由生成式人工智能翻译，译文内容可能不准确或不完整，以原文为准。
- 乔纳森·吉沃尼(Jonathan Givony)
- 杰里米·吴(Jeremy Woo)
2024 年 7 月 31 日，美国东部时间上午 7:45
NBA 夏季联赛通常只是球员职业生涯（或选秀班命运）中的一个小插曲，但 NBA 在拉斯维加斯的年度盛会再次成为新秀球员的展示舞台，他们在为期 11 天的时间里，在联盟面前首次展示了自己的才华。
在拉斯维加斯举行的 76 场比赛中，评估环境并不完美。然而，这对球员来说是一个留下深刻印象的机会，也是球队管理层可以开始了解每位球员如何融入球队的论坛。
在 2024 年 NBA 选秀大会之后——所有 30 支球队都对此进行了仔细研究，直到选秀之夜才对状元秀人选达成共识，包括亚特兰大老鹰队用状元签选中了扎卡里·里萨切尔(Zaccharie Risacher)——我们感受了联盟的脉搏，在大多数新秀球员在拉斯维加斯登场后，了解了他们的初步意见。
ESPN 的乔纳森·吉沃尼和杰里米·吴对 20 位 NBA 高管和球探进行了调查，询问了他们对联盟新秀的预测和看法。我们还了解了高管们对 NBA 前两天的选秀方式的看法，以及谁将成为 2025 年的状元秀，因为 2025 年的选秀大会已经被认为是人才济济的一年。
跳转至：
年度最佳新秀 | 最大的水货 | 最佳选择
为期两天的选秀形式 | 2025 年状元秀
谁的 NBA 职业生涯会更好：里萨切尔还是萨尔？
扎卡里·里萨切尔， 老鹰队：15 票
亚历克斯·萨尔(Alex Sarr) ，奇才队：5 票
里萨切尔是这里绝对的热门人选，获得了 20 票中的 15 票。人们对他未来的发展轨迹寄予厚望，这也促成了他被选中为状元秀。高管们对他防守能力、球场感觉和进攻端的成长空间充满信心，认为他的下限比萨尔更高，考虑到萨尔目前的状态和他夏季联赛中起伏不定的表现，对他未来的长期预测还需要更多信心。
“他们要求萨尔在拉斯维加斯做得太多，给了他不应该拥有的自由，但我看好他未来的长期前景，”一位投票者说，他为萨尔的未来辩护道。“他拥有非凡的身体素质和入选 NBA 最佳防守阵容的能力。他的运球、传球和投篮为他进攻端打下了良好的基础。他会变得非常出色。”
值得注意的是，在萨尔的夏季联赛表现之后——包括一场令人难忘的 15 投 0 中——可能存在一定程度的近因偏差，偏向于里萨切尔。从长远来看，这无关紧要，但人们也明白，无论哪支 NBA 球队选中萨尔，他都离成为一名有贡献的球员还有很长的路要走。
许多高管认为里萨切尔更接近于帮助球队获胜。
“里萨切尔的防守、投篮和球场感觉已经非常出色了，”一位投票者说。“NBA 现在是一个拼感觉的联盟，他在攻防两端总是领先一步。他会继续在挡拆中成长，并做出阅读比赛的选择，因为他真的很会传球，而且他超级聪明。他的身体会变得更强壮，这将为他解锁很多东西。”
哪位新秀将成为选秀大会上的最佳选择？
里德·谢泼德(Reed Sheppard) ，休斯顿火箭队：7 票
多诺万·克林甘(Donovan Clingan) ，波特兰开拓者队：3 票
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 ，圣安东尼奥马刺队：2 票
道尔顿·克内西特(Dalton Knecht) ，洛杉矶湖人队：2 票
巴勃·卡林顿(Bub Carrington) ，华盛顿奇才队：2 票
尼古拉·托皮奇(Nikola Topic) ，俄克拉荷马雷霆队：1 票
罗伯·迪林厄姆(Rob Dillingham) ，明尼苏达森林狼队：1 票
扎卡里·里萨切尔， 老鹰队：1 票
一位投票者不愿回答
