With the college football season coming to its close on Monday, college hoops is set to take center stage. The second half of the season is shaping up to be extremely exciting. This year’s draft is beginning to come more into focus with a better feel for the freshmen and upperclassmen, as well as the international players that are playing themselves into first round draft consideration.
1. Washington Wizards Cooper Flagg 6-8 205 PF/SF Duke Fr.
If there were any doubts about Flagg being the top overall pick at any point over the past year or two, those have been squashed by his recent dominant play. He’s not only the most-impactful freshman, but by a wide margin. He came into the season with one major question mark: his outside shooting consistency. He has more than proven his capability by knocking down 12-25 three pointers in his past six games. In his signature, record-breaking game he was the highest-scoring freshman in ACC history, with 42 points. Scoring no longer seems to be a major concern projecting his game to the next level. The game comes naturally to him and he shows the willingness to outwork everybody and strives to be the best version of himself that he can. The most profound aspect of his season, thus far, has been his incredible improvement, which has exceeded most expectations. The ‘”capture the Flagg” sweepstakes will only ramp up heading into March and April, as Flagg attempts to do what very few have done before: lead a team to a national Championship as a freshman. Flagg’s main hurdle at this point is to continue to advance his shooting, creating offense, and prove himself dominant against higher levels of competition as the season progresses. He obviously made an impression on the best players in the world with his performance in the USA Olympic practices.
NBA Comparison: Scottie Pippen
2. Toronto Raptors Ace Bailey 6-8 200 SF Rutgers Fr.
Bailey has been on a tear of late including a 39 point performance against Indiana. His offensive potential is extremely intriguing. He had some growing pains early on in the college season and still lacks ideal consistency. But when he’s focused and playing to his ability, the talent is undeniable. He possesses a rare combination of length, athleticism and skills. He not only shoots the ball extremely well from the perimeter, but shows promising vision and passing skills. From a talent and skill perspective, he is the total package. Where he needs the most development is just growing up and becoming the same reliable player every day. Having interviewed him, it’s not an issue with motivation or passion for the game, he’s probably a little misunderstood. He just needs to polish some of the rough edges, which his season at Rutgers should be immense in that department. Where Harper is the floor play, Bailey is the ceiling play. A team willing to forego certainty and roll the dice on the 3-4 year upside player, Ace Bailey is the guy.
NBA Comparison: Paul George
3. New Orleans Pelicans Dylan Harper 6-6 215 PG/SG Rutgers Fr.
Harper is already playing at an extremely high level as one of the nation’s top scorers. He reminds scouts of a bigger Jalen Brunson due to his crafty ability to use bully-ball tactics and leverage when speed doesn’t cut it. He’s a physical lead guard with the ability to make those players around him better, as well as to be a volume scorer. He lacks the ceiling of teammate Ace Bailey but could ultimately go in front of him in the draft. As the son of a former NBA great and the brother of an aspiring NBA player, Ron Harper Jr, Dylan has a great network of knowledge to draw glean from his immediate family members that the average player doesn’t have. He’s grown up around the game, and there’s certainly a correlation between NBA lineage and success. Harper can provide a culture changing piece for a struggling team, a la Jalen Brunson or Cade Cunningham.
NBA Comparison: Cade Cunningham
4. Charlotte Hornets Tre Johnson 6-6 190 SG Texas Fr.
Johnson has exceeded expectations and proven to be one of the most impactful and ready to play freshmen in the country. He’s a scorer with very good range and shooting ability along with prototypical 2-guard size. Johnson’s scoring has dropped off some in recent weeks, but he’s still in the top 40 in the nation in scoring at 19 ppg. He possesses good length and the skills to create offense for himself. He developed a bit of a reputation in high school as a player that had bouts of inconsistency and would have games where he didn’t show up. He’s done a good job of limiting that. He’ll need to continue to keep his efficiency high during conference play and not allow the inevitable freshman wall to derail him. His current shooting splits of 47 / 41 / 85 are intriguing for teams looking for a scoring guard to build around.
NBA Comparison: Joe Johnson
5. Utah Jazz VJ Edgecombe 6-5 190 SG/PG Bsylor Fr.
Edgecombe had a bit of a rude awakening with regard to the jump in competition and playing in front of huge crowds in the college environment. VJ has settled in well and improved as his freshman season has progressed. He’s ultra athletic with point guard potential. He lacks ideal size at the shooting guard position at 6-4 but the fact that he’s such a dynamic athlete and shows the ability to create off the dribble and play some lead guard gives him a great deal of intrigue.
