Last Updated on June 21, 2025 11:47 pm by Keston Paul | Published: June 21, 2025

Welcome to the SportsEthos 2025 NBA Draft Primer.
The prep work, research, writing and overall execution to bring this to you was a collaboration by:

Mark C (@MACAttack145)
Keston Paul (@kestonpaul)
Brian Shade (@shade_fantasy)
Gonçalo Teiga (@goncaloteiga)
Brenton James (@FantasyWizOfOz)
Yoel Abulaf (@uncyobo)
Tim Woodson (@blaklynx1)

At the time of publication, our goal is to cover 68 prospects.
We currently have 53 complete profiles and 15 profiles considered to be “in progress” and we will be updating those in the final few days before the draft.

Our goal is to establish the strengths and weaknesses of these NBA hopefuls. That correlates with their likely fantasy translations and areas where development is needed to provide some of their better outcomes.

While the initial sections of a prospect profile will help you learn about the player, the last few sections look at how their development could affect their fantasy futures. The “Expected Timeframe” is a rough estimation of who they could be in their early years and who they could be a few years in the future.

The “Ranking System” gives you a more purposeful visualization of a desired developmental outcome. This section should be viewed as a 70-to-80 percent outcome where a player has ironed out several areas, but hasn’t figured “everything” out since most players rarely do. Think of a 100-percent outcome as perfect development with unexpected skills emerging like a complete non-shooter becoming above average. A 90-percent outcome would be hitting on all of the swing skills, like a player who needed to add strength, tighten up their ball-handling and knock down threes a little more consistently doing so without developing in surprising ways. Therefore, a 70-to-80 percent outcome still leans toward positive development with a little more realism mixed in.

Rough Ranking System Outline:
Below are examples of ranking ranges for each stat.
These are guidelines, but translate to approximate spots within the top-200 for fantasy.

The stat or stat range is listed first.
The 1-10 scale is listed second.

Points:
<5 = 1-2
5-11 = 2-4
11-18 = 4-6
18-21 = 6-7
21-25 = 7-8
25+ = 9+

Rebounds:
2-3 = 1-2
3-5 = 2-4
5-6 = 4-6
6-7 = 6-7
7-10 = 7-8
10+ = 8+

Assists:
1-2 = 1-2
2-3 = 2-4
3-5 = 4-6
5-6 = 6-7
6-8 = 7-8
8+ = 8+

Steals and Blocks:
Middle ranges (around a 5 on the scale)
0.8-1.2 for steals
0.3-0.6 for blocks
As an estimate:
1.2+ steals and 1.0+ blocks are around 7+ range already.

Three-Pointers:
<1.3 = 1-2
1.3-1.8 = 3-4
1.8-2.4 = 4-6
2.4-3 = 6-8
3+ = 8+

FG%, FT%, Turnovers:
Estimations for efficiency will be a lot more variable due to the impact of usage with higher-usage players naturally having more of an impact and vice versa, as lower-usage players have smaller impacts.
For extra clarity:
On the 1-10 scale, we are considering a 1 as a negative turnover impact and a 10 as a positive turnover impact.

Final Thoughts:
Remember, we are leaning toward positive outcomes. Most players will not translate perfectly, while others might have better real-life impact than fantasy impact, and finally, some players simply will not make it at the NBA level. Different contributors’ views on a “positive” outcome may also vary a bit.

Landing spots also matter as they present varying levels of opportunity and development, but knowledge of a players’ traits and potential translations can give you a massive leg up in both dynasty and redraft leagues. In dynasty, you might be looking toward the future statistical development, while in redraft, you could be the one to beat the rest of your league to a rookie pickup who suddenly starts playing more a month into the season or during the fantasy playoffs.

With all of that said, enjoy!

Note: We are quoting barefoot heights throughout the article.

