Minnesota Timberwolves post-lottery 2025 NBA mock draft roundup

The Minnesota Timberwolves, who lead the Golden State Warriors 3-1 in the second round of the playoffs, are currently in the midst of a golden opportunity in their present. They're just one win away from a second consecutive trip to the Western Conference Finals and another crack at making the first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history.

But that doesn't mean we can't also look to the future. The Wolves hold the 17th and 31st overall picks — via Detroit and Utah, respectively — in this year's NBA draft, which will take place on June 25 and 26 in Brooklyn. Barring a trade, those will be two important selections for president of basketball operations Tim Connelly as he looks to continue to strengthen Minnesota's depth and find players who can contribute alongside Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, and the rest of the Wolves' core moving forward.

The draft lottery took place on Monday night (and was won, rather controversially, by the Dallas Mavericks). That means the full order of the draft is now set. It also means a wave of new mock drafts have been published by various analysts. Let's take a look at who those experts see Connelly and the Wolves taking with the 17th pick late next month (and at 31 if their mock includes both rounds).

Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo! Sports

No. 17: Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State

"Clifford is a tough-as-nails wing who does it all. He defends multiple positions, crashes the boards and scores from everywhere. The Timberwolves could use that type of dynamic ability from a role player, since Clifford can offer some creation and passing on top of his foundational skills. And plus with Nickeil Alexander-Walker set to hit free agency, Minnesota might need someone who's ready sooner than later."

No. 31: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

"Might it be time to find a cheap big man? Both Naz Reid and Julius Randle have player options this summer, and Rudy Gobert will be 33 next season with only two guaranteed seasons remaining on his contract. Kalkbrenner is a throwback 7-footer who owns the paint, swatting shots with his giant wingspan and dunking everything in sight. It’s a bit strange he isn’t a better rebounder. But as a super senior, he’s also developed some sneaky passing and shooting skills that hint at higher upside, making him a worthy gamble despite his age for a win-now team like Minnesota."

Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, ESPN

No. 17: Danny Wolf, F, Michigan

"Leaning into the versatility of an out-of-the-box prospect such as Wolf, who shouldered significant playmaking responsibilities for Michigan as a 7-footer, could be interesting. Wolf's skill level, creativity and overall instincts on both ends of the floor give him a higher ceiling than your typical 21-year-old prospect, especially with the development trajectory he has been on the past three years.

The Pistons breaking through and making the playoffs conveyed this pick to the Timberwolves, who have a nice opportunity to add talent after having traded away most of their draft capital since Tim Connelly took over as president. Wolf would give them a versatile frontcourt player capable of contributing sooner than later. Minnesota will also consider using this pick to improve its roster as it pushes to contend around an ascending Anthony Edwards."

No. 31: Alex Condon, C, Florida

Sam Vecenie, The Athletic

No. 17: Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown

"The Timberwolves have some questions forthcoming in the frontcourt over the next couple of years. Julius Randle has starred in the playoffs but has a player option this summer. Naz Reid is a free agent. Rudy Gobert turns 33 in June. Sorber is an absolutely massive body that I think would tick some boxes for head of basketball operations Tim Connelly. He’s fluid and coordinated at 6-9 to 6-10, but moreover possesses a mammoth wingspan that I wouldn’t be stunned to see land in the 7-4 range. His frame is massive with broad shoulders.

Beyond that, he has this innate feel for the game as a passer and playmaker that Connelly has tended to value in his big men going back to even Denver, when he selected Nikola Jokić. It’s easy to see Minnesota valuing Sorber as a big man with real feel for the game as a developmental project next year who could hopefully step into a more substantive role in his second and third seasons."

No. 31: Will Riley, F, Illinois

Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report

No. 17: Nolan Traore, G, France

"Nolan Traore is in the midst of one of his best stretches of the season. He's going to enter the draft with the field's highest assist percentage regardless, but now he's confidently stepping into three-point makes and creating for himself with visible decisiveness. Shooting struggles and inefficiency caused by athletic limitations had scared scouts off. But the bar was awfully high entering the season. And now the 18-year-old has looked highly effective generating offense as a starting point guard in Pro A."

No. 31: Hugo Gonzalez, F, Spain

"Hugo Gonzalez has had some productive minutes in early May, though the bar has been moved fairly low. Only five minutes a game for Real Madrid creates a tough evaluation for teams that will be eager to learn more at the NBA combine. Teams will admire Gonzalez's physical foundation and defensive outlook, but there's likely to be some guesswork when it comes to projecting his shooting consistency and on-ball development."

Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated

No. 17: Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State

"Clifford’s stock seems to be rising after a monster close to the season at Colorado State and a strong start to the predraft process. He’s an older prospect at 23 with five years of college experience, but he should add a ton of value as a defender, passer and slasher who can make catch-and-shoot threes."

Ricky O'Donnell, SB Nation

No. 17: Labaron Philon, G, Alabama

"Philon started for an elite team all year as a true freshman and made big contributions despite not having a reliable outside jumper yet. The 6’4 guard has one of the better handles in the class, and he does a tremendous job manipulating pace to punch holes in the opposing defense. He’s a solid live-dribble passer who can kick out to teammates for threes, and he has a developing mid-range/floater game to score even when he doesn’t make it all the way to the rim. Philon’s defense is also intriguing with quick hands that generated the most steals on the Crimson Tide by a big margin. The catch with Philon is he isn’t a great outside shooter yet (31.5 percent from deep) and he has trouble finishing over length. If the shot comes around, his game feels built for the playoffs."

J. Kyle Mann, The Ringer

No. 17: Collin Murray-Boyles, F, South Carolina

"Murray-Boyles is highly impactful on defense without being overly flashy about it. More of a workman who puts up walls on defense than a high-flying, acrobatic disruptor. I wish I could count the number of times I’ve watched someone attempt to methodically disassemble him, only to crumple up like a crashed car when they try to move him or gaze on helplessly as he fully palms the ball after he snatches it out of their hands. He’ll have to find ways to add value on offense, but the Timberwolves can put CMB on a Jaden McDaniels path, keeping the offense simple for him at first so that they can reap the benefits of his defense."

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