By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, 2025-06-14 19:15:00
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。
在过去一年中，NBA各队管理层已遍访全球，为2025年选秀积极考察潜力球员，并逐步缩小了选秀名单的范围。现在，他们已进入最终决策阶段。
球探报告中充满了区分潜力球员的详细信息和描述。当然，评估工作涵盖了无数因素——但哪些新秀脱颖而出，被誉为各项最佳呢？在这届新秀中，谁是最佳组织者、最佳射手和最佳防守者呢？
距离选秀仅剩不到两周时间——首轮将于美国东部时间6月25日晚8点在ABC和ESPN电视台拉开帷幕——分析师杰里米·伍 (Jeremy Woo) 将20位潜力新秀与他们的独特特质进行了匹配，以此来分析这届新秀的整体实力，以及顶尖球员如何才能充分发挥他们的长期潜力。
更多NBA选秀报道：
交易榜眼签 | 乐透签位比较
最新模拟选秀：需求 vs 最佳价值
最佳控球手：杰里米亚·菲尔斯 (Jeremiah Fears)，后卫，俄克拉荷马大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 7
杰里米亚·菲尔斯 (Jeremiah Fears) 在俄克拉荷马大学的表现远超预期，这主要归功于他出色的控球能力，以及他能通过运球推进至场上任何区域，从而让防守者失去平衡。尽管他并非体型最庞大或力量最强壮的后卫，但他凭借节奏变化、灵活多变的球风和敏锐的直觉，不断向篮下施压。
菲尔斯持球时动作流畅、决策果断，他运球效率极高，没有同龄后卫常见的过多冗余动作——他在创造空间方面更注重实用而非花哨。对于一位18岁就跳级提前一年进入大学的球员来说，他的表现令人印象深刻。随着他的跳投威胁和决策能力的不断提高，菲尔斯将成为一个更加难以防守的对手。
最佳投篮创造者：迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper)，后卫，罗格斯大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 2
迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper) 的身高、力量、节奏、终结技巧和视野结合在一起，使他成为本届选秀中最顶级的投篮创造者。这在他在罗格斯大学的最佳表现中展现无遗——尽管他身边的球队配置不佳——他凭借果断的决策和出色的爆发力，能够撕裂防线，为自己和队友创造投篮机会。
据Synergy数据显示，哈珀作为挡拆持球手，其效率（包含助攻）位列所有球员的87个百分点，同时在单打情况下保持了36.8%的稳健命中率。此外，他的篮下命中率高达67.6%。他全面发展的进攻数据，印证了将其与现役NBA球员凯德·坎宁安 (Cade Cunningham) 和贾伦·布伦森 (Jalen Brunson) 进行比较的说法。
哈珀能够快速决策，在对抗中展现爆发力，拆解防守阵型并将球分传到场上各个角落，这使他在本届新秀中脱颖而出，他具备未来承担一支成功NBA球队进攻重任的能力。
最佳挡拆组织者：卡斯帕拉斯·贾库西奥尼斯 (Kasparas Jakucionis)，后卫，伊利诺伊大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 10
卡斯帕拉斯·贾库西奥尼斯 (Kasparas Jakucionis) 在利用掩护方面尤其难以防守，他的视野、创造力和敏锐的时机感相结合，使他成为一名杰出的进攻组织者。他绝大部分的进攻任务都通过持球挡拆完成——他总计有501次持球挡拆回合（全国最高之一），其中41.7%的回合（包括助攻）最终转化为得分（全国排名前65%），考虑到伊利诺伊大学上赛季没有稳定的三分射手和理想的空间，这个数据更加令人印象深刻。
当对手收缩禁区防守时，贾库西奥尼斯在自主创造投篮机会方面也变得更加自如，他的跳投成为弥补其篮下爆发力平平的有效手段。尽管他有时过于急躁，导致激进失误，但他的身高、无私的心态以及穿梭人缝的直觉，应该能很好地适应NBA的角色，无论是作为一名全职控卫还是组合型组织者。
最佳挡拆终结者：莱恩·卡尔克布伦纳 (Ryan Kalkbrenner)，中锋，克雷顿大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 33
莱恩·卡尔克布伦纳 (Ryan Kalkbrenner) 在大学五年期间成长为一名极其高效的终结者，即便有些人可能会觉得他的比赛风格枯燥却有效。这位7尺2寸（约2.18米）的长人上赛季在顺下攻筐时命中率高达73.1%，并连续三个赛季两分球命中率超过70%。然而，人们有理由质疑这种进攻效率在多大程度上能够转化为NBA级别的表现，因为卡尔克布伦纳的弹速并非最快，在对抗中终结的能力也并非最强。
尽管如此，这位23岁的球员拥有出色的空间意识，善于为队友创造传球目标，并拥有一双稳健的双手，所有这些都促成了他巨大的接球范围，使他成为一个有用的空接威胁。尽管NBA球探不认为他会成为全职首发——他顶多在首轮末段徘徊——但数据支持了他作为一名高效、低使用率中锋的定位，其主要附加价值将体现在防守端保护禁区。