Lottery Tier

College Name: Duke
 Age on Draft Day: 18.5
HT/WT: 6’7.75” barefoot, 7’0.0″ wingspan, 220 lbs
 Consensus Rank: First Overall
 Player Type: Two-Way Superstar
Possible Landing Spots: Dallas, Mavs, Mavericks (& not the Lakers)

Notable 2024-25 Stats: 19.2 Pts, 7.5 Reb, 4.2 Ast, 1.4 Stl, 1.4 Blk, 48.1 FG%, 38.5 3pt%, 84.0 FT%

General Comments: One of the most versatile prospects and least amount of flaws I (Mark) have personally scouted…Efficient scorer in a number of manners, including shooting, pull-ups, running pick-and-roll, rolling, cutting, transition…Possesses a more brawly driving style that leads to plenty of free throws…Lack of burst and dribble craft makes finishes a bit more difficult…Improved shot behind arc to be above average…Very solid passer factoring in position…Has excellent passing vocabulary and can throw them in multiple manners…Length, wingspan, and fluidity a natural plus on defense…Innate feel in defensive rotations and blows up plays before they can begin…2.8% steal rate and 4.9% block rate indicate defensive playmaking talents…Great fundamental rebounder who attacks the glass…A real physical player who doesn’t back down

Injury History: N/A

Player Comparison: Andre Kirilenko, Scottie Pippen, More Versatile Jayson Tatum

Fantasy Outlook: Cooper Flagg is one of the most complete prospects I (Mark) have ever scouted. I may quibble on some of the self-created and dribbling offensive aspects, but that’s only prohibitive to Flagg becoming the clear-cut number-one player out of everyone in the NBA. He literally checks every other box on offense, including getting to the rim and foul line, ability to hit threes, above-average passing traits and elite processing. Flagg is also a monster on defense, where he is an excellent off-ball defender who can both protect the basket in moments and interrupt passing lanes with his long limbs. Flagg lacks “best player in the NBA” upside but has nearly no holes in his game. Any NBA franchise and dynasty squad should feel lucky to add him to their team. 

Expected Timeframe: 

Year 1 Top-50 with well-rounded stat set
Year 2 Top-25 with refinements to scoring game
Year 4+ Top-10 with contributions everywhere 

Ranking System: 

Quick Highlights: 

College Name: Rutgers
Age on Draft Day: 19.3
HT/WT: 6’4.5” barefoot, 6’10.5” wingspan, 215 lbs
 Consensus Rank: Top Three
 Player Type: Lead Offensive Option
Possible Landing Spots: Spurs or anyone who trades into No. 2

Notable 2024-25 Stats: 19.4 Pts, 4.6 Reb, 4.0 Ast, 1.4 Stl, 0.6 Blk, 48.4 FG%, 33.3 3pt%, 75.0 FT%

General Comments: Handled high offensive load (29.0% Usage) while managing good efficiency…Advanced dribble and footwork moves especially around the basket…Excellent first step, dribble craft, and finishing package enables Harper to generate high amounts of rim attempts and hit them well…One of the more advanced rim finishers we’ve seen ever at the college level…Gets to the foul line at a strong rate…Plays extremely in control; doesn’t lose ball too often given usage…Three-pointer needs some work but acceptable baseline…Solid passer with good range (27.1 Assist%) albeit not revolutionary…Chips in defensively with 2.6% steal rate…Able to hold his own on defense…Strong and compact body frame that should play well at the NBA level. 

Injury History: High ankle sprain in late January (only missed one game)

Player Comparison: 90% athletic Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, James Harden

Fantasy Outlook: Harper has all the tools you want from a lead offensive guard. His play is already incredibly polished for his age with his advanced footwork and control in crowds. Add that to his body control and tight handles, and you have a nearly ideal lead guard prospect. There are some quibbles to his shot and passing upside, but both should be adequate enough to provide a solid foundation. The defense should be playable enough, as he generally competes and doesn’t die in screening actions. It’s rare you have this young a guard display this level of composed scoring and driving, but that is Harper for you. He may be called a runner-up to Flagg, but Harper is an excellent pick in his own right. 

Expected Timeframe: 

Year 1 Top-150 as he adjusts but notable positives with points and FT%
Year 2 Top-80 as he irons out flaws
Year 4+ Top-30 as a strong offensive option 

 Ranking System:  

Quick Highlights: 

College Name: Baylor
Age on Draft Day: 19.9
HT/WT: 6’4.0” barefoot, 6’7.5” wingspan, 195 lbs
Consensus Rank: Top Five
Player Type: Two-Way Guard
Possible Landing Spots: Philadelphia, Charlotte, Utah

Notable 2024-25 Stats: 15.0 Pts, 5.6 Reb, 3.2 Ast, 2.1 Stl, 0.6 Blk, 43.6 FG%, 34.0 3pt%, 78.2 FT%

