2025 NBA Ultimate Mock Draft

It’s finally Draft Day! Just like we did last year, we decided to cook up one final mock: The 2025 NBA Ultimate Mock Draft. This mock is essentially our combination of what we would do, what we anticipate happening, and trying to predict some trades. We took some big swings and made some funky trades, so take those with a grain of salt.

Hope everyone enjoys, and we’ll see you on the other side to report back after Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft. Thanks so much for your continued support throughout this draft cycle!

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg/Duke

Brian: Shocker I know! No one could’ve ever seen this coming! Cooper Flagg will be a real impact player from Day 1 and even has a chance to run as a pseudo-PG at times during his rookie season like he did at Duke. This Dallas Mavericks roster is a mess as currently constructed. The question is more about that than it is about Flagg. Flagg should win rookie of the year and learn a lot of tricks from Anthony Davis.

2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper/Rutgers

Zach: Another shocker! Yeah, unless the Spurs are getting some kind of Godfather offer for this pick, it’s Harper or bust. Harper will join a very talented roster with De’Aaron Fox and 2024 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle. Fit might be a little weird, but I think there’s worlds where all 3 can play together. The Spurs will make it work. It’s a slam dunk of a pick.

3. Charlotte Hornets (via Philadelphia 76ers): VJ Edgecombe/Baylor

Charlotte: Pick 3 and Andre Drummond

Philadelphia: Julian Phillips, Pick 4, Pick 45, 2028 2nd via LAC, 2029 2nd via DEN

Chicago: Pick 34, Kelly Oubre

Brian: This has been a pretty standard package that has floated around for the Hornets and the 76ers. Charlotte moves up to get their guy and they take on the Andre Drummond money in the process. The fit for the Hornets makes a ton of sense. He’ll be good off ball for LaMelo and if they decide LaMelo is not the guy to build around, VJ could have a shot at some on ball usage. He’d be a great locker room guy for them and fit well off of Brandon Miller.

4. Philadelphia 76ers (via Charlotte Hornets): Kon Knueppel/Duke

Zach: The 76ers move down a spot, picking up some extra assets and saving some money in the process by cutting ties with Kelly Oubre Jr. In return, the 76ers end up with who they may have always wanted in Kon Knueppel, a high-end shooter and connective piece that will fit right into this stacked when healthy crew.

5. Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson/Texas

Brian: I really like this fit for the Utah Jazz. He could be weaponized as an off-ball shooter and this would be my favorite fit for Tre to reach his potential. I will admit, I’m worried about the Jeremiah Fears talk that has been floating around but I’d rather bet on Tre and his size vs Fears and his.

6. Washington Wizards: Ace Bailey/Rutgers

Zach: Ace Bailey has faced a lot of scrutiny these last few weeks with his camp manipulating his stock and where he’s going. I don’t think we really can rule out any landing spot, but the right answer is clear to me: I think the Wizards are the perfect spot for him to iron out what he can do. Alex Sarr did a similar thing in forcing his way to Washington and considering Ace’s camp wants a clear proof of concept for his development, Washington should be able to provide that and make him a priority immediately. Following the Jordan Poole trade, Bailey immediately enters the picture as the best player in DC.

7. Oklahoma City Thunder (via New Orleans Pelicans): Khaman Malauch/Duke

Trade:

Oklahoma City: Pick 7, Elfrid Payton

New Orleans: Pick 13, Isaiah Joe, Ajay Mitchell

Atlanta: Picks 15, 24

Brian: Let’s break down Oklahoma City and then we will talk about this for the other teams. Oklahoma City consolidates their picks, trades Isaiah Joe and Ajay Mitchell to the Pelicans. The Atlanta part of the trade will be talked about later but it will get incorporated into the deal. So the Thunder decline the team option on Elfrid Payton. The Thunder move up to take the flyer on Khaman. He’s big, he’s different from what they have, they have Chip Engelland who is one of the best shooting coaches in the NBA and maybe they believe they can bring that out of him. He could come in and play for when they move off of Isaiah Hartenstein.