最佳急停跳投射手：埃斯·贝利 (Ace Bailey)，前锋，罗格斯大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 3
在本届选秀中，没有球员比埃斯·贝利 (Ace Bailey) 在狭小空间内更具威胁，他能够在艰难角度下拔起跳投越过防守者，并命中高难度运球后的投篮，这使他成为一名极具诱惑力的得分型潜力股。尽管他年仅18岁，技术上仍相对粗糙，并且在罗格斯大学除了哈珀之外没有得到太多帮助，但贝利技术特点的这一方面在上赛季得以显现；他远非本届选秀中最稳定的球员，但从长远来看，没有比他更具潜力的急停跳投得分手。
贝利上赛季的中距离跳投命中率高达47%——其中很多都是受干扰投篮——这表明他投篮技术精湛，尽管在罚球和三分线外仍需大幅提高。一些球探看到的明星潜力，就在于他能持续保持高效率的得分能力，对于一个6尺9寸（约2.06米）的侧翼球员来说，这是一种罕见的技能。
最佳弹跳/扣将：维杰·埃奇科姆 (VJ Edgecombe)，后卫，贝勒大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 4
维杰·埃奇科姆 (VJ Edgecombe) 在2024-25赛季对阵冈萨加大学时的一记精彩扣篮，为他开启了大学篮球生涯。他是一位令人兴奋且功能性极强的运动员，能够在比赛中充分发挥他的爆发力，这使得他从长远来看，作为投篮创造者可能拥有巨大优势。本赛季他在贝勒大学完成了33次扣篮——对于一名后卫来说，这是一个非常出色的数据——他能表现得比实际身高更高大，无论在进攻端作为终结者还是防守端，都能在篮筐附近与对手对抗。
他令人印象深刻的垂直弹跳、193磅（约87.5公斤）的强壮体格和快速的第一步，凸显了他作为一名球员的潜力上限，一些球队相信他能够发展成为身体天赋出众的长期核心控卫。
最佳体格：卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant)，前锋，亚利桑那大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 12
卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant) 体格强壮，穿鞋身高约6尺8寸（约2.03米），臂展达6尺11¾寸（约2.13米），肩宽体阔，体重215磅（约97.5公斤）。他完美的篮球身材一直是球探们整个赛季的卖点。尽管他的臂展并非特别突出，但他的体型发展潜力——球探们认为他仍有增肌空间——是他吸引人的重要部分：他不仅是一位稳健的3D型潜力股；随着他身体的进一步成长，他或许还能真正防守2号位、3号位和4号位。
布莱恩特在身体尺寸上最接近的模板是洛杉矶湖人队的多里安·芬尼-史密斯 (Dorian Finney-Smith)，后者拥有漫长且有价值的NBA职业生涯。然而，布莱恩特天生的力量应该能带来更强的防守多样性。19岁的布莱恩特的身体条件令人乐观，并增强了他进入乐透区后半段的理由。
最佳定点射手：康·克努佩尔 (Kon Knueppel)，后卫，杜克大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 8
康·克努佩尔 (Kon Knueppel) 双脚站稳后投篮几乎必进，他的无运球定点投篮命中率为48.8%，所有接球跳投命中率为43%（据Synergy数据排名92百分点），三分命中率高达40.6%。他干净利落的投篮姿势和教科书般的出手，印证了这些数据，毫无疑问，他的投篮能力从长远来看提供了宝贵的下限保障。
他绝大部分投篮都来自助攻，运球后投篮表现不佳（32.8%），但克努佩尔能立刻提供的出色空间拉开能力，应该能为他在新秀合同期内带来价值。如果他能将运球后投篮提升到另一个水平，那么他的上限前景将变得非常有趣。
最佳跑动中投篮的射手：特雷·约翰逊 (Tre Johnson)，后卫，德克萨斯大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 5
特雷·约翰逊 (Tre Johnson) 在德克萨斯大学证明了自己是一名高水平射手，在那里他被要求大量持球。他在借掩护投篮方面也尤其有效，据Synergy数据显示，他在这些战术类型中的效率全国排名91百分点，同时命中率高达52.1%，并且无论向左还是向右移动都能同样胜任。
约翰逊拥有快速、紧凑的投篮机制，他成为精英级别无球得分手的潜力为他提供了宝贵的NBA成功途径，因为他的投篮威胁很可能为他创造空间。约翰逊不必成为球队的第一得分选择就能发挥价值，这在预测他的未来时，大大提升了他的下限。
最佳场上视野：埃戈尔·德明 (Egor Demin)，后卫，杨百翰大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 11
埃戈尔·德明 (Egor Demin) 身高6尺9寸（约2.06米），拥有令人眼花缭乱的传球选择，他是本届选秀中最具观赏性的组织者，他的身高足以让他拥有越过防守球员的视野，并且敢于尝试大多数球员不敢做的传球。他是一位富有创造力且时机把握出色的传球手，这项技能应该能让他无论是在场上全职持球还是无球时，都能产生影响力。
