It’s been a few days, but the 2025 NBA Draft has officially come and gone. I have decided to grade every draft pick made in Round 1 via Lottery Picks from Pick 1-14. I won’t be doing the late 1st Round or Round 2 because those picks are usually lottery tickets or long shots to make the NBA. Alright, let’s get into the 2025 NBA Draft grades…
The most shocking selection in the first round has been made. Cooper Flagg has been taken by the Dallas Mavericks and it is a no-brainer as Flagg is the best prospect in this draft class and it’s not close. He could easily be the franchise face for the next decade, and he possesses all the skills a team would want in a player. He is an offensive weapon, a great shot blocker, a strong steal rate, a solid defender, a locker room leader, and a terrific passer. The Mavericks are just so “lucky” to win the draft lottery to get him and Flagg will provide an immediate boost.
No surprise here as it was pretty clear the Spurs were going to take Dylan Harper as he has the potential to be the face of the franchise. Well, not in San Antonio as that goes to Victor Wembanyama. However, they needed a player to pair with him for the future and Harper has the potential to create scoring opportunities for others. He can be the #1 point guard for the team in the long term. In the short term though, it will be interesting how the Spurs are going to shuffle the minutes with how many guards they have on the roster.
Many people will call me crazy here, but I am not a fan of VJ Edgecombe as a prospect. Now does he have a high ceiling? Absolutely as he has athleticism and is a very solid contributor on offense. However, he has a low floor too. His defense is lackluster, is a foul magnet, his size could be a problem, his finish at the rim is not good and he is a very inconsistent shooter, especially from making 3-pointers. He’s going to need time before he is ready, but the 76ers did need a guard badly in this draft. Hopefully, Edgecombe can develop well for them as he has talent, but there were better options on the board.
This was the right choice for Charlotte to make here. This franchise needed a player like Knueppel, who didn’t get as much hype as his teammate Cooper Flagg, but was very important to how good Duke was last season. Heck Knueppel stepped up to the plate when Cooper Flagg got injured and showcased his strong offensive skills. The Hornets needed a player like Knueppel, and while they needed a center more, he was just too good to pass on. This pick was so much better than last year’s of Tidjane Salaun, which is still a headscratcher to this very day.
Woah, didn’t Ace Bailey reportedly not want to go to Utah? Anyways, it’s still a surprise that Bailey went this high with how poorly he has come across leading up to the draft, telling teams not to draft him. That’s a red flag right there, but this kid has a lot of talent to help the Jazz on their rebuild. He is a very good shooter and defender with a high ceiling, but the low floor is there. The talent gets a B, but the way Bailey handled himself in the draft gets a minus attached.
The Wizards are a very interesting team for the future because they are very young, and they could choose any position here, and it would make sense. Tre Johnson is a dynamic scoring type of prospect, and his shooting technique is very smooth. His passing and field vision are pretty solid as well, but his defense is a bit of a mess. The Wizards need offensive players, and Johnson fits the bill. Johnson on some boards was projected to be a Top 3 pick as well so, there is potential they got a steal here.
In The Top 10? Look, Jeremiah Fears showed signs of explosiveness and is very solid on defense, but there are two main red flags with his play. First, his shooting is horrendous, and the turnovers on offense are super problematic. He’s got to clean that up in the next few years, developing with the Pelicans. It also doesn’t help that he is a smaller player, as well as his height is listed at 6’4”, and there were many better options on the board.
Over Khaman Maluach and Collin Murray-Boyles? The Brooklyn Nets are a mess of an organization and pretty much need everything, but there were many better options on the board. This is not against Demin as he is a solid swingman passer-type player and has the potential to be developed further. The Nets had to have been intrigued with his position versatility because an argument can be made that Demin could be utilized at either guard role. His shooting ability needs work, and Bemin needs to play with more aggression on the court. It will be interesting to see how Demin gets used in Brooklyn.
Not a good sign when immediately drafted, Murray-Boyles looked unhappy getting drafted to Toronto and even said a curse word when the camera panned to him when his name got called. Besides that whole reaction, this is a pretty solid pick who needed a defensive swing man type player, and Murray-Boyles fits the bill. However, if he is going to have a long NBA career, he’s got to clean up his shooting technique and offensive skills. Watching his tape he’s going to need time before he is ready, or if he even plays on the Raptors at all with a reaction like that. Time will tell.
I do have to ask the Raptors a question. Why the heck did you allow Masai Ujiri to run the draft if he was going to part ways not 2 days later?
So, Phoenix, is your entire roster going to be full of centers and shooting guards? I like Maluach, but the Suns still have no point guard on this team, and it’s been a massive problem since the Bradley Beal trade happened a few years ago. However, this could be a case where Maluach’s talent is just way too good for them to pass on, as he had a ton of upside. Maluach is a solid 7’2” big man who will help bring a boost to the Suns’ defense. Now his offensive skills are a little sloppy, and he will need time to clean that up, but his strong defensive skills should have made him a top 5 pick in this class.
Interesting move for the Memphis Grizzlies to trade up for Cedric Coward. This felt like the Grizzlies’ long-term replacement for Desmond Bane, who got traded to Orlando. There is a lot to like in Coward, including his offensive skills. He is a really good shooter and has shown a ton of flashes of expanding his skills on the court defensively. Keep in mind the word flashes as that has been what Coward showcased in his film over the past few years. He just needs to play on a more consistent basis and must be a little more athletic. A higher ceiling, low-floor prospect, but with the potential he has, it’s understandable why the Grizzlies traded up to take a chance on him.
The Bulls have made some weird transactions in the past few seasons, but this is not one of them. Essengue is a very solid prospect who should have gone a few picks previously. He is a high upside player, and with a guy his size (6’10”), Essengue is very athletic. He is a little raw, his shooting technique is sloppy, and he has a bit of an issue with fouls. However, the Bulls are in the middle of a retool right now, and Essengue should have time to develop in a few years and live up to his upside.
The Pelicans get aggressive trading up to select Derik Queen and even traded an unprotected 1st round pick in 2026 to do it. A little bit of an overpayment for the Pelicans, but Queen is a talented big man. His size and inconsistent play on defense are red flags, but the man has a strong scoring ability. Heck, one of his biggest strengths on the court is his rebounding ability. He is going to be useful on this Pelicans squad and could be a player to look out for if he develops properly.
Another good pick by the Spurs as Bryant fits the Spurs system like a glove. Yes, Bryant is raw, but he is also a very versatile defensive player. He could be a useful bench piece to help surround Victor Wembanyama. Was it a tremendous need for the Spurs? Nope, but Bryant’s potential and being surrounded by notable defensive talent will help in his development.
So those are my grades for the 2025 NBA Draft via lottery selections. My question is, do you agree? What are your grades for the first 14 picks in this draft? Let me know in the comments section. Don’t forget to give the article a like and be sure to check out other NBA content on Stadium Rant.com.
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