By Jonathan Givony, +2 More | ESPN, 2025-06-26 12:55:00
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。
2025年NBA选秀首轮于周三拉开帷幕，达拉斯独行侠队用状元签选中了库珀·弗拉格 (Cooper Flagg)，他也是本届选秀中首位被选中的杜克大学球员（杜克大学共有三名球员在首轮被选中）。而收官的第30顺位，洛杉矶快船队则选中了中锋亚尼克·科南·尼德豪泽 (Yanic Konan Niederhauser)。
本轮有赢家，也有令人意外的选择，例如犹他爵士队在第5顺位选中了罗格斯大学后卫埃斯·贝利 (Ace Bailey)，以及菲尼克斯太阳队在第10顺位得到了杜克大学的顶级中锋卡曼·马卢亚奇 (Khaman Maluach)。
哪些球队的球迷应该对自家主队在选秀首日的表现感到满意呢？比如迈阿密热火队得到了一位潜力无限的未来核心控卫。新奥尔良鹈鹕队的球迷是否应该质疑球队为向上交易选中德里克·奎恩 (Derik Queen) 所付出的代价？
接下来，让我们深入剖析周三晚在纽约布鲁克林巴克莱中心发生的一切。ESPN的乔纳森·吉沃尼 (Jonathan Givony)、杰里米·伍 (Jeremy Woo) 和凯文·佩尔顿 (Kevin Pelton) 将在首轮30个选秀权尘埃落定后，分享他们心中的赢家、意外之选以及最大的疑问。
次轮选秀将于周四东部时间晚上8点在ESPN频道继续进行，您可以通过我们的选秀直播平台实时关注。
更多NBA选秀报道：
- 次轮模拟选秀：我们听到了什么
- 独行侠选中弗拉格 | 爵士的意外之选贝利
- 哪笔交易能得A？ | 交易追踪
- 最佳可选球员 | 更多选秀内容
吉沃尼：首轮最大赢家
菲尼克斯太阳队
选秀顺位：卡曼·马卢亚奇（第10顺位）
在马卢亚奇跌至第10顺位后，太阳队交易得到凯文·杜兰特 (Kevin Durant) 的这笔交易看起来大不相同。这让菲尼克斯得以补强重要的中锋位置，同时也为球队增添了一名选秀中天赋最出众的长期潜力股。
马卢亚奇将为球队带来高水平的比赛强度、精准的护筐时机、出色的篮板能力以及可换防的防守——而这些都是球队上赛季所欠缺的——他将为后场人才过剩的阵容注入急需的年轻活力。
最重要的是，他是本届选秀中最年轻的潜力新星之一，在身体和技术方面都有巨大的成长空间。他在场下展现出的优秀品格深受教练和队友的尊重，凭借其出色的空接终结能力，他将成为德文·布克 (Devin Booker) 的绝佳挡拆搭档。
迈阿密热火队
选秀顺位：卡斯帕拉斯·雅库乔尼斯（第20顺位）
令人惊讶的是，雅库乔尼斯——在我们百大榜单上排名第11位的球员——竟然一路跌至第20顺位。
尽管暂时因顺位下滑损失了一些金钱，但这可能很快就被他意识到自己来到了本届选秀所有后卫新秀中最理想的落脚点所取代——一个急需得分创造能力和组织能力的球队。从球队文化和强硬度来看，他也将完美融入。
雅库乔尼斯能够胜任后场多个位置，这使得热火队在泰勒·希罗 (Tyler Herro) 身后运作时，阵容配置有了显著的灵活性。
凭借他在挡拆组织中展现出的精明和对比赛的非凡感觉，他最终成为球队未来的核心控卫将不足为奇。
吉沃尼：首轮最大意外
波特兰开拓者队
选秀顺位：杨瀚森，中锋（第16顺位）
杨瀚森，在ESPN的百大榜单上排名第35位，在波特兰开拓者队于第16顺位选中他后，他成为了首轮跃升幅度最大的球员。
自从2023年在匈牙利举行的国际篮联U19世界杯上，开拓者队球探关注了代表中国国家队出战的杨瀚森以来，他们一直对杨瀚森很感兴趣，随后他们还前往中国观看他的比赛，去年夏天在拉斯维加斯，他们也追踪了作为中国男篮国家队成员的杨瀚森在队内对抗赛中的表现，并在上个月于波特兰对他进行了私人试训。
