2025 NBA Mock Draft 7.0: Filling team needs in first round

The NBA Draft is not an exact science, even for the teams which have spent years scouting prospects and setting their board. Whether a team is left picking the most talented player on the board despite a lack of positional need, or the player they wanted is picked above them.

The deadline has now come and gone for international prospects to remove their name from the NBA Draft class, meaning the field of prospects is now final. Without a major shift in the pool of potential first-round players, the names should look familiar.

As NBA teams continue the process of evaluating talent and building the blueprint of their roster, here is a look at how the first 30 picks could play out. The NBA Draft does not always play out this way, but teams could focus on positional needs and fit with the current roster.

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, Duke

Team needs: Star power, fan support
Best case: Cooper Flagg
Other fits: N/A

2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, Rutgers

Team needs: Young talent, wing depth
Best case: Dylan Harper
Other fits: Trade away

3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, Baylor

Team needs: Veteran help
Best case: Trade away
Other fits: Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel

4. Charlotte Hornets: Khaman Maluach, Duke

Team needs: Young talent, clear direction
Best case: VJ Edgecombe
Other fits: Ace Bailey, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel

5. Utah Jazz: Tre Johnson, Texas

Team needs: Star potential, point guard
Best case: VJ Edgecombe
Other fits: Ace Bailey, Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel

6. Washington Wizards: Ace Bailey, Rutgers

Team needs: Young talent
Best case: Tre Johnson
Other fits: Khaman Maluach, Kon Knueppel

7. New Orleans Pelicans: Kon Knueppel, Duke

Team needs: Young talent, clear direction
Best case: Tre Johnson
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Noa Essengue, Derik Queen

8. Brooklyn Nets: Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma

Team needs: Star potential, young talent
Best case: Kon Knueppel
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Noa Essengue

9. Toronto Raptors: Noa Essengue, France

Team needs: Center depth, clear direction
Best case: Khaman Maluach
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Collin Murray-Boyles

10. Houston Rockets*: Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina

Team needs: Center depth
Best case: Collin Murray-Boyles
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Derik Queen

11. Portland Trail Blazers: Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois

Team needs: Young talent, guard depth
Best case: Noa Essengue
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Collin Murray-Boyles

12. Chicago Bulls: Derik Queen, Maryland

Team needs: Center, clear direction
Best case: Khaman Maluach
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Noa Essengue, Collin Murray-Boyles

13. Atlanta Hawks*: Joan Beringer, France

Team needs: Center, backup point guard
Best case: Collin Murray-Boyles
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Cedric Coward, Derik Queen

14. San Antonio Spurs*: Carter Bryant, Arizona

Team needs: Young talent, wing depth
Best case: Carter Bryant
Other fits: Cedric Coward, Trade away

Picks 15-30

15. Oklahoma City Thunder*: Cedric Coward, Washington State
Team needs: Center depth
Best case: Carter Bryant
Other fits: Joan Beringer, Derik Queen, Danny Wolf

16. Memphis Grizzlies*: Nique Clifford, Colorado State
Team needs: 3-and-D wings, center depth
Best case: Collin Murray-Boyles
Other fits: Carter Bryant, Cedric Coward, Danny Wolf

17. Minnesota Timberwolves*: Danny Wolf
Team needs: Cheap depth
Best case: Kasparas Jakucionis
Other fits: Egor Demin, Nolan Traore

18. Washington Wizards*: Egor Demin, BYU
Team needs: Young talent
Best case: Cedric Coward
Other fits: Walter Clayton, Will Riley

19. Brooklyn Nets*: Asa Newell, Georgia
Team needs: Star potential, young talent
Best case: Walter Clayton
Other fits: Maxime Raynaud, Will Riley, Thomas Sorber

20. Miami Heat*: Jase Richardson, Michigan State
Team needs: Point guard, guard depth
Best case: Walter Clayton
Other fits: Nique Clifford, Egor Demin, Asa Newell

21. Utah Jazz*: Liam McNeeley, UConn
Team needs: Star potential, point guard
Best case: Walter Clayton
Other fits: Will Riley, Nique Clifford

22. Atlanta Hawks: Nolan Traore, France
Team needs: Center, backup point guard
Best case: Cedric Coward
Other fits: Thomas Sorber, Maxime Raynaud

23. New Orleans Pelicans*: Thomas Sorber, Georgetown
Team needs: Young talent, clear direction
Best case: Danny Wolf
Other fits: Walter Clayton, Will Riley

24. Oklahoma City Thunder*: Noah Penda, France
Team needs: Center depth
Best case: Jase Richardson
Other fits: Rasheer Fleming, Rasheer Fleming

25. Orlando Magic*: Walter Clayton, Florida
Team needs: Scoring guard, forward depth
Best case: Jase Richardson
Other fits: Nique Clifford, Noah Penda

26. Brooklyn Nets*: Will Riley, Illinois
Team needs: Star potential, young talent
Best case: Noah Penda
Other fits: Drake Powell, Ben Saraf

27. Brooklyn Nets*: Ben Saraf, Israel
Team needs: Star potential, young talent
Best case: Will Riley
Other fits: Drake Powell, Adou Thiero

28. Boston Celtics: Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
Team needs: Center, cheap depth
Best case: Thomas Sorber
Other fits: Rasheer Fleming, Noah Penda

29. Phoenix Suns*: Rasheer Fleming, St. Joseph’s
Team needs: Cheap talent
Best case: Joan Beringer
Other fits: Noah Penda, Maxime Raynaud, Thomas Sorber

30. Los Angeles Clippers*: Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
Team needs: Center depth, guard depth
Best case: Asa Newell
Other fits: Maxime Raynaud, Thomas Sorber