在夏季联赛中表现出色后，谢泼德（火箭队用探花签选中）获得了最多的选票，“最佳选择”被宽泛地定义为价值和契合度的最强结合。联盟中很多人对谢泼德的未来持乐观态度，普遍认为他可能是下一个在进入 NBA 后全面绽放的肯塔基大学后卫。
“谢泼德会立即帮助休斯顿，我认为他有机会成为全明星球员，”一位东部联盟的高管说。
谢泼德在拉斯维加斯表现出色，作为火箭队的全职控卫（在大学里是替补出场），他看起来很自在，四场比赛场均得到 20 分和 5.3 次助攻。拉斯维加斯的热议和他比赛中的乐观情绪都反映在投票中。
在我们的投票中排名第二的是克林甘，他最终在第七顺位被开拓者队选中，部分原因是选秀顺位下滑。几支球队为了满足其他需求，放弃了这位选秀大会上最会盖帽的中锋。
“我认为克林甘在第七顺位被选中简直是物超所值，但他在夏季联赛中防守端所做的事情，以及他所带来的影响，都令人难以置信，”另一位投票者表示。“现在他们让他投三分和打挡拆。如果他能持续命中这些球，再加上他的传球和护框能力，那将改变比赛。”
哪位新秀是选秀大会上最大的水货？
小罗恩·霍兰德(Ron Holland II) ，底特律活塞队：4 票
AJ·约翰逊(AJ Johnson) ，密尔沃基雄鹿队：4 票
蒂贾尼·萨劳恩(Tidjane Salaun) ，夏洛特黄蜂队：3 票
罗伯·迪林厄姆， 森林狼队：2 票
扎克·埃迪(Zach Edey) ，孟菲斯灰熊队：2 票
亚历克斯·萨尔， 奇才队：2 票
扎卡里·里萨切尔， 老鹰队：1 票
帕科姆·达迪特(Pacome Dadiet) ，纽约尼克斯队：1 票
一位投票者不愿回答
活塞队在第五顺位选择了霍兰德，这是选秀大会上的第一个意外选择，这让联盟中的一些人感到惊讶，因为他作为一名低于平均水平的射手，与一支急需外线投篮的球队格格不入，这一点令人质疑。底特律队的选择是新任总经理特拉扬·兰登(Trajan Langdon)上任后的第一个选择，这是一个高于一切的豪赌，这使得竞争对手的高管们怀疑，活塞队的年轻阵容是否会发生更大规模的变化。
“我为凯德·坎宁安(Cade Cunningham)感到难过，”一位投票者解释说。“他们已经重建了很多年，尽管他们从未计划这样做，而这次选择表明，他们可能需要推倒重建，重新开始。我只是不知道霍兰德如何与奥萨尔·汤普森(Ausar Thompson)、杰登·艾维(Jaden Ivey)以及他们所有其他的年轻球员一起打球。这种情况一团糟。即使霍兰德在拉斯维加斯得分的时候，看起来也很丑陋。”
雄鹿队在第 23 顺位选择了 19 岁的约翰逊，一位不被广泛认为是首轮球员的球员，这也让几位高管对密尔沃基的方向感到困惑。约翰逊作为一名控球手，一直展现出令人感兴趣的闪光点，他的得分和组织能力尚未得到开发，但他预计本赛季不会帮助雄鹿队争夺总冠军。
“我完全不明白雄鹿队的选秀操作，”另一位投票者说。“你有正处于巅峰时期的扬尼斯·阿德托昆博(Giannis Antetokounmpo)和达米安·利拉德(Damian Lillard)，却选择了两个距离成为优秀的发展联盟球员还有两年时间的球员（约翰逊和泰勒·史密斯(Tyler Smith)）。特伦斯·香农(Terrence Shannon)、贝勒·谢尔曼(Baylor Scheierman)在首轮，泰勒·科莱克(Tyler Kolek)和约翰尼·弗菲(Johnny Furphy)在次轮都还有，而且他们可以立即发挥作用。有时我们会想太多，而这似乎就是发生的事情。”
哪位新秀将成为选秀大会上最大的漏网之鱼？
巴勃·卡林顿， 奇才队：5 票
凯莱尔·韦尔(Kel’el Ware) ，迈阿密热火队：3 票
小特伦斯·香农 ，森林狼队：3 票