尽管去年他们已经选中了另一位七尺长人多诺万·克林根 (Donovan Clingan)，但开拓者队仍秉持“选择场上最佳球员”的选秀策略，并表示他们对杨瀚森的技术水平和场下品格感到非常兴奋。他们计划立即将他带到NBA进行培养。
犹他爵士队
选秀顺位：埃斯·贝利（第5顺位）
当犹他爵士队在第5顺位选中贝利时，他显得非常惊讶，此前他显然曾试图通过各种方式，让自己在选秀顺位上有所下降，以便能去华盛顿或布鲁克林等其他目的地。选秀结束后，贝利告诉Andscape的马克·斯皮尔斯 (Marc Spears)，他“完全不知道”爵士队对他有兴趣。
在选秀前，贝利多次拒绝了爵士队的邀请，不愿进行私人会面和试训，同样拒绝的还有费城76人队（第3顺位）和夏洛特黄蜂队（第4顺位），但爵士队认为他们已经足够了解他的比赛和个人资料，因此即便如此也感到放心选中他。
新任篮球运营总裁奥斯汀·安吉 (Austin Ainge) 在NBA选秀联合试训期间，作为波士顿凯尔特人队管理层的一员，曾面试过贝利，而爵士队的其余高层也单独面试了他。安吉本赛季在罗格斯大学多次考察过他。
做出选择后，安吉立即告诉ESPN：“我们非常喜欢他这名球员，他也非常适合我们的体系。”
当晚最佳选秀？
佩尔顿： 圣安东尼奥马刺队在第14顺位选中卡特·布莱恩特 (Carter Bryant)。尽管他在亚利桑那大学的唯一一个赛季大部分时间都是替补出场，他可能无法立即为马刺队提供帮助。但从长远来看，布莱恩特拥有理想的“3D”技能包，应该能很好地融入圣安东尼奥的核心阵容，包括维克托·文班亚马 (Victor Wembanyama)、达龙·福克斯 (De’Aaron Fox)、NBA年度最佳新秀斯蒂芬·卡斯尔 (Stephon Castle) 以及榜眼迪伦·哈珀 (Dylan Harper)。
伍： 假设达拉斯独行侠队在状元签选中库珀·弗拉格不符合此项评选资格，我会选择菲尼克斯太阳队在第10顺位选中卡曼·马卢亚奇，吉沃尼已在上面解释过此选择。这对菲尼克斯来说是一个绝佳的结果，他可能正是球队未来重建所需要的核心球员。
若要强调另一个不同的选择，我会选择俄克拉荷马城雷霆队在第15顺位选中托马斯·索伯 (Thomas Sorber)，这个选择对雷霆队来说非常有意义。雷霆队此前被认为是可能向上交易的球队，但他们却得以坐等索伯掉到他们的选秀顺位。俄克拉荷马城做出这一选择是出于长远考虑，鉴于当杰伦·威廉姆斯 (Jalen Williams) 和切特·霍姆格伦 (Chet Holmgren) 明年进入第二份合同时，球队可能很难留下首发中锋以赛亚·哈尔滕施泰因 (Isaiah Hartenstein)。
雷霆队选中了一位具备相似特质的球员，并且可以在未来一到两个赛季里对他保持耐心。这一选择不出所料地展现了雷霆队在选秀中一贯具备的阵容前瞻性。
首轮最喜欢的交易是哪笔？
佩尔顿： 亚特兰大老鹰队从第13顺位后退10位到第23顺位，却在2026年得到了密尔沃基雄鹿队和新奥尔良鹈鹕队中顺位较高的首轮签，这笔交易在一年后可能会显得意义重大。鹈鹕队将在竞争激烈的西部联盟中难以进入季后赛，而雄鹿队则因为达米安·利拉德 (Damian Lillard) 跟腱康复缺阵而面临下行风险。
老鹰队明年最终得到的选秀权可能比他们今年付出的更好。仅仅获得一个前20顺位的选秀权，从价值角度来看，都将是一次巨大的胜利。
伍： 正如凯文所解释的，亚特兰大与新奥尔良之间的交易在价值方面可能是当晚最重要的，但这不会是我的最爱，尤其是从鹈鹕队的角度来看。
在选秀开始前我们就知道鹈鹕队有可能追求德里克·奎恩——显然老鹰队也有此意，他们通过从新奥尔良鹈鹕队那里获得一个2026年不受保护的首轮签（而且是两支球队中顺位更高的那个），成功地利用了这一点，榨取了巨大的价值。
按照目前阵容构成，新奥尔良很难轻松进入季后赛，如果球队还计划让杰里迈亚·菲尔斯 (Jeremiah Fears) 和奎恩承担大量出场时间（而这正是两人最大化发展所必需的），情况就更是如此了。
