For the first time ever, the NBA Draft is being held over two days. The first day (June 25) saw teams select first round choices (Draft Tracker) with the second round taking place June 26.
Now that the first round is in the books, we answer questions, make predictions and analyze the top six storylines from the 2025 NBA Draft first round.
1. Does Cooper Flagg Make Mavs A Title Contender?
There was no question who the Dallas Mavericks would select when they received the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery with a 1.8% chance. Duke’s Cooper Flagg was the obvious selection, and now the question is, does the addition of Flagg make the Mavs a legit 2025-26 title contender?
I think it’s possible possibly, as Dallas’ frontline has some serious depth with the retention of center Daniel Gafford. It still has Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively, Naji Marshall, and are rumored to re-sign P.J. Washington. With Flagg, I can see him excelling in jumbo line-ups next year, where the Mavs will be able to switch everything and take advantage of the size matchups offensively. I think he will be an impact player day one in Dallas and provide shot-making, defensive playmaking, and toughness that is translatable during playoff basketball.
But, for me, with how the team is structured now, they’ll need to add a quality point guard to feel comfortable calling them a title contender. It’s a glaring hole with Kyrie Irving recovering from a torn ACL that he sustained last spring. Irving’s 3-year 119-million dollar deal, puts the Mavs under the first apron, which will give them access to the mid-level exception. That’s huge because they could use that to snag a reliable and temporary starting PG until Irving comes back. Which also means they don’t have to trade PJ or Gafford to do that. A couple of options for the Mavs to look at include D’Angelo Russell, Malcolm Brogdon, and Chris Paul.
To conclude, Flagg puts Dallas a step closer to being a title contender, and I believe the Mavs are a Top 5 seed in the West now, but health and whoever they bring in to run point until Irving comes back will tell the tale of their season.
2. Hansen Yang To Portland At No. 16 Was Eye-Opening
There were some questionable picks in this year’s first round, but the Portland Trailblazers drafting Hansen Yang at No. 16 is up there. Not because of the talent, because I think he will be a starting-level center in the NBA, but it’s where Portland got him and how he fits with the roster. The draft pick makes five centers for the Trailblazers with Donovan Clingan, DeAndre Ayton, Duop Reath, Robert Williams and now Yang.
Portland could have gotten him later or traded down for him and accumulated more future assets, as Yang was projected to be available in the second round. Not to say the Blazers should’ve waited that long, but it was an opportunity to select him later and get extra out of a deal.
Portland needs to make a run at the playoffs this year. This is a make-or-break year for the organization as it is moving out of the rebuilding phase. Trading Anfernee Simons for Jrue Holiday was the first indicator. I do view Hansen in the Marc Gasol, Vlade Divac prototype, but it’s going to take time for him to get there, and honestly, if Portland is looking to make a playoff push, it doesn’t have much time. How he fits with Clingan will be interesting too, especially on the defensive end, but most importantly, they have to trade two of Ayton, Reath, or Williams now. Despite some flaws, both those bigs have plenty of playoff experience. I think this is a good pick-up, and the Trailblazers must have a lot of faith in him. I looked at him more as a G-Leaguer this calendar year, but the Blazers have to believe he can be thrown in the fire early and contribute.
3. The New Jersey Nets And Their 5 First Rounders
The Brooklyn Nets owned a sixth of the first round draft picks on Wednesday and I didn’t expect them to keep all five. What I found more interesting, however, was who they selected. Egor Demin at No. 8 seems to be a polarizing prospect. Either scouts love him or hate him. I’m in between. I think the pro-game will be better for him than college, but I also think he has to play with the right personnel for it to make any sense (i.e. plenty of shooting around him with a lob target or two). At BYU, Demin didn’t show he can space the floor, and he played in conference games where he had little to no impact on the game. He’s a big guard at 6’8-6’9 that has a big-time passer feel and accuracy.
At No. 19, the Nets took Nolan Traore out of France and he’s a speedy point guard that can’t really shoot either. I don’t know how he fits with Demin or with how the roster will be constructed, but I like a walking paint-touch guy.
At No. 22 Drake Powell was the choice. He’s a defensive guard right now that can’t shoot, either. I see him being a G-leaguer primarily this season, but if he develops into a 3&D contributor down the road that’ll be great.
No. 26 pick Ben Saraf is a 6’6 combo that’s also a questionable shooter. He’s an excellent playmaker and has good positional size.