马塔斯·布泽利斯(Matas Buzelis) ，芝加哥公牛队：2 票
凯尔·菲利波夫斯基(Kyle Filipowski) ，犹他爵士队：2 票
道尔顿·克内西特， 湖人队：1 票
贾里德·麦凯恩(Jared McCain) ，费城 76 人队：1 票
贾马尔·希德(Jamal Shead) ，多伦多猛龙队：1 票
卡姆·斯宾塞(Cam Spencer) ，灰熊队：1 票
一位投票者不愿回答
联盟中很多人都看好卡林顿的长期前景，他上周刚满 19 岁，奇才队通过操作在第 14 顺位选中了他。他在夏季联赛中表现出色，看起来很自在，尤其是考虑到他的年龄，他似乎是华盛顿队一个很有潜力的培养对象。
“卡林顿拥有成为全明星球员的身高、速度和比赛，”一位西部联盟的高管说。“我从他的比赛方式中看到了一些泰瑞斯·马克西(Tyrese Maxey)的影子。”
“我认为他将成为华盛顿队在这次选秀大会上选出的最佳球员，”另一位投票者表示。（奇才队还分别在第二顺位和第 24 顺位选中了亚历克斯·萨尔和凯肖恩·乔治(Kyshawn George)。）
韦尔（第 15 顺位）和香农（第 27 顺位）在拉斯维加斯都有出色表现。
韦尔是一个惊喜，他帮助热火队获得了夏季联赛冠军，并且表现得像是这次比赛中最优秀的大个子之一。他一直在消除人们对他稳定性和比赛动力的担忧，并且他加入了一支非常适合他的球队——热火队，他们将把他培养成巴姆·阿德巴约(Bam Adebayo)身边长期的人选。
“不可否认的是，韦尔在技术方面很有天赋，”一位投票者说。“根据夏季联赛和他的潜力，他必须被认为是更好的选择之一。”
香农的爆发力和防守端的组织能力在拉斯维加斯非常突出，尤其是他的前两场比赛给人留下了深刻的印象。他在对阵新奥尔良鹈鹕队的比赛中得到 25 分，在对阵印第安纳步行者队的比赛中得到 19 分，并且在这两场比赛中都送出了多个盖帽。他在第 27 顺位被选中，这可能会让明尼苏达森林狼队在下赛季获得一名有用的替补球员。
你心目中的年度最佳新秀人选是谁？
里德·谢泼德， 火箭队：7 票
扎克·埃迪， 灰熊队：4 票
斯蒂芬·卡斯尔， 马刺队：3 票
多诺万·克林甘， 开拓者队：2 票
扎卡里·里萨切尔， 老鹰队：1 票
小罗恩·霍兰德， 活塞队：1 票
道尔顿·克内西特， 湖人队：1 票
特里斯坦·达席尔瓦(Tristan da Silva) ，奥兰多魔术队：1 票
谢泼德再次获得了最多的选票。他很可能也是夏季联赛的受益者，但越来越多的人认为，火箭队必须为他找到竞争年度最佳新秀所需的出场时间。
下一个最受欢迎的人选是埃迪，他是一个两极分化的球员，他在孟菲斯灰熊队的处境将需要他做出巨大贡献。支持他的人表示，他们相信他的经验和非凡的身体条件将使他在新秀赛季就能取得成功。
“我去犹他看了夏季联赛，埃迪的比赛让我印象深刻，”一位投票者说。“他的状态非常好，考虑到他的接球和终结能力，他在 NBA 的空间里，将会成为挡拆中的利器。他的运动能力比人们想象的要强，我预测，凭借着他的意志力，他会在新年之前打出很多 20+10 的比赛。灰熊队的阵容中没有其他真正的中锋可以和他竞争出场时间。”
我们还让投票者有机会就两个热门话题发表他们的初步看法：NBA 新的为期两天的选秀形式，以及以杜克大学新星库珀·弗拉格(Cooper Flagg)领衔的备受期待的 2025 年 NBA 选秀大会。
联盟首次采用为期两天的选秀形式是否成功？
是： 15 票
否： 5 票
大多数高管都赞成改为为期两天的选秀形式。即便如此，在“是”或“否”的选择之外，还有很多不同的意见，很多投票者表示，NBA 在未来仍然可以改进选秀方式。