8. Brooklyn Nets: Jeremiah Fears/Oklahoma

Zach: Brooklyn adds the guard they’ve been pegged as taking for a while. Despite all the smoke on Fears being a possible Jazz target, I think they ultimately opt to pass on him for Tre Johnson, but he ends up in a very good situation with Brooklyn to play alongside Cam Thomas. Fears is a work in progress, but if you want to bet on the high-end athleticism and hope he continues to progress as a shooter, there’s a lot to get excited about here for a lead guard being given the leash to figure things out.

9. Toronto Raptors: Noa Essengue/Ratiopharm Ulm

Brian: This feels very Toronto-like at this point. There’s a lot of Noa to the Raptors rumors, he had a workout with them, he models his game after Kawhi Leonard, Pascal Siakam, and Scottie Barnes. (Notice a theme?). I feel like this is a good flyer for Toronto as it is and its a chance for a start here.

10. Chicago Bulls (via Phoenix Suns, via Houston Rockets): Carter Bryant/Arizona

Chicago: Bradley Beal, Pick 10, 2027 1st Round Swap (least favorable of Utah/Cle/Min)

Phoenix: Patrick Williams, Kevin Huerter, Lonzo, Pick 12

Zach: Don’t kill us, please. We know this is gross. We did this around 1am EST. So, we know there has been some rumored interest in Beal in Chicago. Billy Donovan coached him for Florida. We know it doesn’t make a ton of sense but when have the Bulls and the Suns ever made sense recently? Chicago, wanting to move up for their desired target in Carter Bryant, decides to take on Beal all in one swoop and aim to continue on the treadmill of mediocrity with Josh Giddey, Coby White, Beal, Buzelis and Vucevic with Carter Bryant off the bench.

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Cedric Coward/Washington State

Brian: The Blazers take the chance on Cedric Coward. They have their defensive identity and try and coach that into Coward. They would’ve gotten a close eye on him with him being in Washington for the past three seasons. It would be a good 3-n-D wing for the Blazers to take a swing at.

12. Phoenix Suns (via Chicago Bulls): Thomas Sorber/Georgetown

Zach: The Suns move 2 spots down to take the guy they always wanted in Thomas Sorber. Given the Suns’ current landscape, they have some very poor defensive pieces and need some solid foundation in the frontcourt again. Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber can be the defensive-minded 5 they badly need and could have some untapped upside on offense coming off a very early breakout in Georgetown.

13. New Orleans Pelicans (via Atlanta Hawks): Kasparas Jakucionis/Illinois

Brian: So the original trade above had the Pelicans getting 15 and 24. In this mock, they see Kasparas Jakucionis falling and decide to move two spots and give up 24 in the process to get Kasparas. He can play off the ball and be a potential backup PG. He can play off of Zion, he’s strong and can hold up defensively in certain matchups.

14. San Antonio Spurs: Danny Wolf/Michigan

Zach: How about a big swing to mix some things up and send the draft discourse into chaos? San Antonio decides to add another big, but instead of the commonly mocked ones like Joan Beringer or Maxime Raynaud, it’s Danny Wolf. Wolf has some very unique skills as a passer, ball handler and stretch big that can both play with Victor Wembanyama and have any defensive deficiencies covered up by their scheme. He’s an intriguing talent who could really stand out offensively on this team with Wemby and that much size is going to be tough to combat.

15. Atlanta Hawks (via Oklahoma City Thunder): Egor Demin/BYU

Brian: Sorry not sorry, Noah Rubin! We talk about Egor Demin a lot for the Hawks on our appearance on the Young Man Squad Fantasy Basketball podcast today, so stay tuned for that. The Hawks have had success with someone like Vit Krecji. Egor’s passing would allow Trae to move a bit off the ball. He can run as the PG at times and they have their massively tall lineup. They can help work on his shooting and could play off the ball in some lineups. It makes it sense for the Hawks.

