The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft has concluded, and it brought a wealth of excitement and surprises. As anticipated, the Dallas Mavericks made headlines by selecting Duke superstar Cooper Flagg as the No. 1 overall pick on Wednesday night. Following closely, the San Antonio Spurs picked Dylan Harper, a standout guard from Rutgers, solidifying him as the consensus second-best player in this draft class.
The drama unfolded significantly with the Philadelphia 76ers, who held the No. 3 pick. While many speculated that Rutgers forward Ace Bailey would land there, the 76ers opted for Baylor wing VJ Edgecombe instead. This unexpected choice set the tone for a night filled with surprises. The first major shock came just two picks later when the Utah Jazz selected Bailey at No. 5, despite his lack of workouts with any teams during the predraft process. This bold move reflects Utah's desire to add scoring and talent to their roster.
As with any draft, there were notable trades and fluctuating player stocks. A surprising riser was the Portland Trail Blazers, who selected center Yang Hansen from China at No. 16, even though he was projected to go in the second round. Conversely, Kasparas Jakučionis, a projected lottery pick from Illinois, slid down to the Miami Heat at No. 20. Similarly, Liam McNeeley from UConn was chosen by the Charlotte Hornets at No. 29, despite earlier projections placing him in the lottery.
The Brooklyn Nets made history by becoming the first team to make five selections in the first round, starting with BYU guard Egor Demin at No. 8 and concluding with Michigan center Danny Wolf at No. 27. The next phase of the draft is set to continue with the second round scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m. ET at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
The Jazz's selection of Ace Bailey at No. 5 was one of the biggest surprises of the night. Heading into the draft, Washington was seen as a likely destination for Bailey, but Utah took a chance on him first. Known for his polarizing playing style, Bailey's past performance has raised eyebrows, yet his potential to become a scoring asset was too enticing for the Jazz to ignore. Utah also hit a home run with their second pick, selecting Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr., who was recognized as the best guard in college basketball last season.
This year, the draft saw a record-tying number of freshmen selected in the lottery, with 11 freshmen being picked. The previous record was set in 2017. Among these picks was Carter Bryant, who the Spurs selected with the last pick in the lottery. Notably, John Calipari, head coach at Arkansas, saw his streak of producing first-round picks since 2008 come to an end this year.
The New Orleans Pelicans took a significant risk by selecting Jeremiah Fears as the No. 7 overall pick, a day after trading for Jordan Poole. Fears was considered one of the most polarizing prospects in the draft, entering at No. 11 in CBS Sports’ rankings. However, his unique skill set as a ball-handler and his explosive offensive abilities make him a potentially valuable addition to the Pelicans' backcourt.
The Los Angeles Clippers selected Yanic Konan Niederhauser at No. 30, a powerful center from Penn State known for his defensive prowess and shot-blocking ability. Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets made a steal by drafting Liam McNeeley, a versatile forward from UConn who was projected to go much earlier. The Boston Celtics added Hugo Gonzalez, a promising wing from Spain, to their roster, while the Brooklyn Nets rounded out their first-round picks with Ben Saraf, an Israeli guard known for his playmaking skills.
As the 2025 NBA Draft moves into the second round, teams will look to leverage their remaining picks to enhance their rosters further. Stay tuned for more updates and insights as the draft continues at the Barclays Center.