“能够在第一晚结束后重新集结，然后在第二天的大部分时间里开会，这为我们的团队确定下一步行动创造了一个很好的流程，”一位投票者说。“我们仔细研究了几十个交易方案，有时间观看了大量的比赛录像，并对我们感兴趣的双向合同球员和候选球员进行了额外的背景调查，最终在团队中达成了一致意见。
“我们完成了多笔交易，并签下了几位我们现在很高兴加入我们阵容的球员。如果是在第二轮选秀中，每支球队只有两分钟的挑选时间，我们不可能在混乱的深夜完成所有这些事情。”
对为期两天的选秀形式的一些批评来自操作方面，因为第二轮选秀是在第二天进行的，两名被邀请到小绿屋的球员凯尔·菲利波夫斯基和约翰尼·弗菲，不得不遗憾离场，没有在第一晚听到自己的名字被选中。
其他人则表示，这 simply took too long（“第二天在作战室里，很多人都在打哈欠”）。一位投票者表示，与一天后在拉斯维加斯球体体育馆举行的 2024 年 NHL 选秀大会相比，这次选秀大会的制作水平相形见绌。
“他们不应该邀请 20 多名球员到小绿屋，我甚至建议邀请更少的球员是最好的做法，”一位 NBA 总经理说。“让两名球员不得不遗憾离场，没有被选中，这看起来并不好。”
总的来说，我们采访的球队工作人员表示，他们对拥有额外的时间感到满意——现在球队已经了解了流程，这一点可能会在明年得到更好的利用。
“我们管理层中的一些人不希望这第二天对那些通常比较随性、并且在战略上容易被人利用的球队有太大的帮助，”其中一位受访者表示。“但在更好的选秀和决策方面，优点远远大于缺点。有很多交易，我认为明年你会看到一些真正的创造力，因为我们现在对比赛的进程有了更好的了解。”
谁将成为 2025 年 NBA 选秀大会的状元秀？
库珀·弗拉格， 杜克大学：16 票
迪伦·哈珀(Dylan Harper) ，罗格斯大学：2 票
埃尔尤斯·“王牌”·贝利(Airious “Ace” Bailey) ，罗格斯大学：1 票
维杰·埃奇库姆(V.J. Edgecombe)，贝勒大学：1 票
在与美国国家队一起训练并取得积极成果后，2025 年选秀大会的状元秀似乎非弗拉格莫属。这位即将进入杜克大学的前锋很可能成为下赛季大学篮球联赛中最好的防守球员，并且他还在不断完善自己更全面的进攻手段，这让他成为了状元秀的有力争夺者，因为他拥有罕见的技能组合，有可能改变比赛。
“我还没有深入研究过这个级别，我相信我们的排名都会发生变化，但从我在巅峰篮球赛和拉斯维加斯与美国队的比赛中看到的，祝那些想追赶他的人好运吧，”一位投票者说。“弗拉格今晚就可以首发出战，并凭借着他在攻防两端的韧性、球场感觉和意识，产生巨大的影响。他的投篮看起来也不错。”
明年的选秀大会预计会更加激烈：哈珀和贝利将会联手，组成有史以来最受关注的罗格斯大学球队，猩红骑士队整个赛季都将是 NBA 球探关注的焦点。
同样出现在状元秀雷达上的还有埃奇库姆，他今年夏天代表巴哈马国家队出战，并且看起来游刃有余，在秋季代表贝勒大学首次亮相之前，他就已经发表了一份积极的声明。
“我去西班牙观看了奥运会资格赛，埃奇库姆是我参加的多场比赛中表现最好的球员，”一位球探说。“这个家伙有另一个层次，这是 NBA 中很少有球员拥有的。他的控球和传球能力比人们意识到的要强。投篮会变得更好。而且他绝对无所畏惧。我认为他会成为一名控球后卫。我非常看好他。”
点击查看原文：NBA execs debate the rookie class: Any worry about Alex Sarr? Biggest steal? Best pick?
NBA execs debate the rookie class: Any worry about Alex Sarr? Biggest steal? Best pick?
