2025 NBA Draft: Overlooked prospects with breakout potential

The 2025 NBA Draft is almost here, meaning most boards are nearly locked in place. However, while the majority of focus centers on a group of star players, there are others who have stayed in the shadows with long careers ahead.

For years to come, there will also be debate over which players proved to outperform their draft slot. While that conversation is just beginning, there are several overlooked prospects across the board with real breakout potential.

Here is a look at which prospects currently projected somewhere from the bottom of the first round, all through the second round and into the list of undrafted prospects who could prove valuable NBA players with long careers.

Chucky Hepburn

Chucky Hepburn is one of the best prospects in the class at creating steals on the perimeter. While it is not the top skillset needed for defensive success in the NBA, it is a valuable piece of what could keep him on a roster for years to come.

While he was able to facilitate offense well across multiple stops, he is not a high-level 3-point shooter and projects to have limited impact scoring the ball. The residual impact on his ability to set up his teammates for open shots will then determine his long-term success.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser

Yanic Konan Niederhauser was the big winner from the NBA Draft Combine, showing off his ability to work as an athletic rim-runner who sets screens and rebounds at a high level. In the professional ranks, those skillsets are incredibly valuable to certain teams and playstyles.

There are plenty questions about why he is just now showcasing his skills — and of course whether it is a hot streak at the right time — but his college numbers do merit a look. The struggles of his program to sustain success will make it easy for some to project his stock to keep rising.

Alijah Martin

Alijah Martin fits almost none of the molds which conventional NBA scouting will rank high. However, he is a proven winner over multiple levels at multiple stops, doing many things on both ends of the floor to ensure his team ended up on the right side of the biggest games.

He is incredibly undersized for an off-ball guard at the professional level, but has the strength to stand up against many opponents. On offense, there is a way to go before he possesses even neutral value as a streaky shooter, but again does the little things to make others better.

Drake Powell

Drake Powell is an interesting case to study in the NBA Draft class, with some numbers which suggest success but others which raise concern over his readiness to contribute. Those looking for the upside will see a solid wing defender who shot a high percentage from 3 and already knows how to scale his game.

However, the low volume he took up on offense is also a concern, particularly given the times an increase seemed neccisary for his team’s success last season. Consistency might not come early, but there is enough in the good moments to think he is undervalued.

Rocco Zikarsky

After entering the draft cycle as a potential first-round pick, Rocco Zikarsky has slipped into second round conversations due to a combination of injury setbacks and underwhelming numbers throughout the year. Offensive value is a long way off, but given his youth there is hope that he can do anything from refine his paint game to develop an outside shot.

He brings great size at 7-foot-3, immediately adding value to his game inside. Even without an elite wingspan he has all the tools needed to become a defensive force on the interior as he grows into the role as other areas lag behind.

Honorable mentions

Brooks Barnhizer, Tamar Bates, Ryan Nembhard, Will Richard, Max Shulga

Brooks Barnhizer proved to be one of the best perimeter defenders in college basketball over multiple seasons, becoming extremely productive at creating turnovers. While he has a ways to go as a shooter — or offensive prospect period — he did put up points, in addition to the rebounding value he adds on the wing.

Tamar Bates backed up a breakout season in college basketball by performing strong across multiple showcase events this offseason. His combination of size and backcourt versatility matches many former second round picks who have turned into valuable players in recent seasons.

The Nembhard name is in high demand coming off the NBA Finals, and even though Ryan is a smaller guard than his brother Andrew, he still possesses plenty valuable traits. The ability to facilitate offense is where he projects to add the most value, with the potential to stick on the floor based on his defensive intensity even undersized.

Will Richard is coming off a national championship season, which of course raises the stock of everyone involved. Even before that, he turned himself into a valuable prospect on the wing by combining catch-and-shoot output with solid team defense.

Max Shulga can create value in the NBA by translating his 3-point shooting and defensive value off the ball, something he got few reps doing at the mid-major level. He has been a consistent winner during his time in college basketball and now looks to apply his traits in a new way.