As the Washington Wizards continue to rebuild and secure a brighter future, the 2025 NBA Draft presents a prime opportunity to add young, impactful talent to their roster. Here are three prospects the Wizards should have on their radar as they aim to strengthen their core and build a competitive team for the future.
Cooper Flagg is arguably the best prospect in the draft and someone who fits into any team. At 6’9 and 25 pounds, Flagg can play either forward position thanks to his exceptional defensive versatility. His primary draw is his ability as a wing defender, as he moves well on the perimeter. However, Flagg is a scarce breed on defense because of his ability to provide secondary rim protection in tandem with his perimeter skills.
Offensively, Flagg is just as adaptable. A 30.8% 3-point shooting percentage seems poultry. However, when evaluating top prospects, mechanics and potential can take precedence, and Flagg has a jumper that can translate to the next level. When you look at his jumper, the motion is smooth, and the release is quick and high, making it very hard to defend at the next level.
The overall mechanics are unorthodox due to his slight hitch, but from windup to release, the shot is very fluid and can potentially be a genuine threat from beyond the arc. His recent 42-point performance was a significant demonstration of his scoring potential.
Along with his scoring potential, Flagg has demonstrated a good feel for passing, especially in short-roll situations or when he gets double-teamed. The fact that he averages almost four assists a night shows that the Maine native has the potential to be an excellent secondary playmaker for a team, someone who can keep the ball moving, make solid reads, and occasionally be a ball handler in offensive sets
If I had to say what mold of player Flagg is, I would compare him to former combo forward Andrei Kirilenko. At his best, Kirilenko was a capable shooter and solid playmaker, an elite wing defender, and one of the best weak-side shot blockers the NBA has ever seen.
I think Flagg will end up being a player similar to the former Jazz forward, but the Duke prospect has the potential to be a better scorer and passer. This makes Flagg a unique draft prospect, a surefire top 3 pick, and someone who would immediately impact the Wizards. A defensive trio of Flagg, Bilal Coulibaly, and Alex Sarr would give teams nightmares for years.
Dylan Harper is the only player in this draft who argues for being the number-one pick over Cooper Flagg. The reason for this is simple: Harper can be the offensive engine for an NBA team over the next decade if things pan out. The Rutgers guard is 6’6 and 215 at the point guard position, perfect for the modern NBA. He’s an amazing finisher at the rim through contact and possesses great touch for shots such as floaters and runners.
His jumper might need some tweaking as it’s rigid and instead confined for a guard, but that’s the only real weakness you can point out about the freshman. He is a good (although not great) athlete. He can use that athleticism on defense, as his combination of strength, speed, and positional knowledge makes Harper very disruptive on that size of the ball.
Along with his scoring and defending prowess, Harper also possesses a keen eye for a pass, especially out of the pick and roll. The guard does not need picks to create separation from his defender either; this makes him a player who can have the ball in their hands when they get drafted and be a productive player.
Harper is the player every rebuilding team wants to have. A versatile guard who can be the primary ball handler for your offense while still being positive on the defensive end of the court. If I had to compare Harper to someone directly, it would be someone in the mold of Cade Cunningham—a do-it-all guard who can lead a franchise and build an entire team around them.
This is a player that every team wants and can find a spot for, and his skill set makes him a viable candidate to be the first player off the board in the upcoming 2025 draft. In terms of his fit with the Wizards, Harper could be plugged in next to Jordan Poole and form a lovely back-court scoring duo as soon as he gets drafted.
This will take some pressure off the guard but still allow him to develop and take risks in his rookie year, which would benefit Washington in the long run if Harper ends up in the capital.
Connecticut forward Liam McNeeley is a player projected to go later in the first round due to his shooting ability and off-the-ball movement, two things that can lead to having a very long career in the NBA.
At 6’7 and 210 pounds, McNeely is slightly below average in size for a forward in the league but is able to make up for that with a variety of other skills. The most obvious one is his jumper. His mechanics are some of the prettiest you will ever see, from the windup to the release. His shot teaches tape material for young players hoping to improve their skills.
His percentages back up the eye test. A 38% three-point percentage with almost half of your shots coming from beyond the arc is nothing to scoff at and validates the idea of McNeely being one of, if not the best, shooters in the entire draft.
It isn’t just about shooting when discussing the forwards game. McNeely moves well without the ball and always tries to reposition himself to get a better shot. He is also good at attacking closeouts and can put the ball on the floor to create his own shot.
On defense, McNeely is a good athlete who is willing to compete on that side of the court. Although there are times when quicker guards can blow past him, he can have defensive lapses that you’d expect from a young player. However, McNeely can be a positive defender in the NBA, as his motor, IQ, and athleticism allow him to guard most forwards and some guards at a high level on the collegiate stage.
McNeely is not someone who will be running your offense, though. He averages almost three assists a game, but most of them come from swinging the ball around and continuing the flow of the offense. He is great and will fit nicely on an NBA court, not as a primary ball handler.
In terms of his fit with the Wizards, McNeely would add a much-needed shooting spark to a team that ranks 28th in team three-point percentage. Getting him would be more difficult, as the sharpshooter is projected as a late lottery pick, and he would be off the board by the time the Wizards selected. Trading up to get him is a big possibility if the team values the freshman shooting, as Washington has plenty of picks after trading Beal to the Suns (although many of them are pick swaps).
If the Wizards can move up and draft McNeely, I believe he could operate in a role similar to Kings player Keegan Murray. A sharpshooting forward that spaces the floor plays within the flow of the offense while being an impactful defender.
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