对鹈鹕队来说，这笔交易承担了令人费解的风险，如果亚特兰大老鹰队明年得到一个高顺位选秀权，那么无论奎恩如何适应NBA，鹈鹕队都会感到痛惜。
哪支争冠球队获益最大？
佩尔顿： 我可以算上独行侠队吗？澄清一下，周三被选中的任何球员都不太可能在下赛季季后赛的最后两轮中扮演重要角色。我认为这在周四（第二轮）发生的机会更大。
基于此，对2026年争冠球队可能产生最大长期影响的举动，或许是雷霆队通过从萨克拉门托国王队得到一个2026年首轮签，从而将他们的第24顺位选秀权推迟。
伍： 我首先要指出的是，并非所有明确的争冠球队都进行了选秀——但我确实喜欢奥兰多魔术队在本届选秀中的操作，包括他们积极而又谨慎地交易得到德斯蒙德·贝恩 (Desmond Bane)（将第16顺位选秀权作为交易筹码的一部分送往孟菲斯灰熊队），并让他们在第25顺位得到了杰斯·理查德森 (Jase Richardson)。
理查德森在职业生涯早期可能就能在魔术队担任替补，在他们致力于与保罗·班凯罗 (Paolo Banchero) 和弗朗茨·瓦格纳 (Franz Wagner) 争夺最高荣誉的窗口期内，他为球队提供了一名潜在的有价值（且廉价）的深度球员。
我是否准备好称魔术队为真正的争冠球队了？鉴于东部联盟前所未有的开放局面，他们当然渴望成为争冠者。到目前为止，他们在休赛期表现出色。
乐透区之外，你最喜欢的新秀-球队组合是哪一个？
佩尔顿： 卡斯帕拉斯·雅库乔尼斯在第20顺位被热火队选中。如果发展顺利，前迈阿密热火队后卫戈兰·德拉季奇 (Goran Dragic) 是我为雅库乔尼斯设定的模板。他们都是身体素质出众、具备投射能力的后卫。德拉季奇改善了他年轻时限制其发展的过高失误率，雅库乔尼斯也必须做到这一点。
雅库乔尼斯身高6尺6寸，这使得他可以与泰勒·希罗或戴维恩·米切尔 (Davion Mitchell) 并肩作战，前提是热火队能以受限制自由球员的身份留下米切尔。
伍： 明尼苏达森林狼队在第18顺位选中琼·贝林格 (Joan Beringer)。我非常看好贝林格的长期前景——很难找到像他这样身体素质出众，同时又能快下和护筐的中锋。他的年龄和相对缺乏经验，也为他的提升留下了巨大的空间。
能 在另一位法国同胞鲁迪·戈贝尔 (Rudy Gobert) 身边发展，戈贝尔在贝林格向NBA级别迈进时，可能会成为一位宝贵的导师，这可能是一个理想的环境，帮助他充分发挥其潜力。
这可能需要一些时间才能看到成效，但随着明尼苏达森林狼队继续努力与安东尼·爱德华兹 (Anthony Edwards) 共同打造一支胜利之师，得到这样天赋的球员，并解决了一个长期需求，可能是一次真正的成功。
判断题：库珀·弗拉格新秀赛季场均能得到20分。
佩尔顿： 错。我认为得分永远不会是弗拉格比赛的强项。但是在一支拥有安东尼·戴维斯 (Anthony Davis) 和克莱·汤普森 (Klay Thompson) 的争冠球队中，在凯里·欧文 (Kyrie Irving) 缺阵的情况下，这支球队还可能补充一名具备得分创造力的控球后卫？我认为这不现实。
伍： 错，但我并不认为这是一个问题。这更多取决于独行侠队打算立即给他多少球权——但弗拉格比赛的全面性应该会让他脱颖而出，并成为年度最佳新秀的有力竞争者。
达拉斯独行侠队应该对他前景感到乐观，而无需给他超出其管理范围的重任。
填空题：新奥尔良鹈鹕队放弃2026年不受保护的首轮签，此举__________。
佩尔顿： 无异于跳伞不带降落伞。鹈鹕队在上赛季亲身见证了西部球队在伤病侵袭下可能出现的糟糕局面。他们本赛季进入乐透区时，有12.5%的概率获得状元签。想象一下，如果老鹰队手握鹈鹕队的选秀权，并最终赢得乐透抽签，新奥尔良将是何等心情。
伍： 一个错误的决策。提前一年交易选秀权，如果球队有明确的季后赛前景，或者可以借此得到一名能帮助球队进入季后赛的球员，那是另一回事。但将其用来押宝一名新秀——即便你非常喜欢他——却没有给自己留下任何安全网，以防万一情况变糟，那就完全不同了。