16. Memphis Grizzlies: Nique Clifford/Colorado State

Zach: Memphis ends up getting their most coveted target in Nique Clifford, an older prospect with so much juice to his game with perhaps the most intriguing role malleability in this class. Clifford can play a variety of roles as a high-end scorer from all areas of the floor, secondary playmaker and standout defender that teams like Memphis love. This would be a match made in Heaven.

17. Minnesota Timberwolves: Collin Murray-Boyles/South Carolina

Brian: The T-Wolves take the flyer on Murray-Boyles here. He could help with their defensive infrastructure. He could fit off of Naz Reid a little bit. Maybe they re-sign Randle and CMB can learn a bit from him. They’d have to work on the shot and if it works, he could fit well next to Anthony Edwards long term.

18. Washington Wizards: Derik Queen/Maryland

Zach: Brian and I made an initial deal that, if Derik Queen was not available at 18th overall, the Wizards would trade this pick to the Kings for guard Devin Carter and a 2nd, and the Kings would select Nolan Traore. Washington lucks out and manages to snag Queen here, adding a high-potential offensive big with some concerns in the conditioning and defensive departments. Together, Sarr and Queen will wreck people and compliment each other’s games really well.

19. Brooklyn Nets: Joan Beringer/Cedevita Olimpija

Brian: The Nets take the flyer on the young center from France in Joan Beringer. This could be a potential Nicolas Claxton replacement if it goes well, they probably don’t bring DayRon Sharpe back and allow Joan to develop on his own timeline. He and Fears could develop into a good pick and roll combo.

20. Miami Heat: Walter Clayton Jr./Florida

Zach: There were only 3 no-brainers for Brian and I when we started this exercise: Flagg, Harper, and Clayton here. How much better can you get as a fit? Clayton is exactly the kind of guard they should want starting next to Tyler Herro long-term. He’s a homegrown guy who’s already beloved for bringing the Gators a championship a few months ago. He’s a beast and I think Miami will be thrilled to have him and maximize his potential with Erik Spolestra.

21. Utah Jazz: Nolan Traore/St. Quentin

Brian: This is also why I dislike the Jeremiah Fears at 5 rumors. I think Nolan Traore is maybe 85% of what Fears is? Traore had a bad start to the year but really came on late and was really impactful down the stretch. I think he probably shoots it eventually. He won’t be very good next season but as Nolan gets stronger, I think he’ll be a good impact player for the Jazz.

22. Atlanta Hawks (via Brooklyn Nets): Asa Newell

Atlanta: Pick 22/NewellBrooklyn: 24, 2029 2nd via CLE

Zach: You might be saying to yourself, “Well Zach, didn’t Atlanta JUST trade this pick to Brooklyn in the Kristaps Porzingis deal?” They did, and they want it back because Asa Newell became available when they didn’t expect him to be. It doesn’t take much convincing from Brooklyn, just an extra potentially good 2nd round pick in a few years to move down two spots when the desired target will still likely be there. For Atlanta, they get Newell, someone they’re reportedly high on and adds another dimension to their frontcourt with Porzingis.

23. New Orleans Pelicans: Maxime Raynaud/Stanford

Brian: The Pelicans take a shooting big man here in Maxime Raynaud. I really like the fit offensively as it clears the space a bit for Zion. It’s something different from what they have but something good to try. Defensively it will be a real issue but maybe Maxime becomes a decent rim protector down the line.

24. Brooklyn Nets (via Atlanta Hawks): Liam McNeeley/UConn

Zach: Moving down two spots, Brooklyn is all over the place but ultimately lands their desired target in Liam McNeeley, whom many thought highly of early into this 2025 NBA Draft cycle before struggles set in. His shooting is such a crucial swing in him being a high-end winning piece in this class and the Nets will take the chance on him falling, hoping to build him back up, let him run wild on the wings, knock some shots and round out his game.

