Brandon Ellis’ 2025 NBA Draft Mock Draft 1.0 Picks 1-10
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery just concluded, and the Draft Lottery was a complete shocker to say the least, with how the top 4 played out. The Dallas Mavericks landed the No. 1 Overall pick with just a 1.8% chance heading into the night. This is a very talented draft class, and this draft will be one of those drafts that will define a generation like the 2003 draft did for the 2000s and the 2010s. With that being said, here is my official first mock of the top ten 2025 NBA Draft with the order now completed.
1. Dallas Mavericks: Duke Forward Cooper Flagg
With those improbable odds of 1.8%, the Mavericks will take who is by far the best player in this loaded class with this pick. Flagg is one of those guys who gives elite offense and defense at that wing position. Flagg is the perfect answer for the Luka Doncic-sized hole left by that Mavericks trade with the Lakers in February. Flagg’s talent and ceiling on both ends of the floor make this pick a No-Brainer for Nico Harrison, or it should make it so after the blunder of a trade that he had this season, wink-wink, hint-hint, Nico.
2. San Antonio Spurs: Rutgers Forward Ace Bailey
If the Spurs stay in this pick at 2, I think they go with a strong wing player in Bailey from Rutgers. Bailey is the perfect complement for Victor Wembanyama and De’Aaron Fox and can bring scoring from the wing position that the Spurs desperately need. I think there is a great chance this pick will end up with the Milwaukee Bucks if Giannis Antetokounmpo decides to ask for a trade this summer from the Bucks. The Spurs could also use Dylan Harper, the second-best prospect, but I think they will go with Bailey if they stay put.
3. Philadelphia 76ers: Rutgers Guard Dylan Harper
Harper is the second-best prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft class and can bring some more scoring to the Sixers. The Sixers should be celebrating this because they had a better chance of losing their pick to OKC if it fell out of the top 6. If the Spurs/Bucks take Harper at two, I think Bailey is going here at three, which is a better fit for the Sixers with the backcourt set with Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. But I think the Sixers would take Harper as a great scorer if this is how the board falls.
4. Charlotte Hornets: Baylor Guard VJ Edgecombe
Edgecombe is the most explosive athlete of the 2025 NBA Draft by far. He is a great ball-handler and finisher. He improved in those two previous things, and his perimeter shooting. Coach Bryce Drew has gotten Edgecombe ready to be one of the elite options in this draft. To go along with his physicality and intensity and his great defensive ability, he has a lot of upside in this draft. I love Edgecombe for the Hornets in this spot right now.
5. Utah Jazz: Duke Guard/Forward Kon Knueppel
I think the Jazz will go with Knueppel in this spot instead of who ESPN has in Jeremiah Fears from Oklahoma, because the Jazz have plenty of guards on this team, and they need a wing player. I think Fears is the better prospect. However, I think the need for that wing shooter will outweigh the talent in this situation.
I also see Texas Guard Tre Johnson as a great fit for the Jazz, but I think Knueppel will be the pick. Especially falling out of the top picks into the fifth spot, might make them go with the wing player in this situation even more so, as they would’ve picked Flagg.
6. Washington Wizards: Texas Guard Tre Johnson
The Wizards need a scorer. Why not get the guy who emulated his game, like local D.C. product Kevin Durant in Tre Johnson? Johnson is one of the best pure scorers of this 2025 NBA Draft, and his ability to put the ball in the hoop from multiple ranges on the floor makes him another desirable player in this draft class. Johnson will be an elite player for whoever ends up drafting him in this draft.
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Duke Center Khaman Maluach
The Pelicans get the best center of the 2025 NBA Draft in Maluach in this mock draft. I think this is the perfect fit for the Pelicans, who hopefully will have Zion Williamson healthy, along with a fully recovered Dejounte Murray from his Achilles injury. After trading Jonas Valanciunas this past February, along with Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans’ paint defense suffered immensely. Maluach will bring that back into the fold very effectively with his paint protection. The Pelicans will use this pick to build and hopefully shift towards another loaded draft class in 2026.
8. Brooklyn Nets: Colorado State Guard Nique Clifford
Clifford is one of those players in the 2025 NBA Draft class who is underrated. He is a late first-round selection, but I could see him impressing scouts in the workouts with the opportunity for him to leap up into the lottery. Clifford brings a complete game that could be a plug-and-play type of situation for teams in this draft. It’ll be interesting to see what the Nets do with this pick. If Utah doesn’t select Knueppel at 5 and goes with Fears, I think Knueppel will be the pick here at 8 for the Nets.
9. Toronto Raptors: Maryland Center Derik Queen
Queen is a great prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft class, and I think he can end up a top ten prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft by June 25. Queen has the ability at the center position to create his shot when needed. I think Queen is a perfect fit to go along with Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, and this young core in Toronto. This is probably my favorite pick other than the Flagg selection. If you need any more evidence, watch Queen against Colorado State in this past tournament for further proof on why he’s a top ten pick.
10. Houston Rockets: Oklahoma Guard Jeremiah Fears
Fears will bring some depth more depth to the guard position for Houston and won’t have to play right away because of Fred VanVleet. He will be the perfect mentor for the young Fears. I think Fears is a top 5 talent, and if he does fall to 10, Houston should be ecstatic and immediately draft him at No. 10 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Final Thoughts
There is plenty of other talent in this 2025 NBA Draft that I didn’t highlight, including Michigan State’s Jase Richardson, Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis, BYU’s Egor Demin, and the reigning Most Outstanding Player of the Year, Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr. The 2025 NBA Draft will be great as it is the first one that will air over two days on ESPN and ABC over those days. Looking forward to filling out another Mock Draft next month of the top ten picks again. This will be a fun process.