他能传出难以防守的斜线长传，迫使防守方轮转，这往往能带来那些不出现在数据统计表上的“次级助攻”。尽管德明不是天生的单打创造者，但他利用挡拆或作为次要进攻发起者时，应该具有很强的威胁性，只要他能命中足够多的投篮来迫使防守者认真对待。
最佳护框手：乔安·贝林格 (Joan Beringer)，中锋，采代维塔·奥林匹亚（亚得里亚海联赛）
Top 100 ranking : No. 15
乔安·贝林格 (Joan Beringer) 的身价本赛季飙升，因为球探们陆续前往欧洲考察他，他18岁就展现出了出色的防守直觉和盖帽能力。在他为采代维塔·奥林匹亚效力成年俱乐部级别的第一个赛季中，贝林格在亚得里亚海联赛中拥有最高的盖帽率——在所有比赛中，他每40分钟（按节奏调整后）能送出2.9次盖帽。
身高6尺11寸（约2.11米），臂展7尺4½寸（约2.25米）的他，对于一个仍在适应自己身体且经验不足的球员来说，移动范围已经相当广阔。
贝林格防守脚步出色，他的覆盖范围应该能让他在各种掩护防守策略中取得成功，他能够比大多数同等身高的球员更好地完成换防和延误。尽管他的进攻仍在发展中，但他镇守禁区的影响力已让他被视为潜在的乐透签位人选，并且拥有巨大的进步空间。
最佳无球防守者：科林·默里-博伊尔斯 (Collin Murray-Boyles)，大前锋/中锋，南卡罗来纳大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 14
深入研究科林·默里-博伊尔斯 (Collin Murray-Boyles) 的防守习惯，便能阐释为何一些球探对他进入NBA的前景充满信心。尽管他赤脚身高6尺6寸（约1.98米），对于四号位来说偏矮，但他却是一个总能最大限度利用自己防守天赋的球员，这主要归因于他出色的防守意识、强壮的双手和绝佳的时机感。即使在南卡罗来纳大学表现不佳的球队环境中，这一点也尤为突出。
默里-博伊尔斯足够全能，可以换防多个位置，并且在阅读和应对比赛方面做得非常出色，无论是轮转补防盖帽、下沉协防抢断，还是及时出现在正确位置以起到威慑作用，他都游刃有余。这些特质有助于预测他在NBA级别的表现：尽管在某些一对一防守中，他的身高可能会成为挑战，但默里-博伊尔斯有望极大地提升防守战术的执行力，并提高球队在场上的篮球智商。
最佳持球防守者：德雷克·鲍威尔 (Drake Powell)，得分后卫/小前锋，北卡罗来纳大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 31
尽管在大一赛季表现不佳后，德雷克·鲍威尔 (Drake Powell) 的身价有所下滑，但他防守外线的能力仍然是他作为一项发展型投资的强大卖点。鲍威尔身高6尺6寸（约1.98米），臂展7尺（约2.13米），他能降低重心紧贴小个后卫，穿过掩护，并在防守第一线有效换防——他的防守特质组合优于本届任何侧翼球员。他的力量、臂展和敏捷性使他成为大多数持球手的难缠对手。
作为一名优秀的跑跳型运动员，他能追防盖帽并影响传球路线，鲍威尔作为防守核心的潜力显而易见。对于一支有耐心的球队来说，在选秀后期选中他可能很有价值，前提是他能在进攻端命中足够多的投篮，从而成为一名有用的角色球员。
最佳防守组织者：阿杜·蒂耶罗 (Adou Thiero)，大前锋，阿肯色大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 32
阿杜·蒂耶罗 (Adou Thiero) 的NBA吸引力长期以来都围绕着他出色的防守潜力。当他健康并处于最佳状态时，这位身高6尺8寸（约2.03米）的前锋会在场上飞奔，这使他成为大学篮球界最具破坏性的防守者之一。蒂耶罗拥有速度、力量、臂展和爆发力的绝佳结合，这使他成为一个能够高高跃起完成盖帽、预判抢断传球路线并破坏对手进攻的威胁。
他的意识和整体习惯可以更好——他有时会承担过多风险且表现不稳定——但他具备做出大多数球员无法做到的精彩表现的能力。蒂耶罗因伤缺席了赛季末段，他仍然是一个有待雕琢的璞玉，但他制造失误的能力（生涯场均40分钟，按节奏调整后，能贡献1.9次抢断和1.3次盖帽）使他值得作为一项发展型投资。
最佳进攻篮板手：约翰尼·布鲁姆 (Johni Broome)，中锋，奥本大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 40
约翰尼·布鲁姆 (Johni Broome) 在篮板端的强壮存在是奥本大学过去几年成功的关键组成部分——他上赛季场均贡献3.6个进攻篮板（进攻篮板率14%），补篮命中率高达64.5%。布鲁姆身高6尺10寸（约2.08米），体重近250磅（约113公斤），臂展约7尺1/4寸（约2.14米），尽管他的离地弹跳力低于平均水平，但他始终依靠身体对抗和卡位，在篮下争抢五五开的篮板球。
此外，布鲁姆每40分钟（按节奏调整后）能贡献14.1个篮板，是ESPN百大新秀榜中，NCAA球员里篮板表现最好的球员。尽管布鲁姆的年龄（7月19日将满23岁）和运动能力构成合理的疑问，即其表现能在多大程度上转化为NBA级别的成功，但很难否认他在篮板端的持续努力及其对赢球的整体影响。