25. Orlando Magic: Hugo Gonzalez/Real Madrid

Brian: The Magic would take the flyer on a potential buy low on Hugo Gonzalez. He wouldn’t play immediately but if the shot comes around, maybe he enters the rotation early on and be a big strong wing that fits in their culture. There could be a little bit of ball handling upside here to run some sets off the bench.

26. Brooklyn Nets Will Riley/Illinois

Zach: The Nets double up on wings here, and take another on Will Riley, a young, raw and toolsy wing with upside to be a jumbo shot creator. Riley will need a lot of time to hone his game that he didn’t get to massively improve on in Illinois, but what we have seen in his athleticism, his downhill driving and playmaking is exciting. If he can shoot, we might be looking at the steal of the draft here.

27. Sacramento Kings (via Brooklyn Nets): Adou Thiero/Arkansas

Sacramento: Pick 27/Thiero

Brooklyn: Pick 42, 2026 2nd (via CHA)

Brian: It’s been rumored that the Kings have been wanting to move up into the first round. They try throughout the process to move up higher and go get a guard but after they lose out on Nolan Traore, they move on to trying to get a guard in free agency and get a potential wing defender in Adou Thiero. The shot needs to improve but if it works out, he will be an impactful player and could help Keegan with the defensive matchups.

28. Boston Celtics: Ryan Kalkbrenner/Creighton

Zach: With the Porzingis trade now in the rear view mirror, Boston pivots to finding another big man. I believe the main guy they should want is Ryan Kalkbrenner, a high-end defender and very big man coming out of Creighton. Kalkbrenner has been one of the best defensive bigs in college basketball and should immediately come in to command a large role with a lot of spots open in Boston right now.

29. Phoenix Suns: Jase Richardson/Michigan State

Brian: Despite the obvious Michigan State connection, I think this makes quite a bit of sense for the Suns. Richardson won’t be the full time PG but he might be able to run it a bit for them. He’s a smart player and could find a way to make an impact for the Suns. The Suns roster is a mess but the Jase’s malleability in role could be useful.

30. Los Angeles Clippers: Noah Penda/Le Mans

Zach: We close out the first round on the Clippers swinging for youth in the frontcourt. There’s been much talk on adding a big behind Ivica Zubac, but to me, the money here is on Noah Penda, a strong connective forward who offers a lot in the way of playmaking and switchable defense. Penda will need to improve his shooting to get where the Clippers likely want him to be, but he already has a lot of the details down on how to impact winning as a role player. He’s very good at being physical when needed and does the little things well with his hustle and motor.

ROUND 2

For round 2 this year, we tried to predict contracts and who we expect to either get guaranteed multi-year deals and two ways.

31. Minnesota Timberwolves: Rasheer Fleming/St. Joe’s

Contract: 3 Year/5M

Brian: The Timberwolves have gone for these lanky defensive minded wings in the past. Shout-out Leonard Miller and Josh Minott. Fleming would have a chance to come in and be a lanky defender and lob threat off the bench. They would get him at a good number that is team friendly as well.

32. Boston Celtics: Ben Saraf/Ratiopharm Ulm

Contract: 4 Year/$6.75 Million

Zach: The Celtics are just going to need a lot even after adding Ryan Kalkbrenner. Next up will be the best player available, and we felt it would be Ben Saraf, a smooth and big playmaking guard who can get downhill and score effectively with his fundamentals. He’s not all there as a shooter or defender yet and will need some time to incubate. But, considering his high feel as a passer and his BBIQ to get past any athletic or skill limitation early will be important to developing in Boston. With Derrick White, Anfernee Simons and Payton Pritchard in town, there will be a lot less pressure on Saraf to do a lot early.