- Jonathan Givony
- Jeremy Woo
Jul 31, 2024, 07:45 AM ET
NBA summer league is often a tiny blip in the grand scheme of a player’s career (or the fate of a draft class), but the NBA’s annual gathering in Las Vegas again served as a showcase for incoming rookies, who debuted their talents in front of the league over an 11-day span.
During the course of the 76-game schedule in Las Vegas, the environment for evaluation was imperfect. It was a chance for players to leave an impression, however, and a forum where a team’s front office could begin the work of understanding how each player fits.
In the wake of the 2024 NBA draft – one that was scrutinized by all 30 teams and went down to draft night with little palpable consensus for the top picks, including the Atlanta Hawks drafting Zaccharie Risacher at No. 1 – we took the pulse of the league, feeling out early opinions after the majority of the rookie class took the floor in Vegas.
ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo polled 20 NBA executives and scouts, asking for their predictions and opinions on the league’s incoming rookies. And we scoped out the executives’ thoughts on how they liked the NBA’s first two-day draft and which player will be the No. 1 pick in 2025 in what is already shaping up to be a talent-rich draft.
Jump to:
Rookie of the Year | Biggest reach | Best pick
Two-day draft format | No. 1 pick in 2025
Who will have the better NBA career: Risacher or Sarr?
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks**:** 15 votes
Alex Sarr, Wizards: 5
Risacher was the resounding favorite here, pulling in 15 of the 20 votes. There’s a good deal of optimism surrounding his trajectory, which contributed to his draft selection at No. 1. Executives are confident in his defensive ability, court feel and room to grow on offense, giving him a higher perceived floor than Sarr, who at this stage, and considering his uneven summer league performance, requires a bit more faith in his long-term projection.
“They were asking [Sarr] to do too much [in Las Vegas] and giving him freedom he shouldn’t have, but I’m bullish on his outlook long-term overall,” one voter said, making the case for Sarr’s future. “He’s got phenomenal physical tools and NBA All-Defensive Team ability. His ballhandling, passing and shooting gives him a good framework to build off offensively. He’s going to be really good.”
It’s worth noting that there’s likely a degree of recency bias tilted toward Risacher following Sarr’s summer league showing – including a forgettable 0-for-15 performance. That means little in the scope of things, but there’s also an understanding that Sarr is simply further away from being a plus contributor no matter which NBA team had picked him.
Many executives think Risacher is much closer to helping a team win.
“[Risacher’s] baseline is outstanding already with what he brings defensively and with his shooting and feel,” one voter said. “The NBA is a feel league now and he’s always a step ahead of the play on both ends. He’ll continue to grow playing out of ball screens and making reads because he can really pass and he’s super smart. His body is going to get bigger and that will unlock a lot of things for him.”
Which rookie will prove to be the draft’s best pick?
Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets: 7 votes
Donovan Clingan, Portland Trail Blazers: 3
Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs: 2
Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers: 2
Bub Carrington, Washington Wizards: 2
Nikola Topic, Oklahoma City Thunder: 1
Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves: 1
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks: 1
One voter preferred not to answer
On the heels of a breakout showing at summer league, Sheppard (the Rockets’ pick at No. 3) took home the most votes, with “best pick” loosely defined as the strongest intersection of value and fit. There’s a good deal of optimism around the league surrounding Sheppard’s future, and the prevailing thought is that he might be the next Kentucky Wildcats guard to fully blossom upon his arrival in the NBA.
“Sheppard is going to help Houston right away, and I think he has a chance to be an All-Star down the road,” one high-ranking Eastern Conference executive said.
Sheppard stood out in Las Vegas, looking comfortable as the Rockets’ full-time point guard (after splitting duties off the bench in college) and averaging 20 points and 5.3 assists in his four games. The buzz in Las Vegas and optimism around his game was reflected in the voting.
Coming in second in our polling was Clingan, who slid to pick No. 7 with the Trail Blazers in part because of the way the board fell. Several teams passed on the draft’s top rim-protecting center to address other needs.
“I thought [Clingan] was a steal on draft night at 7, but the things he did defensively in summer league were unreal with the impact he made,” a different voter offered. “Now they have him shooting trail and pick-and-pop 3s. If he starts making those consistently, that’s a game-changer with the way he can pass and protect the rim.”
Which pick was the draft’s biggest reach?
