2025 NBA Draft Lottery Recap: Flagg Lands In Dallas

The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft took place at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn on Wednesday night, with all eyes on Duke Blue Devils superstar Cooper Flagg. While Flagg is all but guaranteed to be the first pick, this is a loaded draft class.

The entire lottery is packed full of potential studs. The Dallas Mavericks were the first of 14 teams to make their lottery pick and with the dust settled, let’s take a look at who landed where.

1. Dallas Mavericks draft Cooper Flagg (Duke)

As expected, the Mavericks secured the 2025 Naismith National Men’s Player of The Year with the first pick in the draft. The 6’9″ forward is a Swiss army knife on both sides of the ball. He can score at all three levels, defend multiple position and possesses intangibles that just can’t be taught.

As one of the most well rounded prospects we’ve ever seen with incredible upside, Flagg truly has MVP potential.

2. San Antonio Spurs draft Dylan Harper (Rutgers)

After setting the Rutgers record for points in a season by a freshman, Dylan Harper is headed to San Antonio to play alongside Victor Wembanyama. He shot a blistering 76% at the rim last season as a crafty pick-and-roll guard, which could pair beautifully with Wemby’s unique offensive skillset.

With Harper on the way, the future is even brighter in San Antonio.

3. Philadelphia 76ers draft VJ Edgecombe (Baylor)

VJ Edgecombe spent his freshman season at Baylor posterizing opponents left and right. As a hyper-athletic guard with strong defensive instincts and solid vision, Edgecombe brings a burst of energy to Philadelphia. Long-range shooting may not be his bread and butter, but he has incredible potential at just 19 years old.

The Sixers needed more quickness and defensive intensity at the guard position and that’s what Edgecombe brings to the table.

4. Charlotte Hornets draft Kon Knueppel (Duke)

Kon Knueppel is by far the best catch-and-shoot shooter in this draft class. Most three-point snipers are smaller guards or slender wings, but Knueppel is 6’5″ with a burly frame. As a catch-and-shoot specialist with decent passing instincts, Knueppel makes the Hornets a little more dangerous for defenses that crowd the paint.

His shot creation and slashing will need to be polished, but Knueppel is one of the more unique prospects in this class.

5. Utah Jazz draft Ace Bailey (Rutgers)

Ace Bailey possesses the unique ability to consistently make highly difficult shots from anywhere on the floor. At 6’7″ with spectacular shiftiness and movement, he’ll go at any defender with confidence that he’ll score. His midrange jumpshot is his greatest weapon, but he also won’t shy away from the rim.

His decision-making has been a cause for some concern, but if Bailey can improve this aspect of his game, he’ll be one of the leagues best young scorers.

6. Washington Wizards draft Tre Johnson (Texas)

Tre Johnson knocked down 40% of his three-point attempts in his freshman season at Texas while leading the SEC in scoring. He can shake up his defenders off the dribble into a long-range pull up in his sleep. He also has the size and frame to get to the rim, making him arguably the best scorer in this draft.

His strength and defense are weak points, but those skills will be relatively easy to improve upon with the guidance of the Wizards’ veterans.

7. New Orleans Pelicans draft Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)

Jeremiah Fears has a lethal combination of ball-handling and rim pressure that’s reminiscent of shifty guards like Jordan Poole and Jamal Murray. He can get to the rim at an NBA level and has enough playmaking abilities to find the open teammates off of a drive.

With extreme determination going downhill, he can sometimes get ahead of himself on the fastbreak. With more improvement on his deceleration and strength, Fears could become a star guard in the league.

8. Brooklyn Nets select Egor Demin (BYU)

Egor Demin is on his way to Brooklyn and will bring a strong combination of size and playmaking. As the best passer in this class, Demin seems to have eyes on the back of his head at times. His high-level ball-handling allows him to pick at the defense and force them into a mistake, one that he often sees a play ahead of time.

He isn’t a freak athlete and occasionally looks too unselfish on the offensive end, but his scoring can easily improve at the NBA level. As a decent off-ball defender, Demin is the best big man in this draft, even if he may not play like one.

9. Toronto Raptors draft Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina)

Collin Murray-Boyles has the best defensive IQ in this draft class. As a defensively oriented player, he won’t sell you with his playmaking or shooting. But he has extreme agility and intelligence that eerily emulates Draymond Green. At 6’6″ with a 240-pound frame, he can guard multiple positions and can easily be the anchor of the Raptors’ defense in the future.

10. Houston Rockets draft Khaman Maluach (Duke)

Just four years ago, Khaman Maluach enrolled at the NBA Academy Africa at just 14 years old, and it was his first time playing organized basketball. Now, he’s become a fierce rim protector and an elite pick-and-roll threat.

With a longer wingspan than Victor Wembanyama, he’s an immediate lob threat and paint defender.he may not be the most creative or dynamic player on the floor, but his presence in the paint will be a huge deterrent on defense.

11. Portland Trail Blazers draft Cedric Coward (Washington State), traded to Memphis Grizzlies

Cedric Coward has tremendous physical tools that seemed to be tailored for the modern NBA. As a peremiter ball-handler with a 7’2″ wingspan, his outside shot often towers over his defender. He’s a 40% long-range shooter that can also get to the rim in a variety of ways.

Much like other prospects, he will need to improve his strength and defensive movement, but his footwork on offense is strong and could easily translate to the rest of his game.

12. Chicago Bulls draft Noa Essengue (France)

At just 18 years old, Noa Essengue’s potential is as high as anyone in this draft. He’s already spent some serious time at the professional level, including a preseason international matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers at just 17 years old. He scored 20 points in that matchup.

At 6’9″ with great strength and fearless slashing, Essengue brings toughness to the Bulls. He doesn’t particularly struggle or thrive in a particular niche on offense, making his skillset a prototype at the very least.

13. Atlanta Hawks draft Derik Queen (Maryland), traded to New Orleans Pelicans

Derik Queen is a big man that will bring a unique blend of size and finesse to the New Orleans Pelicans, who acquired the 13th pick from the Atlanta Hawks in a last-minute trade. He’s a tenacious rebounder who will do whatever it takes to get his hands on the ball after a shot. He’s not exactly a high-flying rim defender, but he has decent defensive instincts.

His soft touch extends past just his shot, as he’s also one of the best passing big men in his rookie class. He resides almost exclusively inside the arc, but routinely makes incredible plays for his open teammates on the perimeter.

14. San Antonio Spurs draft Carter Bryant (Arizona)

Carter Bryant passes the eye test as well as any prospect in this draft. He’s the type of 3-and-D player that every team wants. He combines incredible leaping ability and quick reaction time on the defensive end. He makes an impact both on and off the ball, in help situations, closing out and nearly every other situation on defense.

Most of his offensive output comes within the flow of the game as he can finish at the rim while also spacing the floor. While he’s certainly not the flashiest player in the draft, he has all the fundamentals needed to make an immediate impact at the NBA level.

The 2025 NBA Draft class is loaded with talent. With skill level at an all-time high across the league and a plethora of young stars eager to make an impact, the 2026 NBA season will be an exciting one.