International Losers From the 2025 NBA Draft

Players largely control their own destiny and careers, but the playing environment always plays a role. Getting drafted by the right team and being put in an environment that sets you up for success is important for any profession, and especially the NBA. Unfortunately, a few international players selected last week are heading to teams where there are concerns about their fit and their future.

Yang Hansen - Portland Trail Blazers

The shock of the draft was the Portland Trail Blazers trading up to select Yang Hansen 16th overall. No one, truly no one, saw this coming. We were high on Yang at Draft Digest and still doubted a team rolling the dice on him in the first round.

Now, still, calling this a losing move is a bit harsh. The concerns are that this drew much more attention to Yang and the Blazers' front office. If they take him in the second round, no one even bats an eye if he barely features this season. But trading up and selecting a player way higher than anticipated sends a loud and clear message: this player is a building block for the franchise. That's a considerably different environment for Yang to walk into.

It's important to note that Yang is now the fifth center on the Blazers' payroll through at least 2025-26: DeAndre Ayton, Donovan Clingan, Robert Williams III, and Duop Reath. It's probably fair to say at least one of these players gets traded before the season begins, and maybe even two of them. But Ayton will be tough to move, and tough to stomach as a bench salary. Clingan was the seventh overall pick last season. Neither fits with Yang on the court either. The boldness of this move is appreciated, but the overall vision is murky.

Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf - Brooklyn Nets

Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf are likely just as confused as everyone else is. Why did the Nets select three young primary ballhandlers in the first round? The glass-half-full look at this is that the Nets did actually need to add at least three potential point guards this offseason, and if they plan to tank again this season, entrusting three rookies to run their offense will help that effort.

At the same time, there's just not enough point guard reps to go around for Egor Demin, Traore, and Saraf. Their fit together is clunky, as Traore is the only one who has shown any off-ball skills, and that has been exclusively as a spot-up shooter. All three of these prospects have their strengths and weaknesses, and none of them help balance each other out. That's not a good setup for anybody.

Bogoljub Markovic - Milwaukee Bucks

Getting Bogoljub Markovic in the second round is great value for the Milwaukee Bucks, especially at pick 47. His skill set is something that should fit alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. He can screen and roll, space the floor, and offer an interior defensive presence with his size and length that pairs nicely with the Greek Freak.

But will head coach Doc Rivers trust him? Rivers notoriously prefers veterans over rookies. Even if he does trust him and tries to give him room to grow, is that something Antetokounmpo is willing to live with as he looks back on consecutive first-round playoff exits? If this relationship works, it will be because Markovic willed it into existence.