Ron Holland II, Detroit Pistons: 4 votes
AJ Johnson, Milwaukee Bucks: 4
Tidjane Salaun, Charlotte Hornets: 3
Rob Dillingham, Timberwolves: 2
Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies: 2
Alex Sarr, Wizards: 2
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks: 1
Pacome Dadiet, New York Knicks: 1
One voter preferred not to answer
The Pistons made the first surprise selection of the draft with Holland at No. 5, a pick that raised some eyebrows around the league because of his questionable roster fit as a below-average shooter on a team that sorely needed perimeter shooting. Detroit’s selection, the first under new general manager Trajan Langdon, was a swing on talent above all, which led rival execs to wonder if larger-scale changes to the Pistons’ young roster are coming.
“I feel bad for Cade Cunningham,” one voter explained. “They’ve been rebuilding for years even though they never planned on it, and this pick signals they might need to blow up the roster and start over again. I just don’t see how [Holland] plays with Ausar Thompson, Jaden Ivey and all their other young guys. That situation is a mess. Even when Holland was scoring in Vegas, it was so ugly to watch.”
The Bucks’ selection at No. 23 of 19-year-old Johnson, a player who was not widely viewed as a first-round caliber prospect, also led to some confusion over Milwaukee’s direction – as pointed out by several executives. Johnson has always shown interesting flashes as a ball handler with untapped scoring and playmaking ability, but he isn’t expected to help the Bucks contend this season.
“I didn’t understand [the Bucks’] draft at all,” another voter said. “You’ve got Giannis [Antetokounmpo] and Dame [Lillard] in their primes, and you take two guys [Johnson and Tyler Smith] who are two years away from being good G League players. [Terrence] Shannon, Baylor Scheierman in the first and Tyler Kolek and Johnny Furphy in the second were right there and could play a role right away. Sometimes we overthink this thing and [that] seems to be what happened.”
Which rookie will turn out to be the biggest draft steal?
Bub Carrington, Wizards: 5 votes
Kel’el Ware, Miami Heat: 3
Terrence Shannon Jr., Timberwolves: 3
Matas Buzelis, Chicago Bulls: 2
Kyle Filipowski, Utah Jazz: 2
Dalton Knecht, Lakers: 1
Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers: 1
Jamal Shead, Toronto Raptors: 1
Cam Spencer, Grizzlies: 1
One voter preferred not to answer
Many around the league are bullish on the long-term prospects for Carrington, who turned 19 last week and whom the Wizards maneuvered into the 14th pick to select. He had a solid showing at summer league and looked very comfortable, particularly for his age, appearing to be a strong development bet for Washington.
“[Carrington] has the size, quickness and game to be an All-Star,” one Western Conference executive said. “I see some [Tyrese] Maxey in the way he plays.”
“I think he will turn out to be the best pick that Washington made in this draft,” another voter offered. (The Wizards also selected Alex Sarr at No. 2 and Kyshawn George at No. 24.)
Both Ware (No. 15) and Shannon (No. 27) had strong showings in Las Vegas.
Ware was a pleasant surprise, helping lead the Heat to the summer league title and performing like one of the top bigs at the event. He has continued to assuage concerns about his consistency and competitive motor, and landed in a strong situation with the Heat, who will develop him as a long-term answer at center next to Bam Adebayo.
“It’s undeniable what Ware can do skill-wise,” one voter said. “Based on summer league and what he might become, he has to be considered one of the better picks.”
Shannon’s explosiveness and defensive playmaking stood out in Las Vegas, with his first two games in particular leaving a good impression. He scored 25 points against New Orleans and 19 against Indiana and recorded multiple blocks in both games. His slide to the 27th pick could give Minnesota a useful bench contributor next season.
Who’s your NBA Rookie of the Year pick?
Reed Sheppard, Rockets: 7 votes
Zach Edey, Grizzlies: 4
Stephon Castle, Spurs: 3
Donovan Clingan, Trail Blazers: 2
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks: 1
Ron Holland II, Pistons: 1
Dalton Knecht, Lakers: 1
Tristan da Silva, Orlando Magic: 1
Sheppard again garnered the popular vote. He was likely also a beneficiary of summer league bias, but there’s an increasing notion that the Rockets will have to find him the level of playing time necessary to contend for NBA Rookie of the Year.
