NBA mock draft: Can anyone unseat Flagg for No. 1?

With the NCAA conference tournaments around the corner, it's time for a glance at the 2025 NBA Draft.

In our first mock, we examined potential lottery picks. This time, we're considering all 30 first-round picks based on the NBA standings as of March 1.

Stats from Europe-based players are compiled from all competitions.

Cooper Flagg (Duke) 🇺🇸

What happens when you mix a 6-foot-9, uber-athletic, playmaking wing with the best motor in the draft? You get Cooper Flagg. Having just turned 18, Flagg is the most complete player in this draft despite being one of its youngest. The Duke star has emerged as the consensus No. 1 pick, regardless of who ends up with the first selection, and he's a prime candidate to become just the fourth freshman ever to be named Naismith Player of the Year.

Dylan Harper (Rutgers) 🇺🇸

Rutgers has some of the worst spacing in college, yet Harper manages to get to the rim at will. A big, strong guard, Harper only needs an inch before hitting the hole like a running back, using his broad shoulders to create separation and finish around the basket. The 6-foot-6 guard has also shown flashes of high-level passing. There's a clear path to multiple All-Star nods once surrounded by NBA talent.

Ace Bailey (Rutgers) 🇺🇸

Bailey landed just behind Flagg as the consensus No. 2 player in the 2024 class. The 6-foot-10 wing has teased explosive scoring potential this season - highlighted by three games of at least 30 points. Like most 18-year-olds, consistency has been Bailey's biggest issue. That likely means he won't be a standout player immediately, but he's a perfect fit for a team with a long-term view of his immense talent.

VJ Edgecombe (Baylor) 🇧🇸

Edgecombe has all the makings of a future superstar: Elite athleticism - check. Can succeed both at getting to the hoop and as a spot-up shooter - check. Thrives as an on-ball defender with excellent timing and a knack for snatching steals and forcing deflections - check. He also appears to have the necessary intangibles to help him improve as a ball-handler, ensuring Edgecombe can excel as a combo guard at the next level.

Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois) 🇱🇹

Jakucionis is arguably the most gifted off-the-dribble shooter in this draft class. There are moments when the 6-foot-6 guard mimics Luka Doncic, weaving around screens until he gets some space to take a side-step three or throw an inch-perfect pass to a shooter in the corner. There are other moments, however, when he struggles to create separation and looks outmatched physically. If the Lithuanian can improve his handle and cut down on the turnovers, he could become a high-level starter.

Tre Johnson (Texas) 🇺🇸

Some players at the college level just look like pros; Johnson is one of them. The 6-foot-5 guard can score any number of ways and excels both as a shot-maker and by blowing past defenders thanks to his pace and handles. While there are doubts over Johnson's athleticism and how it will translate to the next level, he has the tools to be a high-ceiling starter.

Derik Queen (Maryland) 🇺🇸

There's something inherently retro about Queen, a traditional post player with surprisingly adroit movements and passing chops. The 6-foot-10 big is also adept at handling double-teams and is a talented low-post scorer. Whether he succeeds at the next level may depend on what role - either at center or as a four - his future employer deems most suitable. Either way, there's a lot to like about a player who's made sizable strides this season.

Liam McNeeley (UConn) 🇺🇸

McNeeley's one of the draft's top shooters, making almost 35% of his triples this season despite playing for a UConn team that severely lacks a playmaker to get the freshman star open looks. McNeeley won't wow you off the bounce with elite athleticism, and he'll likely struggle to guard at the NBA level. However, his ability to heat up from deep is a skill that's held in high regard in the professional game.

Kon Knueppel (Duke) 🇺🇸

Knueppel is an absolute gunner from deep, connecting on almost 40% of the six triples he shoots per game as a freshman. The 6-foot-7, 217-pounder possesses great size on the wing, and his ability to shoot over defenders helps make up for average athleticism on the outside.

Khaman Maluach (Duke) 🇸🇸

Maluach has the highest floor among players projected at the second half of the lottery due to his immense size and length. Still only 18, the South Sudanese center rarely creates for himself or others, but he possesses a ridiculous catch radius around the rim thanks to his 7-foot-2 frame and 9-foot-8 standing reach. The Spurs double-dipping for Blue Devils would be fun.

Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma) 🇺🇸

Fears became Oklahoma's go-to player the second he stepped on campus as an 18-year-old this season. He has lived up to the billing and then some - leading his team in assists while sitting second in points and third in rebounds. He's also finishing with a flourish, putting up just over 21 points and making 45% of his triples over the past three games. Fears isn't the most physically imposing guard, but he's elite at getting into the paint and finishing at the hoop.

Egor Demin (BYU) 🇷🇺

Demin is one of the more polarizing prospects in this draft. Standing 6-foot-9, the Russian point guard is a behemoth of a playmaker who's developed into an elite passer that can knock down a shot. However, there are doubts about his athleticism and whether it will hinder his defense at the next level.

Boogie Fland (Arkansas) 🇺🇸

Fland is the latest in the line of electric point guards hailing from New York. A season-ending injury in January cut his freshman campaign short, but the Bronx native had already shown he's ready for the pros. Fland's lightning first step and ability to hit tough shots make him very difficult to guard, and he's a willing passer who led the Razorbacks in assists.