最佳竞争者：库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg)，前锋，杜克大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 1
在这个选秀周期中，我们花费了大量笔墨来强调库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg) 技术和影响力的多样性——但真正将这一切融合在一起并使他与众不同的特殊品质，是他强烈但受控的竞争意识和内在驱动力。他性格中的这一特质永不关闭，这是评估者们喜爱他的地方，并且迄今为止在各种场合都已得到印证。作为杜克大学成功赛季和打进四强的中坚力量，同时也是大学篮球中最年轻的球员之一，弗拉格不仅凭借出色的生产力，更凭借其独特的比赛态度，充分证明了自己。
他的行事风格中蕴含着一种天生的领导力，这使他成为一名18岁就能够为球队定下基调的罕见球员。当你将弗拉格的性格特质与他的篮球技术、组织多样性和场上智商结合起来看时，你将非常容易对他的未来充满信心。
最佳关键球员：沃尔特·克莱顿二世 (Walter Clayton Jr.)，控球后卫，佛罗里达大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 27
佛罗里达大学的NCAA锦标赛之旅，很大程度上得益于沃尔特·克莱顿二世 (Walter Clayton Jr.) 的投篮表演，他凭借一系列重要表现和关键投篮，将这位后卫塑造成一位“三月英雄”。他运球创造空间、自主创造投篮机会以及面对防守从容投篮的能力，使他与同龄人区分开来，并独自大幅提升了他的选秀身价。
尽管克莱顿的状态可能时好时坏，但他真正展现出了对大场面的掌控能力，这使他像2014年的沙巴兹·纳皮尔 (Shabazz Napier) 一样，将自己推入了首轮前景。这种大心脏属性是球队喜欢下注的特质，希望克莱顿能很快成为一名有用的替补球员和板凳席上的活力来源。
最佳拼劲：雨果·冈萨雷斯 (Hugo Gonzalez)，得分后卫/小前锋，皇家马德里（西班牙）
Top 100 ranking : No. 23
雨果·冈萨雷斯 (Hugo Gonzalez) 在皇家马德里的角色并不稳定——这对于一个试图在世界顶级俱乐部崭露头角的青少年潜力股来说很常见——但他作为球员的招牌长期以来都是他极其积极的比赛态度。这体现在防守端，他乐于做脏活累活：积极干扰传球路线、拼抢篮板，甚至贡献精彩盖帽。他会在攻防转换中全力奔跑，并且总是愿意为了球队的利益而牺牲自己的身体。
冈萨雷斯比赛中展现出的渴望和欲望一直让球探们非常喜爱，并帮助他在过去一个月里赢得了更多信任和出场时间。他零星的进攻贡献使得他过去一年很难提高身价，但NBA球队清楚他能带来的努力程度，这给了他最终找到自己位置的机会。
最佳背景故事：马克西姆·雷诺 (Maxime Raynaud)，中锋，斯坦福大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 24
马克西姆·雷诺 (Maxime Raynaud) 大器晚成的篮球生涯沿着一条独特的轨迹展开：他直到在巴黎高中最后一年才全身心投入篮球，在此之前，他的主要精力都放在游泳和国际象棋上。即使在加入了法国南泰尔俱乐部之后，他也不被视为顶级潜力股，在那里他与一颗新星 维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama) 关系密切，随后他最终决定在斯坦福大学打大学篮球。因学术原因（他最初计划学习天体物理学）被斯坦福大学吸引，他最初以非全额奖学金球员身份入学，后来转为全额奖学金，并最终成为了首发中锋。
雷诺因其随和的性格而备受好评，现在篮球已成为他全身心投入的重心，NBA球队将他视为一位仍有未被开发潜力的球员，而他在芝加哥的NBA联合试训中表现出色，也帮助巩固了他作为首轮级别新秀的地位。
最佳无形资产：哈曼·马卢奇 (Khaman Maluach)，中锋，杜克大学
Top 100 ranking : No. 6
哈曼·马卢奇 (Khaman Maluach) 有望成为首个被选中的中锋，这不仅因为他作为杜克大学顶级的禁区威慑者所产生的影响，还因为他作为一个人所具备的特质以及他能为更衣室带来的价值。马卢奇出生于南苏丹，后来随家人在乌干达避难。他接触篮球较晚，随后进入了NBA非洲学院，并在那里建立了良好的声誉。
马卢奇满足了球队在场下寻找的所有条件：他被视为一位受人喜爱的队友、激烈的竞争者、出色的场上沟通者和努力的球员，在这些方面他将为球队带来巨大价值。他过去几年在技术和稳定性方面的巨大进步证明了他的品格，在短时间内他已将自己从一个有待雕琢的璞玉转变为顶级新秀。
点击查看原文：2025 NBA draft superlatives: Best at shooting, defense, more
2025 NBA draft superlatives: Best at shooting, defense, more
NBA front offices have canvassed the globe for the past year in preparation for the 2025 draft, scouting prospects and narrowing down their boards. Now, it’s decision-making mode.