The next-most popular pick was Edey, a polarizing prospect who landed in a situation in Memphis that will require him to contribute heavily. His proponents said they believed his experience and outlier physical profile would give him a leg up toward a productive rookie season.
“I was at the Utah Summer League and was so impressed by how much [Edey’s] game translates,” one voter said. “He’s in incredible shape and is going to be such a weapon in pick-and-roll with NBA spacing with the way he catches and finishes. He’s way more athletic than people realize, and his sheer will is going to get him a bunch of 20-plus-10 outings before New Year’s, is my prediction. There’s not really another true center on the Grizzlies roster to compete with him for playing time.”
We also gave the voters the opportunity to weigh in with their initial reactions on two hot topics: the NBA’s new two-day draft format and the highly anticipated 2025 NBA draft, headlined by Duke-bound Cooper Flagg.
Was the league’s first two-day draft a success?
Yes: 15 votes
No: 5
The majority of execs were in favor of the shift to the two-day format. Even so, there was a wide range of opinions within the yes-no binary option and many voters said the NBA could still improve the draft moving forward.
“Having the ability to regroup after the first night and then meet most of the following day created a great process for our group in determining our next moves,” one voter said. "We batted around dozens of trade scenarios, had time to watch a considerable amount of film and conduct additional background calls, map out strategies with agents of two-way and stash candidates we were interested in, and ultimately come to a consensus in our group.
“We executed multiple trades and landed on several players we’re excited to have now on our extended roster. There’s no way we could have accomplished all that in the chaotic fog of a late-night second round with just two minutes between picks.”
Some of the two-day draft criticism came from an operational standpoint, with the second round taking place the following day, and two green room invitees, Kyle Filipowski and Johnny Furphy, having to leave Barclays Center without hearing their names called on the first night.
Others said it simply took too long (“a lot of yawns in the war room on Day 2”). One voter said the production value paled relative to the 2024 NHL draft, which took place at the Sphere in Las Vegas a day later.
“They should have not invited 20-plus players to the green room, and I even suggested inviting less would be the best way to go about it,” one NBA general manager said. “To have two guys have to go home without getting drafted was not a good look at all.”
Broadly speaking, team personnel we spoke with said they felt good about having the extra time – something that might be put to better use next year now that teams understand the flow.
“Some of the people in our front office didn’t like how much this second day helps the disorganized teams who typically wing it and can be taken advantage of from a strategy standpoint,” one of the respondents said. “But the pros far outweigh the cons when it comes to better drafting and decision-making. There were a ton of trades and I think next year you’ll see some real creativity now that we have a better idea for how the evening looks.”
Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft?
Cooper Flagg, Duke: 16 votes
Dylan Harper, Rutgers: 2
Airious “Ace” Bailey, Rutgers: 1
V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor: 1
On the heels of his positive showing in practices with the U.S. Select team, the top spot in the 2025 draft appears to be Flagg’s to lose. The Duke-bound forward is likely to be the top defender in college basketball next season and continues to build out a more versatile offensive game, putting him in the driver’s seat at No. 1 as a potential game-changer with a rare combination of skills.
“I haven’t studied this class deeply enough yet and I’m sure our boards will all change, but from what I saw at Hoop Summit and in Vegas with USA Basketball, good luck catching that guy,” one voter said. “[Flagg] could start for our team tonight and make a huge impact with his toughness, feel and instincts on both ends. His shooting looks good also.”
The top of next year’s draft projects to be stronger overall: Harper and Bailey are set to team up on what will be the most heavily scouted Rutgers team ever, with the Scarlet Knights sure to be a major draw for NBA personnel all season.
Also on the No. 1 radar is Edgecombe, who played with the Bahamian national team this summer and looked like he belonged, making a positive statement ahead of his debut for Baylor in the fall.
“I was in Spain for the Olympic qualifiers and [Edgecombe] was the best player on the floor in multiple games I attended,” one scout said. “This guy has another gear that few players in the NBA have. He’s a better ball handler and passer than people realize. The shooting is going to be OK. And he’s absolutely fearless. I think he ends up being a point guard. I’m sky-high on him.”
via ESPN