33. Charlotte Hornets: Sion James/Duke

Contract: 4 Year/6M

Brian: In the playoffs, we saw that physical defenders that can shoot and deal with physicality on offense were really impactful players. Sion James does that. We will see if he shoots it efficiently, but it makes a lot of sense for the Hornets. They have a lot of these type of guys like Josh Okogie and Josh Green. He’d be a low usage player, be a perimeter defender, and play off of Lamelo Ball well.

34. Chicago Bulls (via Charlotte Hornets): Drake Powell/North Carolina

Contract: 4 Years/$7 Million

Zach: Chicago gets the 34th pick in the earlier 3-4 swap with Charlotte and Philadelphia. Remember that one time they took a SG/SF out of North Carolina? What was his name, Michael Jordan or something? Well, here they are to take another one, who reportedly has had some interest from the Bulls. Powell should immediately be able to find his way into the Bulls’ rotation as a two-way wing with a lot of pop in his game.

35. Philadelphia 76ers: Yanic Konan Niederhauser/Penn State

Contract: 3 Year/4.5M with a team option on the last year

Brian: The 76ers get another center into the mix here and this time, they went local. Yes, they have Adem Bona but Yanic is taller and a bit more of a lob threat. There’s some real statistical red flags with Yanic but you want to take the chance on the athleticism and size and maybe he fits a bit better than Bona.

36. Brooklyn Nets: C Hansen Yang/Quigdao

Contract: 4 Years/$6 million with a team option on the last year

Zach: So far, the Nets have addressed nearly everything, so the main goal here is to just take the highest perceived upside. One guy they’ve worked out and has been popping up in recent months is Hansen Yang, a Chinese Basketball Association rockstar looking to make the jump into NBA ball. I’m not the biggest fan of him, but I recognize you have to look for elite skills when they’re there, and Yang’s playmaking for a big and potential to shoot is very, very interesting.

37. Detroit Pistons: Kam Jones/Marquette

Contract: 3 Year/4.5M with a team option on the last year

Brian: The Pistons get a really good flyer with Kam. He provides shooting off of Cade Cunningham and could possibly play some backup PG. He’d get hunted defensively but he’s a little bit different from what they’ll have next season. Imagine a slightly worse Dennis Schroeder for them and he could fit well into their culture.

38. San Antonio Spurs: Bogoljub Markovic/Mega Basket

Contract: Two-way or stash

Zach: Markovic has a lot of intriguing skills as a very long, yet, raw, stretch 4 that can shoot and pass. Think Aleksej Pokusevski but at the better cost for a flier. The Spurs can either bring him in quickly in the G League to begin honing his skills and helping him bulk up, or keep him in Serbia as a longer term stash.

39. Toronto Raptors: Alijah Martin/Florida

Contract: Two-Way

Brian: He would start on a two-way contract but would likely get converted pretty early on. He’s a super impressive human being, super physical, plays hard, and could fit pretty well off of Scottie Barnes. Maybe he gets a guaranteed contract in real life but for now, we have him on a two-way contract.

40. New Orleans Pelicans (via Washington Wizards): Jamir Watkins/FSU

Contract: 3 Year/$3.9 million with a team option on the last year

Zach: The Pelicans love firepower on the wings, and for any team with a serious chance at contending needs as many good defensive wings they can carry. Why not add another with Jamir Watkins? Watkins is a high-energy defender who isn’t afraid to get physical and has shown real chances of being able to shoot 3s on over 40% from nearly 200 spot-up 3 attempts. He could be a fun piece to see playing next to Trey Murphy or Herbert Jones.

41. Golden State Warriors: Koby Brea/Kentucky

Contract: 3 Year/3.5M with a team option on the last year

Brian: The Warriors are cap stricken but getting Brea is really good. He can obviously shoot it well. The Warriors have done well at having defensive deficient players play decent defense.