Scouting reports are filled with details and descriptors to distinguish prospects. Evaluation encompasses myriad factors, of course – but which prospects have earned superlatives? Who comes to mind as the best playmakers, shooters and defenders in this class?
Now that the draft is less than two weeks away – Round 1 begins June 25 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and ESPN – analyst Jeremy Woo matched 20 prospects with the traits that make them special, as a way to understand how this class stacks up and how the top players could reach their long-term potential.
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Best ball handler: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 7
Fears obliterated expectations at Oklahoma thanks in large part to his exceptional handle and his ability to get all over the floor with a live dribble, keeping defenders off-balance. He applies relentless pressure on the paint without being the biggest or strongest guard, using his change of pace, jittery style and instincts to get downhill.
Fears is smooth and decisive with the ball in his hands and doesn’t waste as many dribbles as expected for a guard his age – he’s more function than flash in how he creates space. It’s extremely impressive stuff from an 18-year-old who reclassified to start college a year early. As the threat of his jump shot progresses and his decision-making improves, Fears should become an even more dangerous cover.
Best shot creator: Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 2
Harper’s size, power, pace, finishing craft and vision combine to make him this draft’s top shot creator. This was on display during his best moments at Rutgers – despite a suboptimal team around him – with his decisiveness and burst enabling him to dissect defenses and create shots for himself and teammates.
Harper finished in the 87th percentile (inclusive of assists) for pick-and-roll handlers, per Synergy, and shot a solid 36.8% in isolation situations. He also converted 67.6% of his shots at the rim. His well-rounded offensive numbers help back up the comparisons to current NBA players Cade Cunningham and Jalen Brunson.