General Comments: An incredibly bouncy player whose athleticism allows him to execute plays others just cannot…Truly soars through the air…Shooting progressed over season to mediocre levels…More trust in catch-and-shoot attempts versus pull-up game…Great straight-line speed and burst…Forceful downhill driver but lacks finishing polish; shot 50% at the rim in the halfcourt per databallr…Dribble is suspect; ball can squirt out frequently on drives and dribble moves…Some good touch passes and keeping the ball moving in flow…Flashes of high-end passes but infrequent and sparse…Overall offense is more slasher than true shot-creator…Jumps into passing lanes often for deflections; impressive 3.8% steal rate…Can pop up from unexpected positions on defense for highlight-reel blocks (2.3% block rate)…Isolation defense and screen navigation needs polishing but should be at least fine…More guard than wing-sized…Clear coast-to-coast transition ability; will be a force on the run

Injury History: N/A

Player Comparison: Victor Oladipo (pre-All Star), Jaden Ivey, Souped-Up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Fantasy Outlook: V.J. Edgecombe pairs elite athleticism with enough skills to visualize high-end two-way outcomes. His drive and catch-and-shooting game should enable him to have a decent floor on offense, even if the on-ball creation game never fully materializes. Edgecombe is an absolute pest of defense, creating positive events for his team with his deflections and activity in rotations. There may be some questions about Edgecombe’s every-down consistency (and thus star outcomes), but he should be able to add important elements to any team.

Expected Timeframe:

Year 1 Top-150 with defensive strengths
Year 2 Top-100 with marginal improvements
Year 4+ Top-50 if scoring ability comes around

Ranking System: 

Quick Highlights: 

College Name: Illinois
Age on Draft Day: 19.1
HT/WT: 6’4.75” barefoot, 205 lbs, 6’7.75’’ wingspan
Consensus Rank: Mid-to-Late Lottery
Player Type: Play-Initiator Combo Guard
Possible Landing Spots: Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors

Notable 2024-25 Stats: 15.0 Pts, 5.7 Reb, 4.7 Ast, 0.9 Stl, 0.3 Blk, 44.0 FG%, 31.8 3pt%, 84.5 FT%

General Comments: Jakucionis is one of the best passers and playmakers of the draft, and Illinois playstyle suited him perfectly – focusing on ball movement, outside shooting, motion sets and little-to-no defense… His assist rate increased against better competition, as he had an incredible 27.1% ast% in top-50 quality games… Jakucionis is turnover-prone and could be labeled carefree with the ball, ending the season with 25.4% turnover rate, one of the worst in all college basketball… Illinois up-tempo and NBA-like playstyle showcased Jakucionis’ ability to operate both as a creator and off-ball, with his height allowing him to play either guard position… Regarding his athletic traits and besides his height, he has mediocre physical tools – mostly wingspan and speed, making him more of a “team defender” that a team will probably have to be schemed around in the earlier stages of his career… Jakucionis is a good finisher at the rim, standing at 67.3% in 113 tries, but his lack of athleticism is highlighted by him only having one made dunk this season… His three-point shooting could dictate his NBA future and open up his game, and his 84.5% ft% is an excellent positive indicator… He had two separate seasons from long range: from November until the 15^th of January, he shot 41.6% from three-point range, an amazing mark; from that point until the end of the season, his moving average dipped from that number to 31.8%… All in all, Jakucionis made 32 threes in the first 15 games of the season and then proceeded to make 22 in his last 18 appearances.

Injury History: Forearm injury that coincided almost perfectly with his long-range shooting dip.

Player Comparison: Josh Giddey, Nikola Topic, Max Christie, Malcolm Brogdon

Fantasy Outlook: His ability to play both on- and off-ball should allow him to earn minutes early on, unless Jakucionis ends up on a win-now team that prioritizes defensive production. If we see the three-point shooter that Jakucionis was in the 1^st half of the season, before the forearm injury, he should contribute to both points and threes if he has an on-ball role, with the added free throws and at-rim efficiency, and mostly threes if he’s in an off-ball role. In the beginning of his career, the latter seems more likely. He should be one of the best assist producers of the draft, and also one of the most turnover-prone. He should have respectable-to-good rebounding for his positions and skill-set, as his 10.1% rebounding rate suggests. He has a 59% true shooting and 51% effective field goal despite having an absolutely awful 2^nd half of the season shooting from deep – meaning he could easily become a good contributor in fg% and ft% as his career progresses. As a rookie guard, he should be expected to be bad at least in fg%. He won’t help in blocks and should be a bad-to-mediocre steals contributor for a guard.

