2025 Way Too Early Big Board
A top 45 for 2025
The offseason has hit a lull, and I have been spending many hours scouting 2025 players, from the top to sleeper prospects. Having seen many of these guys for the last year and beyond at their local schools, AAU tournaments, and at high school tournaments like City of Palms, this is my first board of having continuous visibility into the growth cycles of players. Without further ado, my debut 2025 board with quick breakdowns and my notes on the players:
Cooper Flagg, Forward, Duke
Elite defensively with growing offense, including playmaking and shooting. Uses his size & athleticism well to win at the rim on both ends, and could be a true versatile defender capable of guarding 1-5. As his jumper continues to grow, so will his upside.
Ace Bailey, Wing, Rutgers
2 way 3 level scorer with off-ball ability and ideal size. Has the superstar mold and can play both on and off the ball.
Dylan Harper, Combo Guard, Rutgers
Two-way combo guard with 3 level scoring ability. Capable, smooth creator and play-finisher.
Khaman Maluach, Big, Duke
Outstanding athlete. Feel is a bit rough, but flashes are extremely high ceiling. Shot has a ways to go but there are flashes to buy into at his size. Has a light hitch in his jumper. I’m taking the long-term upside with him and gambling on a year or two of pure developmental seasons.
VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
Outstanding burst and feel for the game/decision-making. Jumper needs more consistency. Plays outstanding defense and is clearly well-coached on that end. Leads his teammates and makes them better. A bit undersized may limit upside. Saw him play at City of Palms in person in December 2023 and thought he was the best player on the floor most times, even against other elite prospects.
Boogie Fland, Guard, Arkansas
Great decision maker, has a good jumper, and can set it up at high levels against the best high school defenders. Was also the best player on the floor for several stretches in a game vs Montverde. Quickness, craftiness, and creativity with the ball make him easy to project, even being a bit small.
Liam McNeeley, Wing, Connecticut
Do-it-all wing with outstanding intelligence and two-way ability. Has a mediocre handle but still can score on his own. Played his NBA role at Montverde and was a key part of Montverde’s perfect season.
Nolan Traore, Guard, Saint Quentin
Has a quick first step with decent touch. Some jumper concerns but is a pretty textbook P&R guard. Unsure how good he is defensively at the moment, which will be a swing skill. His ability to get wherever he wants on offense makes him a no-doubt top 10 player in this loaded class.
Tre Johnson, Wing, Texas
Great shooter that has thrived on highest stages for his age; Has high shot creation upside. Ideal size & athleticism for a wing. Can he easily get to the rim though? Can finish with both hands but at times can be easily walled off. Played several stretches of point guard at every stage of his high school career, so his ability to become a do-it-all wing is easily translatable.
Jalil Bethea, Wing, Miami
Proven shooter with strong feel and playmaking with an ideal frame. Has showed flashes on defense too. Potential to be an all-around SG. Needs to improve shooting base consistency to better shoot against tight defenses.
Hugo Gonzalez, SG, Real Madrid
Jumper is far away, but both shooting upside and all-around upside is clear. High FT%, quick in planting his feet on catch & shoots. Has a nice back to the basket game with a variety of post moves. Would like to see him be more consistently aggressive in going to the rim to have him jump up my board.
Asa Newell, PF, Georgia
Elite play-finisher, growing shooter, versatile defender. Outstanding athlete with good size. Plus tools with room to grow as a modern big.
Egor Demin, Wing, BYU
Great size, good athlete. Shot is mostly projectable but needs a little mechanical work. 3 level scoring upside. Needs to be a more consistent decision-maker on drives. If he is a Big 12 caliber player this year at BYU, he will rise up this board and into the top 10.
Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane
High-upside rim protector. Really intelligent near the rim in how he wins defensively by using his absurdly long body. Plays within himself, knows the scouting report, and makes it hard for defenders to win near him. A true rim deterrence. Crashes the glass on every drive. Can load up and control his body well to stay on the ground, forcing passes away from the rim. Not sold on the touch as the first 2 shots I saw in the first game I watched were airball push shots. Runs the floor well and plays hard. Pretty much the ideal modern low usage rim protector.