NBA Comparison: Russell Westbrook
6. Portland Trailblazers Asa Newell 6-9 220 PF Georgia Fr.
Newell has been productive and shown a willingness to play more physical than he had in high school. His shooting splits are decent but there’s still room for improvement. The main question marks surrounding Newell have been his physical toughness and whether he has the size to play in the paint at the NBA level. Look for him to add the necessary strength and toughness to become a stretch four. He also has some untapped shooting ability that should develop at the next level.
NBA Comparison: David Lee
7. Brooklyn Nets Boogie Fland 6-2 180 PG Arkansas Fr.
Fland is a flashy and scrappy lead guard from the Bronx. He’s next in line in the Coach Cal point guard production line. He’s still mastering the art of playing the position and balancing creating offense for himself and others. The lack of physicality is one slight concern and an intriguing debate has emerged between Fland and fellow freshman point guard Jeremiah Fears. We still believe Fland is the better long term prospect, due to his high school body of work and overall skill set and potential. But the fact that Fears has been so good defensively and surprised on offense has closed the gap. Fland has good length in his own right, and just needs to add more strength to improve upon his ability to play physical.
NBA Comparison: Dejounte Murray
8. Philadelphia 76ers Ian Jackson 6-4 190 SG North Carolina Fr.
Jackson has really excelled as the season as progressed, wrestling control of the scoring load from UNC’s talented returning guard corps. Jackson is a dynamic athlete with great speed off the dribble and can knock down shots off the dribble from outside as well as get to the rim. he lacks ideal size at the 2 guard position at 6’4 but can overcome that with his speed and quickness. After a slow start, Jackson is now averaging over 15 ppg on the season and knocking down 42% of his shots from three. Over his past six games, he’s been scorching the nets, averaging three made threes per game and 23 ppg over that span. Jackson can play himself into being a lottery pick if he continues on his recent tear over the second half of the season.
NBA Comparison: Jaden Ivey
9. Chicago Bulls Egor Demin 6-8 200 SF BYU Fr.
After a hot start, Demin has really struggled as the season has progressed. Whether it be level of competition or just struggling with some of the day to day cultural adjustments, Demin has not been as effective for BYU. The talent is very enticing as he’s a 6’8 wing with the ability to play point forward and facilitate for others. He’s got a smooth shooting stroke and scoring ability. While going as high as top 3 -5 is unlikely, as he was once projected, it gives an idea of the talent he possesses. Demin is of Russian decent and spent three seasons in Spain playing for Real Madrid, where he progressed into one of the best prospects in his age group. He landed a huge NIL deal to come to BYU and is one of the high upside prospects for this year’s draft. How he finishes the season will obviously be instrumental to his draft range.
NBA Comparison: Toni Kukoc
10. San Antonio Spurs Liam McNeeley 6-7 210 SF UConn Fr.
McNeeley is in a great situation, having filled in for Cooper Flagg at UConn when he decided to go to Duke. Not a bad consolation prize for Connecticut, McNeeley has been one of the best freshman in the country, showing the ability to be a consistent performer and leader. He’s a high level shooter with a good feel for the game. He’s also got solid size as a wing for the next level. Where he’s lacking is his ability to get by opponents off the dribble and defend in space. He’s got below average speed and athleticism by NBA standards, meaning his skill level and shooting ability has to be above average and NBA ready in order to be useful. McNeeley proved an ability to hit big shots in high school and has proven to be a highly competitive and big game performer thus far at UConn.
NBA Comparison: Corey Kispert
11. Phoenix Suns Jeremiah Fears 6-3 190 PG Oklahoma Fr.
Fears is an absolute “goon” as one scout affectionately described him . His willingness to get his nose dirty and make stops and play aggressively on the defensive end is an unusual trait. Fears may hit a wall in the second half of season, as many freshman do, so how he’s able to respond will be key. He’s been ahead of schedule on the offensive end, leading the Oklahoma team in scoring in solid efficiency and providing solid leadership and point guard skills. he was not a top 30 prospect entering the season, and is proving to be a bit of a late bloomer after not showing the same level of dominance at the high school level. Another key factor to consider is that Fears is listed at 6’4 at Oklahoma. He appears to be an inch or two shorter in high school, so if he in fact measures well (in the 6’4 range) it helps his case.