Expected Timeframe:

Year 1 Top-200 with an off-ball role and typical rookie guard shooting struggles
Year 2 Top-150 with role and assists progression
Year 4+ Top-80 if on-ball role and outside shooting materializes or top-150

Ranking System:

Quick Highlights: 

College Name: Maryland
Age on Draft Day: 20.5
HT/WT: 6’9.25” barefoot, 7’0.50” wingspan, 245 lbs
Consensus Rank: Top 10
Player Type: Big Man Offensive Hub
Possible Landing Spots: Washington Wizards, Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls

Notable 2024-25 Stats: 16.5 Pts, 9.0 Reb, 1.9 Ast, 1.1 Blk, 1.1 Stl, 52.6 FG%, 76.6 FT%, 20 3pt%

General Comments: Burly big with soft touch and agile footwork around the rim…Has shown flashes of elite playmaking skills but still turns it over too much…Below-average height for a center and below-average athleticism for a forward…Very light on his feet for a player his size and weight…Can generate offense around the high and low post…Showed flashes of extending his shooting range to 3pt range and is currently an effective mid-range shooter (76.6% FT% is promising)…Great hands on defense that allow him to be a solid steals option as a big man…Great rebounder who finished second in the Big Ten in rebounds per game…As of now, he should not be depended on to anchor any defense…Relentless energy on both sides of the ball when engaged…

Injury History: N/A

Player Comparison: Zach Randolph, DeMarcus Cousins, Jahlil Okafor

Fantasy Outlook: Queen’s ability to put the ball in the basket efficiently down low and rebound will allow him to play early as a third big man option for most teams. He will not blow anyone away with his block numbers, but he has a Nikola Jokic–esque knack for earning steals at the big man position. Queen should be an average contributor at both percentages as he continues to try and expand his shooting range. The touch is there, but he has yet to be consistent with his 3pt shot. If he can knock down 35% of his threes, it could unlock a true offensive hub potential in the likeness of Alperen Sengun. He has shown flashes of great playmaking ability, especially when surrounded by great players in high school, but the turnovers remain high to offset that potential value now.

Expected Timeframe:

Year 1 Role dependent Top-150
Year 2 Top-125
Year 4+ Top-75 Offensive-minded player who can add rare steals and assists combo for a big man

Ranking System:

Quick Highlights: 

College Name: Texas
Age on Draft Day: 19.3
HT/WT: 6’5” barefoot, 6’10” wingspan, 190 lbs
Consensus Rank: Early Lottery
Player Type: Dynamic Shooter with On-Ball Moments
Possible Landing Spots: Utah, Philadelphia, New Orleans

Notable 2024-25 Stats: 19.9 Pts, 3.1 Reb, 2.7 Ast, 0.9 Stl, 0.3 Blk, 42.7 FG%, 39.7 3pt%, 87.1 FT%

General Comments: High-volume shooter from deep; should be a weapon both in created shots and as a movement shooter…Can easily rise up on shot and be unbothered by contests…Pull-up jumper in midrange is a plus…Struggles with getting to rim, creating a tough shot diet…Dribble isn’t explosive but usually enough to get job done…Can make basic passing reads (mostly hitting roll man in pick-and-roll) but versatility is lacking…Unlikely to create well for others due to lack of vision while driving and passing…Defensive awareness is questionable; can stray from assignment often…Deflections and hands on tape appeared active, but 1.6% steal rate doesn’t inspire much faith…Good runner in transition, especially floating to three-point line on wing

Injury History: N/A

Player Comparison: Michael Redd, Bradley Beal, Allan Houston

Fantasy Outlook: Tre Johnson is a fun offensive prospect in which a deeper dive reveals some hindrances to his ceiling. The shooting looks completely legit, with both the volume, versatility, and the accuracy to back it up. While that aspect will translate to the NBA extremely well, the rest of the offensive package may leave us wanting more. Johnson doesn’t have the ability to generate great separation, leading to a tough shot diet that takes elite shotmaking to survive on in a high-usage role. In addition, the passing is acceptable but rarely advances past that point. Without adding much on defense, Johnson could become more of a gunner than actual shot creator and generator. That high-usage role is in the cards but would take some growth in his shotmaking.

Expected Timeframe:

Year 1 Top-150 due to points and threes
Year 2 Top-125
Year 4+ Top-75 as complementary offensive starter

Ranking System:

Quick Highlights: 

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