Harper’s ability to make quick decisions, play through contact with explosion, split coverages and spray passes all over the floor sets him apart from the rest of this class as a player with the chops to eventually shoulder the load for a successful NBA offense.
Best pick-and-roll playmaker: Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 10
Jakucionis has proved to be a particularly challenging cover working with a screen in front of him, where his vision, creativity and acute sense of timing intersect to make him an outstanding operator. The vast majority of his offensive workload came in ball screens – his 501 ball-screen possessions (among the highest totals in the country) led to a basket 41.7% of the time, including assists (65th percentile nationally), a number made more impressive by the fact the Illini didn’t have consistent 3-point shooting or ideal spacing around him last season.
Jakucionis also became more comfortable getting to his own shot when defenses loaded up the paint, with his jumper becoming a viable counter for his average explosiveness around the rim. Though he presses at times, leading to aggressive turnovers, his size, unselfish mentality and instincts navigating traffic should translate well into an NBA role, whether it’s as a full-time point guard or combo playmaker.
Best pick-and-roll finisher: Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 33
Kalkbrenner developed into an extremely efficient finisher over five years in college, even if some might consider his game boringly effective. The 7-foot-2 big man shot a remarkable 73.1% on rolls to the basket last season and strung together three straight seasons making more than 70% of his 2-point attempts. It’s fair to ask how much that level of offense will translate, as Kalkbrenner isn’t the quickest off the floor or most powerful playing through contact.
However, the 23-year-old has excellent spatial awareness, does a good job making himself a target and has reliable hands, all contributing to a giant catch radius that makes him a useful lob threat. Though NBA scouts don’t project him to be a full-time starter – he is hovering in the late first round at best – the numbers back up his case as a highly efficient, low-usage center whose primary added value will be protecting the paint defensively.
Best pull-up shooter: Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 3
No player in this draft class is more dangerous in a tight window than Bailey, whose ability to rise and fire over defenders at difficult angles and knock down tough shots off the bounce make him a tantalizing scoring prospect. Though he’s still relatively unpolished at 18 years old and operated without a ton of help other than Harper at Rutgers, that element of Bailey’s skill set shone through this past season; he’s far from the most consistent player in this draft class, but there’s no pull-up scorer as projectable long term.
Bailey hit an impressive 47% on midrange jumpers last season – many of them contested – pointing to his shotmaking acumen, even though much improvement is in order from the free throw line and from 3. The star potential some scouts see lies in his ability to keep converting at a high rate, a rare skill for a wing his size at 6-9.
Best leaper/dunker: VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 4
Edgecombe’s highlight-reel dunk against Gonzaga to begin the 2024-25 season served as his entrance to college basketball. He’s an exciting and highly functional athlete who can put his explosiveness to use in game settings, giving him a potentially major advantage as a shot creator long term. He registered 33 dunks at Baylor this season – an excellent number for a guard – able to play bigger than his size and meet opponents around the rim both as a finisher and on the defensive end.
His impressive vertical leap, strong 193-pound frame and quick first step underscore his upside as a player some teams believe can evolve into a physically gifted long-term lead guard.
Best frame: Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 12
Bryant is built sturdy, standing around 6-foot-8 in shoes with a 6-11¾ wingspan, broad shoulders and weighing 215 pounds. His picturesque basketball body has been a selling point for scouts throughout the season. Though his length isn’t off the charts, the projectability of his frame, which scouts believe has room to add more muscle, is a big part of his appeal: It’s not just that he’s a solid 3-and-D prospect; he also might be able to legitimately guard 2s, 3s and 4s as he continues to fill out.
Bryant’s closest physical dimension comp is Los Angeles Laker Dorian Finney-Smith, who has had a long and valuable NBA career. Bryant’s natural strength should produce even more defensive versatility, however. At 19 years old, Bryant’s physical profile leaves room for optimism and has bolstered his case for the late lottery.
Best spot-up shooter: Kon Knueppel, G, Duke
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 8
Knueppel is automatic with his feet set, making 48.8% of no-dribble spot-ups, 43% of all catch-and-shoot jumpers (92nd percentile on Synergy) and 40.6% of his 3s. His clean mechanics and textbook release back up the numbers, and there’s little doubt that his shooting offers a valuable floor projecting out.