42. New York Knicks (via Brooklyn Nets): Micah Peavy/Georgetown

Brooklyn: 50, lightly protected future 2nd

New York: 42

Contract: 3 years/$3.5 Million with a team option on the last year

Zach: Micah Peavy is tough as nails as a defender, cutter and all-around impact player off the ball, and the Knicks will love that as someone who can immediately translate and try to push his way into the rotation. He’s exactly what contenders will want in a role player, hence why they traded up to get him. If he can shoot, watch out.

43. Utah Jazz: Javon Small/West Virginia

Contract: 2 Year/3M with the second year partially guaranteed

Brian: The Jazz get a tough nosed guard in Javon Small. He’d help push Isaiah Collier and Nolan Traore in practice. He’d be a good player in the locker room and if he shoots it, could be a backup PG in the league for a while.

44. Oklahoma City Thunder: Kobe Sanders/Nevada

Contract: Two-way

Zach: Kobe Sanders is maybe the most OKC guy you can think of in this class. He’s basically a wing who plays point guard and has a lot of Kyle Anderson to his game. He fits right in with a dribble, pass, shoot mentality and has the types of skills winning teams desperately want deep in the rotation. This would just be perfection as far as fit.

45. Philadelphia 76ers (via Chicago Bulls): Tyrese Proctor/Duke

Contract: 3 Year/4M with a team option the 3rd year

Brian: The 76ers get another shooter here with size. He’d be able to play off the ball and could learn from Quentin Grimes who is the player that managed to successfully transition from being a PG in college, fail and then transition into a new role and thrive like Proctor.

46. Milwaukee Bucks (via Orlando Magic): Alex Toohey/Sydney

Milwaukee: Pick 46 via ORL

Orlando: Cash considerations

Contract: Two-Way

Zach: Milwaukee’s first pick is Alex Toohey, an intriguing forward out of Australia with a lot of skill as a switchblade-style forward that can score and defend well. He doesn’t shoot all that well, but he’s not afraid to get physical and can rebound and pass the ball well. He could be a very solid role player if he even manages to shoot at a decent clip.

47. Milwaukee Bucks: John Tonje/Wisconsin

Contract: Two-Way

Brian: The Bucks take another flyer here in John Tonje. They stay local and add the shooter with some size and physicality. He could play off of Giannis if it really works. If not, he could be a spark plug off the bench.

48. Memphis Grizzlies: Chaz Lanier/Tennessee

Contract: Two-Way

Zach: Memphis adds some more shooting with Chaz Lanier, a bomber from deep that was incredibly important to Tennessee’s success this year without Dalton Knecht. He’s a strong shooter without much else to his game.

49. Cleveland Cavaliers: Johni Broome/Auburn

Contract: Two-Way

Zach: At least one of Cleveland’s second round picks needs to be spent on a big man. I’m not a very big Johni Broome fan, but at 49? I’m all over it. He’s an ideal big you can play behind Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley and has some offensive skill to him.

50. Brooklyn Nets: Lachlan Olbrich/Illawara

Contract: Stash

Brian: This is a stash pick for the Nets as they already have a ton of picks. They already have took a bunch of other bigs so waiting on Olbrich makes sense. I’m sure Lachlan would be happy to stay in the NBL in the mean-time as well.

51. Los Angeles Clippers: RJ Luis Jr./St. John’s

Contract: Two-way

Brian: I don’t know why RJ stayed in the draft but here we are. They take the upside here with RJ Luis and they can try and develop the shooting. He’d develop in the G League and potential show some high level scoring in San Diego.

52. Phoenix Suns: Dink Pate/Mexico City (G League)

Contract: Two-Way

Zach: Dink Pate’s stats are not good and he’s not shown a lot to date, but with the right developmental staff, he could be honed into a real talent who was once showing first round-level upside. As a jumbo guard/wing who can pass, he needs to improve across the board, most notably as a shooter, to unlock his game. I think Phoenix will take a shot on him developing into a talent on their new G League team.