我也质疑奎恩和锡安·威廉姆森 (Zion Williamson) 长期搭档的适配性——两人都是进攻端表现最佳的内线球员，但在护筐方面贡献有限，也无法提供空间。
我喜欢鹈鹕队阵容中的一些球员，但我对球队未来的整体规划一直感到困惑，而这还是在他们决定做出如此巨大的冒险之前。
首轮篮网队手握五个选秀权并全部使用。你如何评价他们当晚的表现？
佩尔顿： 可能是C+。布鲁克林篮网队似乎非常倾向于选择潜力型球员，他们选中了两名“一年级”新秀（埃戈尔·德明 (Egor Demin)，第8顺位；德雷克·鲍威尔 (Drake Powell)，第22顺位），以及两名十几岁的国际新秀（诺兰·特拉奥雷 (Nolan Traore)，第19顺位；本·萨拉夫 (Ben Saraf)，第26顺位）。来自密歇根大学的中锋丹尼·沃尔夫 (Danny Wolf) 是最后一个在小绿屋被选中的球员，也是他们选中的唯一一位年龄超过19岁的球员。
我更希望看到一些具备更成熟即战力的球员。在我的数据预测中，排名第八的德明是篮网队唯一进入前23位的选择。
伍： 我会给他们B。当你手握五个选秀权时，你的选秀策略不太可能与外界普遍看法一致，但我能看到他们对阵容的设想，并且我对他们最终如何实现感到好奇。
篮网队显然致力于贯彻教练乔迪·费尔南德斯 (Jordi Fernandez) 所倡导的打法，他们大量选择了具备位置尺寸和传球能力的球员（德明、特拉奥雷、萨拉夫、沃尔夫），同时也冒险选中了鲍威尔，他本赛季初曾被认为是乐透区潜力新秀，但在北卡罗来纳大学期间，他被错误地安排了大量时间打大前锋。
我不知道这最终对他们来说会如何发展，但我尊重他们处理问题的方式，而且他们下赛季将有充足的时间来评估所有球员，并规划未来的道路。
进入次轮，谁的落选最让你感到意外？
佩尔顿： 拉希尔·弗莱明 (Rasheer Fleming)（圣约瑟夫大学）。在吉沃尼和伍的最终模拟选秀中，弗莱明位列第27位，是未在首轮被选中的最高顺位球员。在我的数据预测中，弗莱明甚至排名更高（第18位）。
值得关注的是，周四是否有球队会争相交易，以便能在次轮早期选中弗莱明。
伍： 马克西姆·雷诺 (Maxime Raynaud)（斯坦福大学）。我认为他的表现足以在20顺位左右被选中，但由于首轮选中了如此多的内线球员，包括杨瀚森的意外高顺位，他最终成为了落选的球员之一。我猜测会有一些球队试图在30顺位出头就得到他。
更多：查看我们的次轮模拟选秀
乔纳森·吉沃尼 (Jonathan Givony) 是一位NBA选秀专家，也是DraftExpress.com的创始人兼共同所有者，这是一家被NBA、NCAA和国际球队使用的私人球探与分析服务机构。
杰里米·伍 (Jeremy Woo) 是一位NBA分析师，专注于新秀评估和选秀。他此前曾是《体育画报》的特约撰稿人和选秀内部人士。
点击查看原文：2025 NBA draft: Round 1 winners, surprise picks, questions
2025 NBA draft: Round 1 winners, surprise picks, questions
Round 1 of the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday began with Cooper Flagg, the first of three Duke players selected, being drafted by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 pick. And it ended with the LA Clippers drafting center Yanic Konan Niederhauser with pick No. 30.