The vast majority of his looks were assisted, and he didn’t fare as well hitting shots off the bounce (32.8%), but the excellent spacing Knueppel will immediately provide should supply value on his rookie contract. If he can take it to another level shooting off the bounce, his high-end outcomes start to get interesting.
Best movement shooter: Tre Johnson, G, Texas
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 5
Johnson proved himself as a high-level shooter at Texas, where he was asked to do a lot with the ball in his hands. He was also particularly effective shooting off screens, rating in the 91st percentile on those play types nationally, per Synergy, while making 52.1% of his shots and proving equally capable going left and right.
Johnson has quick, compact shooting mechanics, and his potential to be an elite off-ball scorer gives him a valuable pathway to NBA success as the threat of his shot will likely open up space. Johnson shouldn’t have to be a No. 1 scoring option to be valuable, which raises his floor considerably when projecting.
Best court vision: Egor Demin, G, BYU
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 11
With a dizzying array of passes at his disposal at 6-foot-9, Demin is the draft’s most aesthetically pleasing playmaker, with the size to see over defenses and a willingness to try things most players won’t. He’s a creative passer with excellent timing, a skill that should make him impactful whether he’s playing full time on the ball or off.
He can throw tough diagonal skip passes that force defenses to rotate, which often lead to hockey-type assists that don’t show up on a stat sheet. Though Demin isn’t a natural isolation player creating for himself, he should be plenty dangerous with a ball screen or working as a second-side initiator, as long as he makes enough shots to keep defenses honest.
Best rim protector: Joan Beringer, C, Cedevita Olimpija (Adriatic League)
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 15
Beringer’s stock skyrocketed this season as scouts gradually made the trip to see him in Europe, as his excellent defensive instincts and shot-blocking chops at 18 years old were on display. In his first season playing at senior club level with Cedevita, Beringer finished with the best block percentage in the Adriatic League – a 2.9 shots per-40 pace adjusted across all competitions.
At 6-11 with a 7-4½ wingspan, he covers ground quite well already for a player who is still getting used to his body and has minimal experience.
Beringer has good feet defensively, and his ranginess should allow him to succeed in various screen coverages, able to switch and hedge better than most players his size. Though his offense is still a work in progress, his impact patrolling the paint has earned him consideration as a potential lottery pick with significant room to improve.
Best off-ball defender: Collin Murray-Boyles, PF/C, South Carolina
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 14
A dive into Murray-Boyles’ defensive habits illustrates why some scouts are high on his NBA outlook. Despite standing 6-6 barefoot, undersized for a four-man, he’s a player who regularly makes the most of what he has defensively, due largely to his outstanding awareness, strong hands and excellent timing. This stood out even in a losing context at South Carolina.
Murray-Boyles is versatile enough to switch across positions and does a terrific job of reading and reacting to plays, whether it’s rotating over for a block, digging down to swipe at the ball or putting himself in the right place to act as a deterrent. Those qualities help project him out at the NBA level: There will be certain one-on-one matchups where his size might be a challenge, but Murray-Boyles is a great bet to enhance defensive schemes and raise his team’s basketball IQ on the floor.
Best on-ball defender: Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 31
Though his stock dipped after an uneven freshman season, Powell’s ability to guard the perimeter remains a strong selling point as a developmental investment. At 6-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, Powell can sit down in a stance and slide with smaller guards, fight through screens, and switch effectively at the point of attack – a better blend of defensive traits than any wing in the class. His strength, length and agility makes him a challenging matchup for most ball handlers.
As an excellent run-jump athlete who can block shots in pursuit and impact the passing lanes, Powell’s potential as a defensive cog is clear. There could be value for a patient team selecting him later in the draft, provided he can make enough shots to be a useful role player on the offensive end.
Best defensive playmaker: Adou Thiero, PF, Arkansas
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 32
Thiero’s NBA appeal has long centered around his excellent defensive potential. When healthy and at his best, the 6-8 forward flies around the court, which made him one of the most disruptive defenders in college basketball. Thiero has a great combination of speed, strength, length and explosiveness that make him a threat to sky for blocks, jump passing lanes and blow up plays.
His awareness and overall tendencies could be better – he can take too many risks and be inconsistent – but he has the capacity to make highlight-reel plays that most players can’t. Thiero missed the end of the season because of injuries and is still very much a project, but his ability to create turnovers (career 1.9 steals and 1.3 blocks pace adjusted per-40) makes him worth a developmental investment.