NBA Comparison: Doc Rivers
12. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta) (from Houston) Nolan Traore 6-4 185 PG Saint-Quentin 2006
Traore came into the season riding a wave of hype following an excellent Nike Hoop Summit (April 2024) performance and summer playing with the French junior national team. He has struggled to carry that momentum and is now seen as a more likely late lottery pick to mid first rounder. While his season has not been as productive as anticipated, he is playing at the senior level and holding his own. His play could be a little stronger and more consistent as a high level prospect, but he is well liked for his size, leadership and toughness. How he finishes out the season will be key in cementing a draft spot in this range.
NBA Comparison: Jamal Murray
13. Golden State Warriors Thomas Sorber 6-10 230 C?PF Georgetown Fr.
Sorber is still a babe in the woods and will need time to develop as a bigman with a lot of physical development left in front of him. What he has shown is a great feel for the game with good post skills, scoring and shooting and a natural ability to find teammates with his vision and passing. He is a long, fluid athlete at 6’10 and it appears that he may not be done growing. While not the most NBA ready prospect, he offers a lot of upside as a potential starting center that can even have an offensive run through him in the high post due to his great feel for the game and passing ability at a young age.
NBA Comparison: Greg Monroe
14, Atlanta Hawks (via Sacramento) Kasparas Jakucionis 6-5 190 SG/PG Illinois Fr.
Jakucionas has been extremely efficient and productive for the Fighting Illini. He’s proven to be one of the most ready freshman, impacting games regularly with his scoring, shooting and playmaking. While it might be optimistic to expect him to play point guard at the next level, the intrigue with his versatility and potential gives him his stock a boost. He’s a tough nosed, heady competitive guard with a very smooth shooting stroke. His lack of foot speed could make defending a challenge against NBA athletes, but he should be able to use his great anticipation and feel for the game to help compensate. The Lithuanian combo guard has a great foundation of skills. While his turnover rate needs to come down 3.6 per game, his stats are extremely impressive at over 16ppg, 5 ast, 5 reb, and excellent shooting splits (49 / 41 / 88%) . Although he’s missed a few games to injury recently, he figures to be in the mix as a potential late lottery pick for the 2025 NBA Draft.
NBA Comparison: Brandon Podziemski
15, Detroit Pistons Noa Essengue 6-10 200 SF/PF France 2006
The positives with Essange are his age as a December born 2006 player making him one of the youngest prospects available. He’s got excellent length and the ball handling to potentially create offense off the dribble, as well as the length to be disruptive as a rim runner and rebounder, ball deflector. The area of his game that must be unlocked is his shooting. The form and potential are there, it’s just a matter of gaining better ability to convert in game speed. He also must extend his range out further in order to make defenses respect his shooting and stretch the floor. Essangue has started the New Year well, contributing on the offensive end and playing aggressive in the paint. He figures to be a stretch four with great ability in the open floor, and versatility to defend multiple positions.
NBA Comparison: Donyell Marshall
16. Utah Jazz (from Minnesota) JT Toppin 6-9 220 PF Texas Tech So.
Toppin is a player who impressed scouts at the NBA Combine and likely would have been a second round pick, but took the advise to return to college and improve on his game in order to enter the league more ready to contribute. He’s shown solid improvement. A solid athlete, he’s got tremendous length and a bigtime motor, as he regularly outworks opponents on the boards and shows the most intensity and determination to get stops on the defensive end. His shooting and offensive game remain a work in progress as he can add some arch and adjust his shot some, but he possess some very intriguing intangibles to become a great role player at the next level. Toppin’s FT% has shown solid improvement from his freshman season at New Mexico to this year, going from to 57% to 69% His three point shooting on the other hand has dipped from 34% to 25%, but he’s still got time to improve on that over the second half of the season.
