Two days. 59 picks (sorry, New York). The future of the NBA is officially here!

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Landry Fields and Monte Morris! 🎉

📋 Draft Recap

Flagg, Harper, Edgecombe, Knueppel, Bailey go 1-5

The entire basketball world knew that Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper were going to be the first two picks in the draft, and V.J. Edgecombe going to Philadelphia at No. 3 was a pretty sure thing as well.

But the draft really started with Charlotte’s selection of Kon Knueppel at No. 4 and the Jazz taking Ace Bailey at No. 5. Utah wasn’t one of Bailey’s stated preferred destinations, but we liked what he had to say afterwards about his fit with the Jazz and how excited he is to get on the court:

Phoenix bolsters center depth by drafting Khaman Maluach at No. 10, trading for Charlotte’s Mark Williams

The Suns transformed their center position within a span of just minutes on Wednesday, both now and for the future.

During the draft, Phoenix completed a deal with Charlotte that brought Mark Williams to The Valley for a package that included Vasilije Micić and the No. 29 pick, which the Hornets eventually used to select UConn forward Liam McNeeley.

And just minutes later, the Suns used their No. 10 pick (acquired in the Kevin Durant trade) to select Khaman Maluach, a game-changing big man from Duke and South Sudan with impressive defensive instincts. Talk about an overhaul!

Portland surprises with Yang Hansen selection at No. 16

The real surprise of Wednesday’s first round was the Trail Blazers’ pick at No. 16—Yang Hansen, the 7-foot-3 “Chinese Jokic”. Yang, who was projected to go in the middle of the second round, impressed scouts with his playmaking abilities and overall offensive game at the five—he even showed some potential as a perimeter shooter at the Combine.

Yang didn’t have a first-round grade due to concerns about his general athleticism and defensive switchability, but the Blazers can give him as much time as necessary to develop alongside Donovan Clingan and behind veterans Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III at the center spot.

Haven’t seen the full draft results yet? Check them out here.

👥 Fit Check!

It’s not all about raw talent in the NBA—it’s about who you’re playing with and where you are. Here are five of our favorite prospect/team fits up and down the first round of this year’s draft.

Kon Knueppel (4th) → Charlotte: The Hornets had a desperate lack of shooting last season, and there may not have been a better shooter in this class than Knueppel. Despite not being an S-tier athlete, his frame and instincts on the court should allow him to slide in nicely alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller in Charlotte’s starting lineup.

Cedric Coward (11th) → Memphis: The Grizzlies acquired this pick from Portland to select one of the biggest pre-draft risers of the 2025 draft cycle. With Desmond Bane gone, Memphis needed to add more talent to their guard room and did so with Coward, an athletic, defensive-minded wing with huge hands and a huge wingspan who should be an exciting addition to Memphis’ youth next to Jaylen Wells.

Thomas Sorber (15th) → Oklahoma City: The rich get richer, huh? OKC added one of the most physically mature bigs in the class at No. 15, giving them a strong interior presence reminiscent of Al Horford to complement Chet Holmgren. Sorber’s rebounding, interior defense, and explosiveness near the rim make him a multifaceted option for this OKC team looking to be the first repeat champions since Golden State in 2017 and 2018.

Nique Clifford (24th) → Sacramento: Clifford’s versatility and length give the Kings a much-needed defensive option on the perimeter. On offense, he’s more impactful driving than shooting, and does he have superstar upside as a scorer? Maybe not. But Nique is a smart glue guy who can defend multiple positions and rebound well for his size, making him a classic connective piece whose transition to the NBA may be smoother than most realize.

Hugo Gonzalez (28th) → Boston: With Holiday and Porzingis gone, Jayson Tatum injured, and rumors swirling about a potential Jaylen Brown trade, the Celtics need professional basketball players—period—for next season. His raw stats per game aren’t eye-popping, but Gonzalez has been a part of the Real Madrid development system for ten years. Already an aggressive, difference-making defender, he also provides Boston with the potential to be a good scorer down the line.

😴 Second-Round Sleepers

Even without the flashy big-name storylines, the second round of the draft is where careers are made and championships are won. Before we’re done today, let’s do a rapid-fire round of second-round selections to keep your eyes on… 👀

• 31st (PHX) - Rasheer Fleming: Phoenix made a savvy move to trade up in the second round with Minnesota and select Fleming out of St. Joseph’s. He’s a 6’9” hustle player who measured incredibly well at the Combine and could have been drafted in the lottery.

• 34th (CHA) - Ryan Kalkbrenner: Charlotte rounded out their incredible draft class with big man Kalkbrenner, the four-time Big East DPOY from Creighton. With Mark Williams on his way to Phoenix, look for the shot-blocking seven-footer to be a part of the Hornets’ rotation from the jump.

• 42nd (SAC) - Maxime Raynaud: The Kings got a steal here in Raynaud, a floor stretching big man out of Stanford who had first-round grades from numerous organizations and scouts. After crossing the Atlantic from Paris to come to Stanford, it’ll be a way shorter trip up to Sacramento for the Frenchman.

• 49th (CLE) - Tyrese Proctor: Cleveland added a cerebral combo guard with strong defensive tools and plenty of big-game experience from his time Duke here—he’s expected to contribute to the Cavs’ rotation immediately.

• 59th (MEM) - Jahmai Mashack: The NBA’s 2025 “Mr. Irrelevant”, Mashack was an incredible defender and overall winning player at Tennessee. While he’ll most likely start out on a two-way deal, the Grizzlies themselves learned how valuable third and fourth options can be during their injury-riddled 2023-24 campaign.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

It’s been a wild couple of days, but that’s draft season. Take it easy this weekend—the countdown to Summer League begins now! ✌️

Austin Zeglis