There were winners and surprises, such as the Utah Jazz selecting Rutgers guard Ace Bailey with the No. 5 pick and the Phoenix Suns landing the top-ranked center in Duke’s Khaman Maluach at No. 10.
Which fan bases should be happy with what their favorite team did on Day 1, such as the Miami Heat landing a potential franchise point guard? Should Pelicans fans be wondering about the trade New Orleans made to move up and draft Derik Queen?
It’s time to break down what happened Wednesday night in Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo and Kevin Pelton share their winners, surprises and biggest questions after 30 picks went off the board in Round 1.
Round 2 begins Thursday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN, and you can follow along with our live Draftcast.
More NBA draft coverage:
Round 2 mock: What we’re hearing
Mavs draft Flagg | Bailey’s surprise by Utah
Which trade earns an A? | Trade tracker
Best available players | More draft
Givony: Biggest winners of Round 1
Phoenix Suns
The pick: Khaman Maluach (No. 10)
The Suns’ trade for Kevin Durant looks much different after the fall of Maluach to No. 10, which helps Phoenix strengthen a crucial position at center while also adding one of the most talented long-term prospects in the draft.
Maluach will bring high-level intensity, rim-protection timing, rebounding ability and switchable defense – qualities the team lacked last season – injecting much-needed youth and energy into a roster overloaded in the backcourt.
Most importantly, he is one of this draft’s youngest prospects, with significant potential for growth physically and skill-wise. He is highly regarded by coaches and teammates for his off-court intangibles and should be an excellent pick-and-roll partner for Devin Booker, thanks to his lob-catching ability.
Miami Heat
The pick: Kasparas Jakucionis (No. 20)
It was surprising to see Jakucionis – the No. 11-ranked player on our top 100 big board – fall all the way to No. 20.
Any temporary disappointment over the money he lost was probably replaced by the realization he landed in arguably the most desirable situation of any guard prospect in this draft – a team desperate for shot creation and playmaking. He’ll also fit in perfectly from a culture and toughness perspective.
Jakucionis’ ability to play any of the backcourt positions gives the Heat significant lineup flexibility when operating alongside Tyler Herro in the backcourt.
It wouldn’t be surprising to see him eventually emerge as the franchise’s future point guard, thanks to the savvy he displays running pick-and-roll and his exceptional feel for the game.
Givony: Biggest surprises of Round 1
Portland Trail Blazers
The pick: Yang Hansen, center (No. 16)
Hansen, the No. 35 player on the ESPN big board, made the biggest leap in the first round when Portland selected him at No. 16.
The Trail Blazers have been intrigued with Yang since scouting him with the Chinese national team at the FIBA U19 World Cup in Hungary in 2023, later traveling to watch him play in China, following him in scrimmages in Las Vegas last summer as a member of the Chinese senior national team and working him out privately this past month in Portland.
Despite selecting another 7-footer in Donovan Clingan last year, the Trail Blazers view the draft through a best-player-available lens and say they are very excited about Yang’s skill level and off-court intangibles. They plan to bring him to the NBA immediately to develop him.
Utah Jazz
The pick: Ace Bailey (No. 5)
Bailey looked surprised when the Utah Jazz selected him at No. 5, after clearly trying to maneuver his way down the board to other destinations in Washington or Brooklyn. Bailey told Andscape’s Marc Spears after the draft he had “no idea” the Jazz were interested in him.
Bailey declined multiple invite requests to visit and workout privately with Utah throughout the predraft process, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3 and the Charlotte Hornets at No. 4, but the Jazz felt they knew enough about his game and profile to feel comfortable drafting him regardless.