NBA Comparison: PJ Washington
17. Indiana Pacers Chaz Lanier 6-5 200 SG Tennessee Sr.
Lanier has become one of the nation’s breakout transfers, leading an elite team in scoring with Tennessee holding onto the top spot early and staying undefeated the longest of any team. Lanier is a late bloomer who after three seasons scoring just four points per game, broke out with a 19 ppg season as a senior, and used his additional COVID season to transfer to Tennessee and become a top player in the Power Conferences. Lanier has a little bit of a low, unorthodox release on his shot, but he’s become proficient at creating offense and knocking down shots. With good length, Lanier impressed at the 2024 NBA combine and currently projects as a likely first rounder. despite being 23 years of age.
NBA Comparison: Chris Duarte
18. LA Clippers Jaland Lowe 6-3 175 PG Pittsburgh So.
Lowe is one of the better non freshman point guard prospects for this year’s draft. He has elevated himself to Pitt’s go to scorer and lead guard. His 2-1 assist to turnover ratio shows a good ability to run a team without turning the ball over. Shooting just 28% from three is a concern, however his 90% free throw percentage shows that he has very good touch and accuracy and he just needs to become better at shot selection and expand his range in game. One of the more polarizing prospects, scouts have a wide range of opinion on him. Lowe has a solid all around skill set with very good playmaking ability for others and natural point guard instinct. He has stepped into the leader of the team, following last seasons departure of his backcourt mate Bub Carrington to the NBA.
NBA Comparison: Corey Joseph
19. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami) Labaron Philon 6-4 175 PG Alabama Fr.
Philon came into the season as a top 40 recruit but was not viewed as a likely one and done candidate. He has played extremely well,l playing alongside senior Mark Sears and sharing point guard duties. His 4 assists per game are solid, limiting his turnovers to just 1.5 a game, and the Crimson Tide are having a great season at 14-2. His 12.1 ppg is good for third on the team and he’s shown the ability to push the ball in transition without getting out of control and turning the ball over. Philon’s shot shows nice form and potential and he just needs time to improve on efficiency. He currently is knocking down just 28% from 3 point and 68% from FT, so this will be the area of his game that will be scrutinized and most in need of improvement.
NBA Comparison: Kira Lewis
20. Orlando Magic Joson Sanon 6-4 190 SG Arizona St. Fr.
Sanon is another breakout freshman who started the season strong and has hit a rough patch of games mid season. He’ll need to get back to his pre-conference play form and finish strong in order to cement a spot in this range of the draft. He’s got arguably the quickest release of anybody in this year’s draft and is one of the better shooters. Listed at 6’5 in some places, his measurements will be important in determining his draft stock as the draft approaches.
NBA Comparison: Eddie House
21. New Orleans Pelicans (From LA Lakers) Rasheer Fleming 6-9 230 PF St. Joseph’s Jr.
The junior bigman out of Camden, New Jersey has blossomed in his junior season to the tune of 16 and 9 and knocking down the three ball at a 41.5 rate on a high volume (2 per game). Fleming is a long, athletic big with very good mobility and bounciness. Fleming figures to play the PF position and potentially has the length and athleticism to defend centers and play the 5 in small ball line ups. Playing at St. Joseph’s he will have his work cut out for him in the pre draft process to prove that he’s able to play against high level competition and bring the same work ethic and intensity level daily.
NBA Comparison: PJ Brown
22. New York (From Milwaukee) [ Player: Derik Queen] 6-10 260 C Maryland Fr.
Queen is a smooth bigman with a long wingspan and good feel for the game. He’s had a solid season, thus far, averaging 16 and 10 and knocking down 75% of his foul shots. While not the most explosive of athletes, he’ll need to develop better mid range and outside shooting ability, but the makings are there as a scorer. While Queen lacks great lift, his long wingspan helps him as a rebounder and “disruptor”. There were some maturity concerns surrounding him in high school, but he’s shown development and clearly using the year at Maryland to his advantage both on and off the court.
NBA Comparison: Brad Miller
23. Dallas Mavericks Baye Ndongo 6-8 225 PF Georgia Tech So.
The 21 year old sophomore qualifies as a freakish athlete at the four position. He’s got a 7’2 wingspan and is both bouncy and powerful. He will aggressively attack the rim, trying to dunk everything and draws a lot of contact, resulting in trips to the FT line. His shooting form is promising as is his scoring ability. After putting his name out of the 2024 NBA draft, Ndongo has not increased his scoring average from his freshman season but continues to be a force on the boards and defensively.
