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February 14, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Team T forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) of the Atlanta Hawks shoots the ball against Team C forward Zach Edey (14) of the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2025 NBA Rising Stars Game at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Five Draft Prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft That Make Sense for the Atlanta Hawks

Originally posted on Atlanta Hawks on SI | By Rohan Roman | Last updated Feb 17, 2025 9:26 PM ET

Although the regular season is far from over, the end of the trade deadline officially means that teams start thinking about their plans in the 2025 NBA Draft with a little more urgency. Decisions are made or not made at the deadline with the draft in mind and it's a guarentee that the Hawks weighed that into some of the decisions they made this year.

Trading both DeAndre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic away opens up plenty of future salary for the Hawks to take advantage of adding cost-controlled talent in the draft. With the new CBA taking hold, the draft is going to become more important than ever before as teams have to grapple with increased restrictions on salary. Look no further than Atlanta's recent first-round pick, Zaccharie Risacher.

After starting the season by shooting under 30% from deep and struggling to acclimate to the Hawks' offense, Risacher has looked much more comfortable. One thing that has been consistent for him this year is his defense. For a rookie wing, Risacher has surprisingly been a net neutral on defense. He doesn't produce a ton of highlights or make as many noteworthy plays as Daniels, but he plays his assingment well and moves his feet quickly to close off angles. He can get bullied by stronger players, but that doesn't happen nearly as much as it usually does with a 19 year-old wing. However, the very encouraging part of his rookie season has been the improvement he's shown on offense. Since December, he's shooting 37% from deep and upped his scoring to 12 points on league-average efficiency. If Risacher becomes an elite 3&D wing on his current deal, that's a massive bargain for the Hawks.

They are also at a pick deficit over the next three drafts. There's a decent chance that they will have two first-round picks in the 2025 draft - they have an unprotected Lakers first-round pick and a protected Sacramento Kings first-rounder that conveys if it is outside of the top 12 picks. If the Hawks end up keeping both picks, it would be of massive benefit considering that the upcoming draft projects to be particularly strong. The Hawks likely won't be in range for Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper, but Atlanta will be able to add a talent that fits their roster.

A previous mock draft done by ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo had the Hawks adding SG/SF Liam McNeeley with the 13th overall pick. McNeeley is only 19 years old and would not need to be an isolation scorer for Atlanta right away. He's shooting 37.6% from deep this year on 5.3 attempts per game. He takes them at a good rate and given his 6'8 frame, that is a standout figure. He also shoots 85% from the charity stripe, so there's some real potential for those numbers to translate. There's a lot of praise for McNeeley's game. Conneticut head coach Dan Hurley is very high on what he can bring at the next level, saying, “That guy’s gonna be a top-10 pick. He’s one of the best players in the country.” after a win over Creighton where the freshman dropped 38 points.

Givony and Woo also predicted that the Hawks would use the 26th overall selection on PF/C Alex Condon from Florida. Condon has a good motor and has shown strides from last year as a passer. He's got good instincts and has shown growth on the defensive end, averaging 2.2 stocks per game. Condon's post game is very solid. The real questions in his game lie in how good of a shooter he will be and whether he can add strength to hold up against NBA competition on both ends of the floor. There's a chance he could grow into a better starting center option than Okongwu, but it's hard to project that at this stage. He just suffered an ankle injury against Mississippi State, so it remains to be seen how he recovers from that setback.

Condon and McNeeley would be very solid picks for the Hawks, but what are some other options for them?

Derik Queen - C, Maryland

Stats: 15.9 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.0 BPG, 1.1 SPG on 54.5% FG and 75.5% FT in 29.0 MPG (24 games, 24 starts)

At only 20 years old, Queen has made a massive impact for the Terrapins this year. He's a 6'10 center with some passing upside, especially for his size. He finds open shooters on the perimeter and works very well as a roll man in the P&R. With the possible loss of Clint Capela this offseason, the Hawks could use a big man who pairs well with Young in the pick and roll. They also need to add a long-term option behind Onyeka Okongwu as there's no guarantee Larry Nance Jr. returns during free agency this summer.

Egor Demin - PG/SG, BYU

Stats: 11.0 PPG, 3.6 RPG, 5.5 APG, 0.5 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 42.6% FG, 28.0% 3PT, 65.6% FT in 28.1 MPG (22 games, 22 starts)

Demin is only 19 years old and already has great feel as a passer. He's averaging almost 6 assists to 3 turnovers a game and routinely makes very accurate passes. At his best, he's a 6'8 playmaker who can provide some complementary passing and ball-handling. He's also taken strides as a finisher at the rim. However, he's not much of a shooter and there are significant concerns about his speed/athleticism.

Although the archetype of a forward with playmaking chops is a pretty hard one to find, Atlanta already has one in Jalen Johnson. Demin would serve as a role player who can offer some of what Johnson provides in a bench role.

Johni Broome - PF/C, Auburn

Stats: 18.1 PPG, 10.9 RPG, 3.4 APG, 2.7 BPG, 0.8 SPG, 50.3% FG, 30.0% 3PT, 61.1% FT in 28.6 MPG (23 games, 22 starts)

Unlike the previous two prospects, Broome is on the older side since he'll be almost 23 years old when he'll be drafted. However, he is a very developed player with a lot of exciting qualities. He's an excellent shot-blocker and has some playmaking chops as a connective passer. His motor serves him well as both a scorer and rebounder. He's not a great defender in a 1v1 context, but he's a smart team defender.

The upside with Broome is a bit lower because he's an older prospect. However, teams who draft him can feel confident they're getting a backup big man who could work his way into the starting lineup. He'd be a very reasonable pick for the Hawks with the later of their two picks and provide some insurance in case Nance doesn't return.

Thomas Sorber - PF/C, Georgetown

Stats: 14.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 2.5 APG, 2.1 BPG, 1.5 SPG, 52.2% FG, 16.2% 3PT, 72.4% FT in 32.2 MPG (23 games, 22 starts)

Sorber is another young big man, but he moves really well for being only 19 years old at the time of the draft. His fluidity and ability to move in space is very impressive and he can actually guard smaller players because of it. He doesn't really shoot and he doesn't have much of a handle, but he finishes well and can make simple passes.

It's hard to project him as much of an upgrade over Onyeka Okongwu given that he's so young and there are questions about his game, but there is certainly some potential there if the Hawks want to develop him further. It is interesting to note that he has a pretty good FT%, so there are some shooting tools to work with.

Adou Thiero - SF/PF, Arkansas

Stats: 22.7 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.6 APG, 2.5 SPG, 1.1 BPG, 56.3% FG, 25.0% 3P, 69.7% FT (23 games, 28.2 MPG)

Thiero is an incredibly athletic defender who finishes well at the rim and can switch onto multiple positions. He would be an excellent fit for Atlanta from the standpoint of upgrading their perimeter defense, which has been lackluster throughout the season. For a passer like Young, players like Thiero are incredibly beneficial because they can operate as lob threats and targets on entry passes. He's not much of a shooter yet and will need time to develop on that end. Although he's not incredibly young, he will be 21 by the time he's drafted and has some room for further development.

This article first appeared on Atlanta Hawks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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