New president of basketball operations Austin Ainge interviewed Bailey at the NBA draft combine as a member of the Boston Celtics’ front office, and the rest of the Jazz brass also interviewed him separately. Ainge scouted him multiple times throughout the season at Rutgers.
Immediately after making the pick, Ainge told ESPN: “We really like him as a player and a fit in our program.”
What was the best pick of the night?
Pelton: Carter Bryant to the Spurs at No. 14. Having spent most of his lone season at Arizona coming off the bench, he might not help the Spurs immediately. But down the road Bryant has the kind of 3-and-D skill set that should ideally fit alongside San Antonio’s core of Victor Wembanyama, De’Aaron Fox, NBA Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper.
Woo: Assuming Cooper Flagg to the Mavericks at No. 1 is ineligible for this designation, I’ll go with Khaman Maluach to the Suns at No. 10, a pick Givony explained above. It was a terrific outcome for Phoenix, and he might be the exact type of player they need to anchor whatever the team is going to look like moving forward.
To highlight a different selection, I’ll go with Thomas Sorber at No. 15, a fit that makes a ton of sense for the Thunder. They were tipped as a trade-up team but were able to simply wait for him to fall to them. Oklahoma City made this selection with the long term in mind, considering starting center Isaiah Hartenstein might be tricky to retain when Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren move onto their second contracts next year.
The Thunder snagged a prospect with the skill set to provide a similar dimension and someone whom they can be patient with over the next season or two. This pick unsurprisingly spoke to the level of roster foresight with which the Thunder always approach the draft.
What was your favorite trade of Round 1?
Pelton: Atlanta getting the better of Milwaukee’s and New Orleans’ first-round picks in 2026 to move back only 10 spots from No. 13 to No. 23 is something that could loom large a year from now. The Pelicans are going to be hard-pressed to make the playoffs in a loaded Western Conference, and the Bucks have downside risk with Damian Lillard sidelined by Achilles rehab.
The Hawks might end up with a better pick next year than they gave up this year. Merely getting a pick in the teens would be an enormous win from a value perspective.
Woo: As Kevin explained, the Atlanta-New Orleans trade probably was the most significant of the night when it comes to value, but it wouldn’t be my favorite, particularly from the Pelicans’ side of things.
We knew entering the night there was a chance the Pelicans were after Derik Queen – and, presumably, the Hawks were too, something they arguably exploited by extracting serious value from New Orleans with a 2026 first-round pick that was not only unprotected but is the better of two different teams.
It’s hard to see an easy path for New Orleans as constituted to enter playoff territory, even more so if the team is planning for Jeremiah Fears and Queen to play major minutes, which they’ll both need to maximize their development.
It was a confusing amount of risk for the Pelicans to take on, and if Atlanta lands a premium pick next year, it will sting no matter how well Queen adjusts to the NBA.
Which title contender helped itself the most?
Pelton: Do I get to count the Mavericks? To be clear, it’s unlikely any of the players drafted Wednesday will play an important role in the last two rounds of next season’s playoffs. I’d give that a better chance of happening Thursday.
Based on that, the move that might have the most long-term impact on a 2026 title contender might be the Thunder pushing back the No. 24 pick by getting a 2026 first-round pick from the Kings.
Woo: I’ll preface this by noting that not all that many of the clear-cut contenders made draft picks – but I did like what the Magic did in this draft, including their aggressive yet measured trade for Desmond Bane (sending the No. 16 pick as part of a package to Memphis) and allowing the board to fall to them at No. 25, nabbing Jase Richardson.
Richardson might be able to play off the bench for the Magic early in his career, and he gives them a potentially valuable (and inexpensive) depth player during a window in which they’re committed to competing at the highest level with Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
Am I ready to call the Magic a bona fide contender? With the East as wide open as ever, they’d certainly like to be. They’ve certainly played the offseason well so far.
What’s your favorite prospect-team fit outside of the lottery?
Pelton: Kasparas Jakucionis to the Heat at No. 20. Former Miami guard Goran Dragic has been my comparison for Jakucionis if things go right. They’re both physical guards with shooting ability. Dragic improved his high turnover rate that limited him as a young player, and Jakucionis will have to do the same.
Jakucionis’ size at 6-foot-6 will allow him to play alongside either Tyler Herro or Davion Mitchell, presuming the Heat retain Mitchell as a restricted free agent.
