for somebody who won\u2019t be able to play point guard full time on offense, but this is a nearly perfect roster fit for him. Richardson can play off the ball in Orlando because Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero have the rock, and his ability to knock down shots will be a big help to an Orlando team that struggled mightily from outside a year ago. I had Richardson 14th on my board; he doesn\u2019t have enormous upside, but he might be able to play right away.<\/p>\n

26. Brooklyn Nets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ben Saraf | guard | 6-6 guard | 19 years old | Ratiopharm Ulm<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 28<\/p>\n

Saraf\u2019s ability to decelerate and play with slow steps on his gathers is one of my favorite skills in this class. It\u2019s a difficult skill to guard at any level, especially given that Saraf doesn\u2019t just use it around the rim, but he can weaponize it off the dribble, too. It\u2019s very easy to imagine this aging well as he gets stronger with age. He also has an incredibly gifted mind as a passer, seeing things a step before they happen. But to get the most out of these skills, he\u2019s going to have to improve as a shooter and improve his right hand. If that doesn\u2019t happen, NBA defenders won\u2019t worry enough about the final product 15 feet and more away from the hoop, and he won\u2019t be able to use those impressive gathers quite as often. The lack of strength also has a chance to be an issue on defense, where he\u2019s going to struggle to hold his lines and stop ballhandlers from getting where they want to go. If I had faith that Saraf was going to shoot the ball, I would have him much higher than this. But I still have him as a clear first-rounder this year because I think the upside is too interesting to ignore.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>Nets fans get to see their guy play right away \u2014 Saraf is playing in the deciding game of the German League playoffs Thursday afternoon. I\u2019m a fan of the lefty Israeli despite his awkward shot; he\u2019s a tough defender with a nice feel for the game. The Nets might also choose to stash him overseas for another year given all the rookies they will be adding to the roster this season, especially since he\u2019s in a situation where he gets steady playing time in Germany.<\/p>\n

27. Brooklyn Nets<\/strong><\/p>\n

Danny Wolf | 6-11 big | 21 years old | Michigan<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 14<\/p>\n

Wolf is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft class given the direction of the modern NBA. The goal in today\u2019s league is to get as much skill and size on the court as possible. Offensively, you want to make the defense cover as much ground as you can. Then on defense, you want to be able to cover as much ground against the offense as possible. Unsurprisingly, the bigger players get, the harder it is to find guys who are skilled enough to allow you to play five-out on offense. Wolf has a standing reach over 9 feet, possesses guard skills and isn\u2019t a total stiff defensively.<\/p>\n

And yet, there are significant flaws. His turnover rate is sky high, which tends to be a bad indicator. His needs to iron out inconsistencies in his jumper. Then defensively, he might not be quick enough to guard effectively once he reaches the NBA level, with increased space in driving lanes and a wider court to cover.<\/p>\n

Drafting Wolf is a risk. There is a chance that his game just doesn\u2019t quite work out at the next level. But given how hard it is to find skilled players like him, and given their value if their defense ends up being even remotely tenable, I\u2019m probably going to be higher on Wolf than consensus. I believe that NBA teams need a five-out look to win a title in today\u2019s era. Wolf might not be perfect, but the upside of betting on him hitting is worth the gamble. There are some Naz Reid-style outcomes to his game if his development goes right over the next few years.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>Wolf was the second-to-last player left in the green room, which is always an emotional roller coaster \u2026. especially now that the second round doesn\u2019t start for another 23 hours. He\u2019s a 7-footer but plays more as a perimeter player who handles the ball and initiates; I would compare him to Miami\u2019s Nikola Jovic. Wolf needs to improve his shooting and cut his turnovers to thrive in this role as a pro.<\/p>\n

28. Boston Celtics<\/strong><\/p>\n

Hugo Gonzalez | 6-6 wing | 19 years old | Real Madrid<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 24<\/p>\n

I want to love Gonzalez. I appreciate the attitude and aggressiveness that he brings to the court. His quick reaction to what\u2019s happening around him is awesome on defense, and I think he can play on that end of the court at an NBA level. Ultimately, it\u2019s going to come down to his shooting. Can Gonzalez turn into an NBA shooter? That\u2019s the swing skill here, as it is for many teenagers as they turn toward the highest level of competition. Given his work ethic and willingness to be coached, you want to buy into it. There\u2019s also just not enough of a track record. I like him as a later first-round pick because if the shooting does come around, he\u2019s almost certain to be useful as a rotational wing. But I don\u2019t know if you can trust him to make shots at any sort of volume from 3, and things just move so fast for him on his drives that I worry about him being a true plus player on that end.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>Gonzalez theoretically can be stashed overseas, but a Celtics source told me directly that he\u2019s coming over right away. He\u2019ll count $2.3 million on Boston\u2019s payroll, about the same as a veteran minimum contract, so his arrival won\u2019t dramatically impact their cost-cutting program. Gonzalez isn\u2019t good enough yet offensively, but he\u2019s a tough defender and a plus athlete at the wing position with a strong frame. If he can figure out the shooting and become a reliable offensive contributor, he has a chance to help the Celtics after Boston\u2019s \u201cgap year.\u201d<\/p>\n