Noa Essengue (Ratiopharm Ulm) 🇫🇷

Built like a lamp post with the fast-twitch fibers of a sprinter, Essengue, who turned 18 in December, is both one of the most athletically gifted and rawest prospects in this draft. At present, Essengue is all gas, no brakes in transition and would benefit from some refined skills in the half court.

Ben Saraf (Ratiopharm Ulm) 🇮🇱

Squint and you'll see a bit of Manu Ginobili in Saraf. Blessed with great size (6-foot-6) and elite on-ball skills, Saraf is bound to shoot up draft boards as the June event approaches given his ability to play both as a playmaker and on the wing.

Asa Newell (Georgia) 🇺🇸

There's uncertainty regarding where Newell can be most effective at the NBA level. Stuck somewhere between a power forward and center, the Georgia freshman is an effective screen-and-roll big who shows flashes of elite defending. Like most undersized big men, his impact will be determined by his shooting ability.

Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina) 🇺🇸

The forward is the best defensive player in this class by some distance. There's an outcome where Murray-Boyles becomes a Draymond Green-level defender. Unfortunately, he lacks Green's outstanding passing and is just as unwilling of a shooter. The 19-year-old has only hit seven of his 31 career 3-point attempts.

Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid) 🇪🇸

Gonzalez, a 6-foot-6 wing, might be among the most NBA-ready players in this draft thanks to a sturdy frame, slick handles, and a solid jumper. The Spaniard could make an impact in his first season with the Thunder as a plug-and-play 3-and-D solution.

Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin) 🇫🇷

Traore, another Frenchman, has garnered praise as a lightning-quick point guard with good size (6-foot-4). Despite a rocky start to the season, there's a lot of upside for a player adept at pushing the pace at blistering speeds and finding teammates.

Thomas Sorber (Georgetown) 🇺🇸

Sorber was having a standout freshman season before suffering a season-ending foot injury last week. The 6-foot-10, 255-pounder is incredibly raw on the offensive end, but the T-Wolves are in a position to wait and see if they can help him reach his ceiling.

Noah Penda (Le Mans Sarthe) 🇫🇷

If the Pacers are seeking an NBA-ready two-way player who can effectively guard multiple positions and has keen rebounding instincts might find a gem in Penda, who measures 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan. He's no slouch on the offensive end, either, and has the assets to be a three-level scorer.

Joan Beringer (Cedevita Olimpija) 🇫🇷

It's not often that one of the youngest players in a draft is among its best defenders. Beringer is exactly that, and at 6-foot-10, the French 18-year-old is a capable rebounder and a solid rim-protector. He'll take time to blossom, but there's plenty to like.

Danny Wolf (Michigan) 🇺🇸

Wolf is a bit of a unicorn in this year's draft, as the 7-footer boasts a variety of skills that enable him to play any position. Wolf is lethal in the pick-and-roll, connecting on over 35% of his triples while also showing he can finish at the hoop.

Kam Jones (Marquette) 🇺🇸

Perhaps no player in the draft has the volume of dominant college tape that Jones has. The senior guard has played over 130 contests and averaged at least 15 points per game the last three seasons. Jones is a polished scorer who's added solid playmaking ability with a career-high six assists per game in 2024-25. At 23, he's one of the older players, but an immediate contributor is just what the Hawks need.

Jase Richardson (Michigan State) 🇺🇸

Richardson is a smooth, lefty wing who has catapulted up draft boards this season because he does a little bit of everything. He has gained the trust of Tom Izzo, who's notorious for refusing to give the ball to freshmen. The 19-year-old is a smart off-ball cutter, competent spot-up shooter, and strong defender who can fit into most rosters.

Labaron Philon (Alabama) 🇺🇸

Philon is one of the draft's fastest end-to-end players with the ball in his hands. A lightning rod who always wants to push the tempo and slither his way to the rim, Philon will be a project because of his slender frame and lack of outside shooting.

Will Riley (Illinois) 🇨🇦

He's not quite "two years away from being two years away," but Riley is certainly a long-term project. The Canadian has shown flashes of elite scoring ability this season but has also been plagued by inconsistency in his first year of college ball. Riley can fill it up off the dribble and in spot-up shooting situations and projects to be a solid NBA scorer once he adds weight to his 6-foot-8, 195-pound frame.

JT Toppin (Texas Tech) 🇺🇸

Toppin is one of the draft's most annoying players to match up against - and we mean that in the most complimentary of ways. The power forward provides endless energy at both ends and is an absolute menace on the glass. He's also emerging as a scorer with his 6-foot-9 frame allowing him to rise above most defenders.

Adou Thiero (Arkansas) 🇺🇸

He plays in the SEC - the most physical league in college - but Thiero's athleticism and energy still jumps off the screen. Built like a linebacker, the wing projects to be a multi-positional defender in the NBA, averaging an impressive 2.5 stocks (steals plus blocks) per game.

Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph's) 🇺🇸

A late-bloomer with impressive measurables, Fleming shot up draft boards after showcasing his outside jumper. Having never hit more than 33% from three in his first two college seasons, teams will be betting Fleming's 42% mark from deep isn't a flash in the pan.