Woo: Joan Beringer to the Timberwolves at No. 18. I’m high on Beringer’s long-term outlook – it’s hard to find centers with his caliber of physical traits who can also run the floor and protect the rim. His age and relative inexperience leave a ton of room for him to improve.
Getting to develop behind another Frenchman in Rudy Gobert, who could be a valuable mentor as Beringer makes a major leap to the NBA level, could be an ideal situation to help him tap into his significant ability.
This might take some time to pay off, but as Minnesota continues to try to build a winner with Anthony Edwards, landing a talent of this caliber and also addressing a long-term need could be a real coup.
True or false: Cooper Flagg will average 20 points as a rookie.
Pelton: False. I don’t think scoring will ever be the strength of Flagg’s game. But on a contending team with Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, that might add a shot creator at point guard in Kyrie Irving’s absence? I don’t think that’s realistic.
Woo: False, but I don’t view that as a concern. It depends more on how much usage the Mavs intend to hand him right away than anything else – but it’s the well-roundedness of Flagg’s game that should shine through and make him the Rookie of the Year front-runner.
Dallas should be enthusiastic about his outlook without giving him more than he can manage.
Fill in the blank: New Orleans giving up its 2026 unprotected first-round pick is ___________.
Pelton: Jumping out of the plane without a parachute. The Pelicans saw this past season what can go wrong when injuries strike in the West. They entered the lottery with a 12.5% chance for the No. 1 pick. Imagine the emotions in New Orleans if the Hawks are in a position to win the lottery with the Pelicans’ pick.
Woo: A mistimed decision. It’s one thing to trade your pick a year out with a clear path to a playoff spot, or to add a player who can help get you there. It’s another to use it to gamble on a rookie – even one you love – without giving yourself any sort of safety net if things break bad.
I also question the fit of Queen alongside Zion Williamson long term – two bigs who are best on the offensive end but offer limited rim protection and no floor-spacing component. I like some of the players on the Pelicans’ roster, but I’ve been confused with exactly what the overall plan is moving forward, and that was before they decided to take an enormous leap of faith.
The Nets came into Round 1 with five picks and ended up using all five. How would you grade their night?
Pelton: Probably a C-plus. Brooklyn seemed to lean heavily in the project direction, taking a pair of one-and-done prospects (Egor Demin at No. 8 and Drake Powell at No. 22) in addition to two teenage international prospects (Nolan Traore at No. 19 and Ben Saraf at No. 26). Michigan center Danny Wolf, the last player selected out of the green room, was the only pick older than age 19.
I’d have preferred to see a little more proven production. Demin, who ranked eighth, was the only Nets pick to rank in the top 23 in my stats-based projections.
Woo: I’d give them a B. When you make five picks, your draft board is unlikely to ever align with consensus, but I can see the vision they seem to have for the roster, and I’m fascinated by how it might work out for them.
The Nets are clearly committed to how coach Jordi Fernandez wants to play and loaded up on players with positional size and passing ability (Demin, Traore, Saraf, Wolf) and also took a flier on Powell, who was viewed as a potential lottery name entering the season and was arguably misused at North Carolina playing a lot of time at power forward.
I don’t know exactly how this works out for them, but I respect the way they approached it, and they’ll have plenty of time to evaluate all of their players next season and chart a course forward.
Who are you most surprised to see still on the board heading into Round 2?
Pelton: Rasheer Fleming (Saint Joseph’s). At No. 27, Fleming was the highest player in the final mock draft by Givony and Woo not to go in the first round. Fleming was even higher in my stats-based projections (18th).
It will be interesting to see whether teams spend Thursday jockeying to get into position to draft Fleming early in Round 2.
Woo: Maxime Raynaud (Stanford). I thought he’d done enough to hear his name called in the 20s, but with all the big men who were selected in the first round, including Yang Hansen’s surprise jump, he was one of the players who ultimately slipped. I’d guess there will be a few teams trying to find a way to get him early in the 30s.
More: Check out our Round 2 mock draft
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA and international teams.
Jeremy Woo is an NBA analyst specializing in prospect evaluation and the draft. He was previously a staff writer and draft insider at Sports Illustrated.
By Jonathan Givony, +2 More | ESPN, via ESPN