Collin Murray-Boyles, Forward, South Carolina
Monster defender. Needs to prove he can shoot. Smart player that has a great feel for the game. Versatile and efficient, if he can click on offense he will become a consensus lottery prospect as a potential top returner.
Drake Powell, SG, North Carolina
Outstanding defender, great shooter, but settled for jumpers on drives too often in EYBL. Consistency from mid range is great, from 3 it dips a bit (again, also in EYBL, but in high school he shot 40% from 3). Quick first step and has great touch at the rim. Shot 82% at the rim, per Synergy, in high school this season.
Kwame Evans Jr, Forward, Oregon
Analytical darling; has an outstanding feel for the game and good shooting indicators. If the shot comes around, he's an ideal modern forward that is smart and makes teammates better on both ends. Not much of an on-ball player at the moment, so will have to hone in on becoming a solid connective piece that can shoot, defend, and make extra passes efficiently.
Isaiah Evans, Wing, Duke
Pure shooter; gets his feet set extremely fast, has great touch, and has overall sound shooting mechanics. Could develop on-ball well, which would be a big breakthrough in his offensive upside.
Noa Essengue, Forward, Ratiopharm Ulm
Big slasher with some playmaking chops. Long strides on drives. Questionable shooter that struggled big time in ANGT with every shooting indicator. Form isn't busted, but will need work. Rarely gets in stance on defense. Very good athlete.
Darren Harris, Wing, Duke
Shooter that can quickly get into a variety of shot motions, can draw fouls, and shoot over defenders. Limited slasher & defender, but can thrive at what he does as an off-ball player. Was comfortable developing in high school with limited playing time, and could do the same in college. Strong intangibles.
Donnie Freeman, Forward, Syracuse
Quick twitch athlete with a high defensive ceiling, but needs to become more disciplined more consistently. Recently improved shooter this year, making him an ideal inside out forward.
Ian Jackson, SG, North Carolina
Dynamic shot creator that needs to improve decision-making. Outstanding athleticism, but a bit of a chucker. Jumper is a swing skill at this stage. Needs to improve defense by a lot. Awareness is lacking and he is easily caught off-guard by offense + ball-watching. Screen navigation in turn is poor too. Has soft touch on his runner. He will struggle to get minutes at North Carolina, but the long-term upside is worth investing in. He has one of the highest offensive ceilings as a dynamic shot creator, but improving his defense is key to earning meaningful playing time.
Bryson Tucker, Wing, Indiana
Great feel for the game, ideal size on the wings. Jumper needs to find more consistency to help him use his explosiveness more effectively. Tough shot-maker with a high release + high vertical makes his shot almost unblockable. Creative in isolation and midpost with a variety of counters and moves. Good athlete that can rise up from a standstill.
Carter Bryant, Forward, Arziona
Big shooter that can attack closeouts well and hit dribble jumpers. May settle for jump shots too much on drives. Needs to improve FG% at rim and play tougher on drives/get stronger.
Joson Sanon, SG, Arizona State
Clean jumper with high shooting upside. Phenomenal first step. Somewhat awkwardly wide base on jumper. Great frame. Real 3 level scoring upside, but needs to become more willing to pass out of resets in isolation. Can be a capable movement shooter. Difficult shot maker. Confident with both hands on-ball.
Kur Teng, Wing, Michigan State
Strong shooting touch; has off the dribble scoring, floaters, and a clean jumper. Big frame and the game clicks easily for him, and it shows with decision-making on both ends. While maybe not a one and done, he is a top 30 long-term prospect on my board with his feel for the game and potential two-way scoring impact.
Alex Karaban, Wing, Connecticut
The ideal shooter with size, Karaban plays a mistake-free brand of basketball. While he’s limited athletically, mostly apparent on drives, he measured well at the Combine and could grow into a college star at UConn. Karaban has one of the fastest jump shots, very quickly going from catch into his shooting motion, which makes him a premier off-ball threat.
JT Toppin, Forward, Texas Tech
Long, undersized forward that can play bigger than his size. Good athlete. Needs a jumper. Had a good Combine and could’ve been a top 40 in the 2024 Draft if he didn’t withdraw, but instead should be a leader on an NCAA Tournament Texas Tech roster.