No. 27 Danny Wolfe is a 7’ big man with high feel and skill. He can really pass the ball and space the floor an stretch bigs are valuable in the NBA.
The Nets are obviously in project mode as these guys currently don’t fit well enough around each other, nor were they productive enough in college to warrant too much early playing time. If they develop well, in a few years at least 3 of the 5 could be reliable rotation players or starters for a playoff team. The best case scenario in my opinion is using some of them as trade chips to get a proven player that’ll help the Nets become a playoff squad.
The Nets clearly are valuing positional size and high-level passing, in the hopes the picks can develop the shooting over time, but I felt some others prospects could have helped them more right away. (Kasparas, Clifford, Flemings, McNeeley, Thiero, Lanier to name a few).
4. What’s Going on with Ace Bailey to the Jazz?
There were reports Ace Bailey’s camp didn’t want the Jazz (who were 1 of a couple teams) to draft him, but the Jazz decided to anyways. Utah felt comfortable enough with the talent and how he fits in the short and long term. I mean at 6’8 with a 7-foot wingspan, bouncy, albeit limited with how much space he creates off the bounce, with a high release point that allows him to shoot over defenders, there is plenty to like about the Rutgers product. What comes into question is the playmaking and lack of maturity.
His camp, the same people he was around in high school at McEachern (Powder Springs, Ga.) numerous people had negative things to say about, have been the ones advising him through the draft process. Even if you don’t agree with how his camp managed him in the pre-draft process, you can’t deny the talent Ace has.
The Jazz is a good situation for Ace and although he won’t be the primary shot taker on this team, there is still room for him to get plenty of touches. That situation may involve him being the first one off the bench, or Utah being creative with their starting five and implementing him in it. Lauri Markkanen has been rumored to potentially be traded (although not likely right now), but even if he’s on the roster the whole year, there will be a lot of shots and minutes available for Bailey, as the Jazz organization values heavily what he brings to the table.
Montverde ties their own record for most first round picks from the same high school in the same draft 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/FDbAPScSsy
— League Ready (@LeagueRDY) June 26, 2025
5. Montverde Academy with Another 4 First Round Picks
This is the second time in four years that Montverde Academy (Fla.) has produced four first round draft picks from the same high school team. Incredibly it’s also the second time in four years with the No. 1 and No. 29 overall draft pick as well. In 2021, the four who got drafted were Cade Cunningham (No. 1), Scottie Barnes (No. 4), Moses Moody (No. 14) and Day’Ron Sharpe (No. 29). All four starred on the 2020 MVA team that finished 25-0 and No. 1 in the FAB 50.
This year it was Cooper Flagg (No. 1), Derik Queen (No. 13), Asa Newell (No. 23) and Liam McNeeley (No. 29). Along with point guard Robert Wright III (who remains in college), that club went 33-0 and captured the 2024 FAB 50 national crown. What’s might be most impressive is all eight players were true freshmen one year removed from high school.
On top of that, MVA has a dominant run under coach Kevin Boyle from 2012 through the 2025 season before he announced he was heading to Spire Academy in Ohio during the off-season. MVA won seven FAB 50 titles and produced other numerous first round draft choices. Flagg was the third No. 1 overall pick in that time, following Cunningham and Ben Simmons.
Now the follow up question, of course, is which was better the 2020 or 2024 team?
6. Did The New Orleans Pelicans Give Up Too Much?
One thing you’ll learn to realize about me when it comes to drafting players is, if you did your research on the player’s mental fortitude and work ethic and you believe in the talent, it can work out. As long as the kid embraces coaching and loves being in the gym.
Some may view Jeremy Fears as a reach at No. 7 (probably so), but I do see why the Pelicans feel he can be a future contributing piece. Fears is a shifty point guard that gets to the paint at will with the right position size. Trading an unprotected first in 2026 to the Atlanta Hawks to draft Derik Queen at 13 is very questionable, though. The West is too loaded to take those kinds of risks. Also, the Pelicans haven’t been playing with a full roster due to health issues for a few years now. On top of that, the 2026 class is projected to be better than this year’s draft class.
Queen’s fit with Zion Williamson will be interesting on both ends because neither are good rim protectors nor space the floor, but a Queen lob to Zion will occur many times next year. Queen could end up being a good NBA player, but I don’t think it was worth trading an unprotected first in a deep projected draft in 2026 to get the former Maryland and Montverde Academy star.