NBA Comparison: Miles Bridges
24. Orlando Magic (From Denver) Jase Richardson 6-3 180 SG/PG Michigan State Fr.
Richardson has a school connection with a father (Jason) having starred at Michigan State, along with the NBA. Jase is a talented playmaker with length and athleticism, who came off a knee injury and appears to have recovered to near 100%. He’s been as good as advertised putting up nearly 10 ppg on solid efficiency numbers. the second half of the season will be instrumental in confirming a spot in the second round of the draft. It’s important to grade on a curve when it comes to Michigan State freshmen.
NBA Comparison: Monte Morris
25. Memphis Grizzlies Khamen Maluach 7-2 260 C Duke Fr.
Maluach is a tantalizing prospect due to his great size and mobility. His massive wingspan makes him a shot blocker, ally oop extraordinaire. His greatest asset is his rim protection, but he still must gain some feel in not biting on fakes and also moving his feet laterally in space. He’s got a baby face, so the inevitable questions about age that African players receive will probably not be too extreme. Maluach’s offense remains a mystery. While his free throw shooting gives optimism about his touch and potential to gain some scoring ability. At this point he struggles to shoot within game speed and the majority of his points come off lobs and dunks, converting baskets at the rim and the line.
NBA Comparison: Ivica Zubac
26. New York Knicks Kon Knueppel 6-6 220 SF/SG Duke Fr.
Knueppel is a throwback. He looks more like the guy that dominates your local rec league than an NBA prospect. But make no mistake, he’s an elite level shooter with a great ability to maximize his abilities. He is a fierce competitor and understands the nuances of the game beyond his years. Knueppel projects as a possible first round pick this year, despite lacking NBA speed and athleticism. He is a tough nosed competitor and will knock down three point shots if left open. He has struggled when facing more athletic players, so in order to enhance his draft stock, he will need to show the ability to play well against athletic match ups.
NBA Comparison: Max Strus
27. Utah Jazz Dink Pate 6-8 210 SF Mexico City Capitanes (G League) 2006
Pate is playing for the Mexico City affiliate of the G League. Averaging 10 ppg and 40% from three, he’s having a solid season and figures to be drafted somewhere in the-first round on potential. The level of competition could be better and it leaves some doubts about his ability to perform at the same level in a more competitive environment. He will need to look to cut down on his turnovers, currently averaging 1.5 assists to 2.1 turnovers per game. Pate showed out in the NBA G-League Winter Showcase, with a number of three pointers, dunks and leading the break and throwing a lob pass for dunks to a teammate. His 26 point, 6 rebound, 4 assist performance certainly helped his cause with teams looking for upside in this year’s draft.
NBA Comparison: Boris Diaw
28. Boston Celtics Hugo Gonzalez 6-6 200 SG Real Madrid 2006
Gonzalez is a feisty competitor and a flashy finisher at the rim. He can score from all three levels and has shown real polish in his game with the ability to create offense in isolation with step backs and drives. He lacks great length and needs to get stronger, but he’s been one of the elite players within his age group for a number of years. Gonzalez does not possess great lateral speed, so defense will be an area of focus for him to improve upon. Gonzalea is stuck in a numbers game with Real Madrid and it has meant limited playing time this season.
NBA Comparison: Rudy Fernandez
29. Brooklyn Nets (from Oklahoma City) Nique Clifford 6-6 200 SG Colorado St. Sr.
Clifford impressed scouts at the 2024 NBA Combine and returned to Colorado State as a 5th year senior to improve his draft stock. He continues to expand his role and impact on the team, raising his points per game average to 17 and maintaining solid efficiency. Clifford is an above the rim athlete who has steadily improved as a scorer and all around basketball player. The combine and especially pre-draft workouts will be key to determining his first round status.
NBA Comparison: Cody Martin
30. Utah Jazz (From Cleveland) Tahaad Pettiford 6-1 180 PG Auburn Fr.
Pettiford classifies as a roll of the dice prospect as a projected first rounder. He lacks ideal size for the NBA point guard position and is just a freshman. But the 6’1 point guard of of Jersey City has proven that he is absolutely fearless in big games. He has been better than advertised at shooting and creating shots off the dribble, and really thrives in the biggest moments, the stage is never too big for him.
NBA Comparison: Jeff Teague
