Prospects to Watch for the 2025 NBA Draft
With the conclusion of the 2024 NBA Draft, decision-makers nationwide have turned their attention to 2025's top prospects.
With the 2024 NBA Draft cycle finally over, NBA decision-makers are elated to see what’s on the horizon. In what was dubbed much of an underwhelming cycle, 2024’s prospects lacked that star potential at the top of the draft, leading to some interesting reallocations of draft capital on draft night.
2025 has long been labeled a great draft. Prospects like Cooper Flagg have been tracked since they were 14-15 years old and have shown incredible potential across high school, AAU, and Fiba.
Additionally, 2025 should have a phenomenal crop of international talent, including Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez, France’s Nolan Traore, Russia’s Egor Demin, and others (Edgecomb, Maluach, Essengue, etc.).
That being said, let’s dive into a few prospects to watch for the 2025 NBA Draft!
Cooper Flagg - Forward - Duke
Flagg, the consensus #1 prospect for the Class of 2024, brings incredible defensive versatility, production, explosiveness, and passing alongside a budding jump shot. Flagg is next up in the line of generational prospects, and his qualities fit the bill. In the youth levels, Flagg has had some crazy 40 and 50 + point games while bringing impactful defense.
Next season at Duke, Flagg will be in a prime position to be selected #1 overall next June, but he must answer the question: Can he be a #1 option on a championship team? Jon Scheyer will prepare him, so look for Flagg to hit the ground running next year on what should be a good Duke team.
Egor Demin - Guard - BYU
My current favorite player in the class, Egor Demin, brings a ridiculous amount of skill to NBA coaching vet Kevin Young’s team. At 6’9”, Demin is a jumbo point guard with tons of playmaking, shooting, and self-creation for an 18-year-old.
Demin recently popped to me at the ANGT Next Gen Tournament in Berlin, where top European academies faced off against one another, where Demin put on a show. Turn-arounds, fades, spot-up threes, pick n’ role play, you name it, Demin did it. That’s why it’s hard not to like Demin.
Although it’s yet to be seen the style of basketball Kevin Young will play next year, it seems fair to assume that he’ll let his guys rock like it’s an NBA offense. Demin should see the ball in his hands a lot, alongside fellow freshman phenom Kanon Catchings. Watch out for Demin because, depending on the season he has, he could be a top 5 pick.
Nolan Traore - Guard - Saint-Quentin (Pro A)
Long touted as the next great guard out of France, Traore has made significant strides over the last year as a player and is poised to be selected in the top 5 next year. After a strong few months, including an 18-point, 4-assist, 2-rebound outing at the Nike Hoop Summit and a 45-point bomb on FC Barcelona at ANGT Next Gen in Berlin, Traore came to the decision to stay in France with Saint-Quenting (the team he played with this year) opposed to coming stateside to the collegiate basketball scene.
Traore is a potent scorer with good playmaking skills. When watching film of Traore, his explosiveness jumps off the screen, constantly blowing by defenders left and right with a quick first step. Averaging 10 points a night in Pro A as a 17-year-old is no easy feat despite Traore’s struggles with efficiency. He had strong nights to close the year against Asvel and Chalon, suggesting Traore could be gold if consistency comes.
Look for Traore to take a step up in his role next year with Saint-Quentin as they look to improve upon a 6th-place finish this year in Pro A.
Wrap-Up
The 2025 NBA Draft class promises to be a thrilling draft, filled with high-ceiling prospects and exciting international talent. From Cooper Flagg's two-way prowess at Duke to Egor Demin's versatile playmaking at BYU and Nolan Traore's explosive scoring in France, the next wave of NBA stars are ready to cement their status in next June’s draft. As these young talents prepare to showcase their skills on bigger stages, fans and scouts alike will be eagerly watching, knowing that the league's future looks incredibly bright. Keep an eye on these prospects as they embark on pivotal seasons that could define their paths to the NBA.