Best offensive rebounder: Johni Broome, C, Auburn
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 40
Broome’s burly presence on the boards was an essential part of Auburn’s success the past few years – he averaged 3.6 offensive rebounds per game last season (14% OReb rate) and shot 64.5% on putbacks. At 6-10 and nearly 250 pounds with an approximate 7-foot 1/4 wingspan, Broome consistently relied on physicality and positioning to hunt 50-50 balls off the glass despite below-average verticality off the floor.
And with 14.1 boards per-40 pace adjusted, Broome was the top NCAA-based rebounder among prospects in ESPN’s Top 100 rankings. While Broome’s age (he turns 23 on July 19) and athletic profile raise fair questions about to what extent it will translate to the NBA, it’s hard to knock his consistent work on the glass and its overall impact on winning.
Best competitor: Cooper Flagg, F, Duke
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 1
We’ve spent much of this draft cycle highlighting the diversity of Flagg’s skill set and impact – but the special quality that pulls it all together and sets him apart from his peers is his intense-yet-controlled competitiveness and internal drive. That element of who he is has no off switch, something evaluators love about him and have seen in every setting to date. As the backbone of Duke’s successful season and Final Four run and also one of the youngest players in college basketball, Flagg made quite the case for himself with not just his productivity, but his approach.
There’s a level of natural leadership that stems from how he carries himself, making him a rare tone-setting player at 18 years old. When you couple Flagg’s makeup with the basketball skill, playmaking versatility and on-court IQ, it’s exceedingly easy to feel good about what the future holds.
Best clutch player: Walter Clayton Jr., PG, Florida
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 27
Florida’s NCAA championship run was spurred largely by Clayton’s shot-making theatrics, with a series of huge performances and clutch shots, turning the guard into a March hero. His ability to create separation off the bounce, get to his own shot, and shoot over contests with composure set him apart from his peers and single-handedly boosted his draft stock in a real way.
While Clayton can be streaky, he has displayed a real embrace of big moments, vaulting himself into the first-round picture similarly to what Shabazz Napier did in 2014. It’s this type of big-shot mentality teams like to bet on, the hope being Clayton can become a useful depth player and bench sparkplug in short order.
Best motor: Hugo Gonzalez, SG/SF, Real Madrid (Spain)
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 23
Gonzalez’s role at Real Madrid has been inconsistent – typical for a teenage prospect trying to break through at one of the world’s top clubs – but his calling card as a player has long been the fact he plays exceptionally hard. That manifests on the defensive end, where he embraces doing the dirty work: playing in passing lanes, hustling for rebounds and even chipping in highlight blocks. He’ll run the floor hard in transition going the other way, and is always willing to sacrifice his own body for the good of the team.
The level of want and desire Gonzalez plays with has always been endearing for scouts, and has helped him earn increased trust and minutes over the past month. His sporadic offensive production has made it difficult to improve his stock over the past year, but NBA teams know what type of effort he brings, giving him a chance to carve out a role in due time.
Best backstory: Maxime Raynaud, C, Stanford
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 24
Raynaud’s late-blooming basketball career has unfolded on a unique trajectory: He didn’t pick up the sport full-time until his final year of high school in Paris, where he was focused on swimming and chess. He wasn’t viewed as a big-time prospect even after joining French club Nanterre, where he grew close with a rising star named Victor Wembanyama before ultimately deciding to play college basketball at Stanford. Drawn to the school for academic reasons (he originally planned to pursue astrophysics), he attended as a walk-on before converting to full scholarship, and eventually becoming the starting center.
Raynaud is well-regarded for his affable personality and has been viewed by NBA teams as a player with untapped potential now that basketball is his full-time focus, and a breakout at the NBA combine in Chicago helped solidify him as a first-round level prospect.
Best intangibles: Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Top 100 ranking**:** No. 6
Maluach is expected to be the first center off the board due to his impact for Duke as one of college basketball’s premier paint deterrents, but his appeal as an NBA prospect also has much to do with who he is as a person and what he’ll bring to a locker room. Born in South Sudan before his family took refuge in Uganda, Maluach arrived late to basketball before landing at the NBA Academy Africa, where he built a strong reputation.
Maluach checks every box teams look for off the court: He is regarded as a beloved teammate, intense competitor, excellent on-court communicator and hard worker who will add value to an organization in those respects. His major improvement over the past several years from a skill and consistency perspective speaks to his character, having turned himself from a project into a top prospect in a short period of time.
By Jeremy Woo | ESPN, via ESPN