Dink Pate, Guard, Mexico City Capitanes
Needs to improve the jumper, but big guard with playmaking, slashing, and defensive ability. With great size at a listed 6’8, his guard skills will get him easily drafted in the top 40, depending on how his jump shot looks in year two of the G League.
Karter Knox, Wing, Arkansas
3 level scoring upside with a smooth jumper and efficient finishing numbers from EYBL.
Hunter Sallis, Wing, Wake Forest
Scoring guard with two-way potential and a high motor. Needs to become a better playmaker, but has high scoring value and a likely microwave scoring value off the bench.
Somto Cyril, Center, Georgia
Freak athlete with elite frame, making him one of the best rim protectors in high school. Needs to develop offense away from the rim/paint. Probably not a one year prospect, but should hold this value in the long-run.
Will Riley, Forward, Illinois
Good decision-maker that can pass well out of a variety of drives, as well as drive to the rim easily, particularly against smaller players. Needs to overcome some athletic concerns and make strides as a shooter to be a year-one prospect, but is another long-term prospect that could rise depending on how year one goes.
Kanon Catchings, Wing, BYU
Strong feel for the game, great physicals & good athlete. Good shooting form but needs shooting consistency. Good defensive awareness, giving him high all-around upside.
Billy Richmond, SG, Arkansas
Quick guard with a creative finishing bag; should evolve into a high-level slasher. Thrives in transition and getting downhill. Lefty. Doesn't have great shooting indicators, which could hold him down.
Derrion Reid, SG, Alabama
Outstanding athlete that can use his athletiicsm on both ends. Gifted slasher but needs to convert more drives into makes. Shot has developed well over the years. Needs to find even more consistency defensively and as a shooter to take the full jump into star upside at the next level. Would be higher on this list if I felt more comfortable about Alabama’s situation for Reid, since it is unclear how much time he will get on a team competing for a championship. He has the highest upside of any player past 15 on my board.
Kanaan Carlyle, Wing, Indiana
A better shooter than given credit for, if Carlyle can take a jump as a pull-up shooter and thus shot creator, he should be another upside pick in the second round range. The context at Stanford was rough and plagued his efficiency, and with a more winning team he should be able to improve his stock. He will also need to become more of a point guard given his size (only listed at 6’3).
Jase Richardson, Wing, Michigan State
Good lefty shooter, elite finisher at the rim with both hands. Doesn't pop athletically in halfcourt. He is the son of former NBA player Jason Richardson.
Jackson McAndrew, Forward, Creighton
Great feel for the game. Can pass on the move well out of drives to find both cutters and shooters. Has a quick and easy jumper. Struggles in space on defense.
Izan Almansa, Power Forward, Perth
One of the most accomplished FIBA youth tournament players, Almansa needs to improve his jumper and reduce micro dribbles out of drives that get him blocked or heavily contested. His soft touch and overall efficiency are big selling points, but the Ignite hurt his stock since his play style did not fit the G League’s approach. How he develops in Perth will be big, but it is worth holding onto Almansa stock for the rest of the year while the value is low.
Donovan Dent, Guard, New Mexico
Crafty playmaker that can run an offense well, as well as play high-level defense. Jump shot is the difference between being a Davion Mitchell vs Devin Carter.
Travis Perry, Guard, Kentucky
Elite feel for the game. High level shooter with a gorgeous jumper, but has defensive woes that will be tough to overcome with his frame. Most likely a long-term prospect, but his ability to control the game on offense is advanced enough to translate right away.
Devin Royal, Forward, Ohio State
Scrappy forward that plays hard, rebounds well, and makes everyone around him better with strong execution of the dirty work. Will need a scoring bump next season, but looked much more comfortable and practical after the coaching change and was a key part of Ohio State’s late-season turnaround.
Dailyn Swain, Forward, Xavier
Good athlete with a good shooting upside despite low 3P%. Versatile defender that plays with lots of effort and creates defensive activity. Limits mistakes efficiently.
Payton Sandfort, Wing, Iowa
One of the top shooters in the country, Sandfort had a brutal public pre-draft process. If he repeats his shooting season, or even improves on it, his defensive woes will be easily overlooked by being labeled a day-one shooter.
If you missed it, I also elaborate more on my top ten in my Locked On NBA Big Board from Tuesday and Wednesdays episodes: