The men’s college basketball season is here.
Which also means there’s an eye on the NBA draft and the top individual players who may be playing on NBA teams a year from now.
Not only is No. 5 Duke a potential Final Four team, it has multiple projected first-round picks, including three in the lottery and the likely overall No. 1 pick, according to USA TODAY’s 2025 NBA mock draft. Plus, the Blue Devils have at least two other players who could be drafted.
No. 3 UConn, No. 9 Arizona and No. 10 North Carolina also have multiple projected first-round picks, and continuing a trend, there are multiple players born outside the U.S. expected to go in the first round.
Here is USA TODAY Sports’ early-season NBA mock draft. (All ages are as of time of June draft.)
2025 NBA mock draft
1. Cooper Flagg, Duke
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-9, 205, 18 years old
2023-24 high school stats: 16.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, 2.7 blocks per game, 55.1% FG
2. Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-10, 200, 18
2023-24 high school stats: 33.4 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg
3. Dylan Harper, Rutgers
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 215, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 22.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg
4. V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
Freshman, guard, 6-5, 180, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.1 bpg
5. Nolan Traore, Saint-Quentin (France)
Guard, 6-4, 175, 19
2023-24 France top-tier pro league stats: 10.3 ppg, 5.4 apg, 36.8% FG
6. Hugo Gonzalez, Real Madrid (Spain)
Guard-forward, 6-7, 207, 19
2023-24 Spain top-tier pro league stats: 2.5 ppg, 45% FG
7. Liam McNeeley, UConn
Freshman, forward, 6-7, 210, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 13.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 spg
8. Drake Powell, North Carolina
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-6, 195, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 17.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.2, spg, 1.2 bpg, 57% FG, 41% 3PT
9. Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Guard, 6-6, 200, 19
2023-24 stats in Israel pro league: 10.1 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.9 rpg, 1.1 spg, 38.7% FG
10. Khaman Maluach, Duke
Freshman, center, 7-2, 250, 18
2023-24 Basketball Africa League stats: 18.2 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 60.3% FG
11. Egor Demin, BYU
Freshman, forward, 6-9, 19
2023-24 Spanish minor-league stats: 13 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, 57.1% FG, 33.6% 3PT
12. Tre Johnson, Texas
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 190, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 15.5 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.3 rpg
13. Kon Knueppel, Duke
Freshman, guard-forward, 6-7, 217, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 25.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 59.4% FG, 39.5% 3PT
14. Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois
Freshman, guard, 6-6, 205, 19
2023-24 Adidas Next Generation stats: 17.9 ppg, 9.0 apg, 6.3 rpg, 2.9 spg
15. Asa Newell, Georgia
Freshman, forward, 6-11, 220, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 67.6% FG
16. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina
Sophomore, 6-8, 245, 20
2023-24 stats at South Carolina: 10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 59.7% FG
17. Donnie Freeman, Syracuse
Freshman, forward, 6-9, 205, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 15.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.1 apg
18. Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
Forward, 6-10, 198, 18
2024 EuroCup stats: 13.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 bpg, 1.0 apg, 63.6% FG
19. Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane (Australia)
Center, 7-2, 227, 18
2023-24 Australian pro league stats: 3.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 59.7% FG
20. Carter Bryant, Arizona
Freshman, forward, 6-8, 225, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 17 ppg, 9.0 rpg
21. Jalil Beathea, Miami
Freshman, guard, 6-5, 190, 19
2023-24 high school stats: 22.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apg
22. Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes (G League)
Guard, 6-8, 210, 19
2023-24 G League Ignite stats: 8.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.9 rpg, 34.7% FG
23. Michael Ruzic, Joventut (Spain)
Forward, 6-9, 223, 18
2023-24 stats in Spanish league: 5.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 47.5% FG
24. Derrion Reid, Alabama
Freshman, forward, 6-8, 220, 18
2024 USA Basketball U18 stats at AmeriCup: 10.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg
25. Ian Jackson, North Carolina
Freshman, guard, 6-4, 190, 20
2023-24 Overtime Elite stats: 23.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.6 spg
26. Boogie Fland, Arkansas
Freshman, guard, 6-2, 75, 18
2023-24 high school stats: 19.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.4 spg, 46% FG, 37% 3PT
27. Motiejus Krivas, Arizona
Sophomore, center, 7-2, 260, 20
2023-24 Arizona stats: 5.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 54.8% FG
28. Alex Karaban, UConn
Junior, forward, 6-8, 225, 22
2023-24 UConn stats: 13.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 49.6% FG, 37.9% 3PT
29. Kwame Evans Jr., Oregon
Sophomore, forward, 6-9, 220, 20
2023-24 Oregon stats: 7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 spg, 44.7% FG
30. JT Toppin, Texas Tech
Sophomore, 6-9, 225, 20
2023-24 stats at New Mexico: 12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 1.1 spg, 62.3% FG
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt
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