53. Utah Jazz: Brooks Barnhizer/Northwestern

Contract: Two-Way

Brian: I really like Brooks Barnhizer and I think this would be a great flyer for the Jazz. They need defense and Brooks would be a good player for practices. If they develop the shot, there’s a real role player here for the Jazz.

54. Indiana Pacers: Ryan Nembhard/Gonzaga

Contract: Two-Way

Zach: Aside from the obvious name connection, I think adding another point guard who can pass and shoot the rock effectively for their rotations sans Tyrese Haliburton is crucial here. Ryan and Andrew Nembhard share a similar style and I’m willing to bet Indiana will be happy to give his younger brother a go if he can develop even to a lesser degree.

55. Los Angeles Lakers: Viktor Lakhin/Clemson

Contract: 2 Year/$3 million with the 2nd year partially guaranteed

Brian: The Lakers need to take a flyer on a center and this could be an interesting guy for them to take. Lakhin has improved a lot at Clemson, he can defend and be a potential lob threat for Luka. He probably won’t be in the rotation initially but maybe he gets backup minutes eventually.

56. Memphis Grizzlies: Hunter Sallis/Wake Forest

Contract: Two-Way

Zach: Memphis takes the best player on the board and adds some shooting with Hunter Sallis, who was once touted much higher last year before returning to school. Sallis can hit shots and has a lot in his bag as far as offensive skill and I think Memphis would like him in the mix with Desmond Bane gone.

57. Golden State Warriors (via Orlando Magic): Amari Williams/Kentucky

Warriors: Pick 57/Williams

Magic: Cash considerations

Contract: Two-Way

Brian: The Warriors move in to get Amari Williams. They could use someone as talented as he is and maybe he ends up being a rotation player for them. The Magic historically don’t draft their second rounders so I don’t expect them to make that pick.

58. Cleveland Cavaliers: Max Shulga/VCU

Contract: Two way

Zach: Cleveland closes out their draft snagging Max Shulga, a good shooter out of VCU. His form isn’t the prettiest, but man, does he get them in. Good shooting will be a need in the deep rotation if the Cavs lose Sam Merrill like I think they will.

59. Houston Rockets: Mohammed Diawara/Cholet

Contract: Stash

Brian: This is just a simple stash for the Rockets. Maybe he comes over eventually and is an energy guy who can defend but it won’t happen anytime soon.

Top Priority UDFAs

Finally, we close out on our top undrafted free agents and what we like about each as priority adds after Thursday.

Zach: Zeke Mayo, Kansas; Vladislav Goldin, Michigan; Dylan Cardwell, Auburn; Tamar Bates, Memphis; Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane

Zeke Mayo is my favorite sleeper of this draft. He’s a lethal shooter who can find his own shot and has some playmaking juice to be a good 2 guard in the right system that could be a great rotation player. Vlad Goldin is a very big center with a lot of skill and can protect the rim effectively, and I anticipate a lot of bigs will go in this draft. Same with Dylan Cardwell, who plays old school but solid ball and is a good defender. Tamar Bates is a shotmaker and good shotmakers that make impacts on good teams are always worth a look. Finally is Rocco Zikarsky, a massive shot blocker out of Brisbane who teams will take a flier on to see what sticks.

Brian: Will Richard, Florida; Sean Pedulla, Ole Miss; Jonathan Pierre, Belmont; Brice Williams, Nebraska; Arthur Kaluma, Texas

I like Will Richard as a flyer. He knows how to play and he’s really tough. Sean Pedulla knows how to run the show and get to his spots. I think there’s a real Collin Gillespie outcome here. Jonathan Pierre is a lanky wing who has a lot of tools. When you watch him, he stands out on the court. I think he’d be a really interesting flyer. Brice Williams put up numbers at Nebraska. He’s got decent size and can shoot and if that’s his role, there’s a real chance. Arthur Kaluma has the tools and can be a good defender. If he can shoot catch and shoot shots, there’s a real rotation player with his defensive ability.