29. Charlotte Hornets (Phoenix)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Liam McNeeley | 6-7 wing | 19 years old | Connecticut<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 20<\/p>\n

McNeeley\u2019s season this year is very context-dependent. Not only did he suffer an ankle injury, but he also was asked to do more than he was ready for on the ball. McNeeley\u2019s role in the NBA also won\u2019t be to play on the ball. It\u2019ll be to hit open 3s when they come available, to attack closeouts and make good decisions.He can do that. Defensively, there are questions about his footspeed. He struggled this year to keep up with quicker players. But he is smart and anticipates plays well around the court. He\u2019s not a disastrous team defender who is going to blow up rotations because he isn\u2019t sure where to be. I don\u2019t see him as a plus defender, but there\u2019s a nonzero chance he can get to neutral. I\u2019d love to bet on McNeeley\u2019s becoming a good, rotational floor spacer in the 20s if he lasts that long.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>The 29th-ranked player on my board goes 29th! This never happens! Charlotte got this pick from Phoenix in the Mark Williams trade that will execute in early July. Between the additions of McNeeley and Kon Knueppel, the Hornets have added a lot of perimeter shooting to space the floor around LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller.<\/p>\n

30. Los Angeles Clippers<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yanic Konan Niederhauser | 6-11 big | 22 | Penn State<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vecenie\u2019s ranking:<\/strong> 41<\/p>\n

Niederhauser is a weird evaluation, because while he just turned 22, he\u2019s still a project in terms of his defensive game. He needs to do a drastically better job using his hands and cutting off angles. He also needs to improve his lines and angles in ball-screen coverage. He\u2019s underdeveloped in his movements. He doesn\u2019t seem lazy on the court or anything like that. He just seems like a player who is still figuring out where exactly he needs to go and how he needs to get there. His tools shine best on offense, where he\u2019s terrific in a role that makes total sense in the modern NBA as a rim-running center who screens, crashes the glass and finishes well at the basket. And while I don\u2019t think he always gets the most out of his athleticism on the court, Niederhauser\u2019s tools are still ridiculous for an NBA big man with how high he can leap for someone with a 9-foot-3 standing reach. Ultimately, the team that drafts him is going to have to be comfortable with a project who could eventually turn into a good backup center.<\/p>\n

Hollinger\u2019s analysis:\u00a0<\/strong>The big winner of the draft combine after being relatively unheralded at Penn State, my Swiss brother Yanic is a shot-blocking, rim-running center who needs to round out his offensive game and perhaps fill out a bit more physically. With the Clippers having an obvious need at backup center, he has a chance to earn minutes relatively quickly despite joining a veteran-laden, \u201cwin-now\u201d team.<\/p>\n

(Photo: Sarah Stier \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The 2025 NBA Draft is underway \u2014 taking place over two days \u2014 and The Athletic\u2019s draft experts…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":15352,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[3119,3125,3124,3118,3127,3128,3139,3134,3129,3140,3136,1267,3142,3141,3135,3120,3130,3131,1260,3137,3122,1268,3121,3123,1721,3133,3143,3138,62,222,3126,67,132,68,3132,3117],"class_list":{"0":"post-15351","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-atlanta-hawks","9":"tag-boston-celtics","10":"tag-brooklyn-nets","11":"tag-charlotte-hornets","12":"tag-chicago-bulls","13":"tag-cleveland-cavaliers","14":"tag-dallas-mavericks","15":"tag-denver-nuggets","16":"tag-detroit-pistons","17":"tag-golden-state-warriors","18":"tag-houston-rockets","19":"tag-indiana-pacers","20":"tag-los-angeles-clippers","21":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","22":"tag-memphis-grizzlies","23":"tag-miami-heat","24":"tag-milwaukee-bucks","25":"tag-minnesota-timberwolves","26":"tag-nba","27":"tag-new-orleans-pelicans","28":"tag-new-york-knicks","29":"tag-oklahoma-city-thunder","30":"tag-orlando-magic","31":"tag-philadelphia-76ers","32":"tag-phoenix-suns","33":"tag-portland-trail-blazers","34":"tag-sacramento-kings","35":"tag-san-antonio-spurs","36":"tag-sports","37":"tag-sports-business","38":"tag-toronto-raptors","39":"tag-united-states","40":"tag-unitedstates","41":"tag-us","42":"tag-utah-jazz","43":"tag-washington-wizards"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15351","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15351"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15351\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/15352"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15351"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=15351"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=15351"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}