March Madness is over and Portal Madness is in full swing, but NBA Draft Madness is just heating up. NBA teams no longer have games to evaluate, but there is still plenty to monitor in the weeks leading up to the NBA Draft on June 25.
There is going to be considerable movement over the next two months, including the NBA Draft Lottery on May 12 and the Draft Combine shortly thereafter. Those events will lead into workout season as players and their agents meet with the respective teams and figure out the proper order.
Hoops HQ will be keeping you updated on all the action between now and June 25. Here is what the first round looks like heading into Draft Madness.
- Utah Jazz: Cooper Flagg, 6-foot-9 freshman forward, Duke
- Washington Wizards: Dylan Harper, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Rutgers
- Charlotte Hornets: VJ Edgecombe, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, Baylor
- New Orleans Pelicans: Ace Bailey, 6-foot-10 freshman forward, Rutgers
- Philadelphia 76ers: Derik Queen, 6-foot-10 freshman center, Maryland
- Brooklyn Nets: Jeremiah Fears, 6-foot-4 freshman guard, Oklahoma
- Toronto Raptors: Tre Johnson, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Texas
- San Antonio Spurs: Kon Knueppel, 6-foot-7 freshman forward, Duke
- Portland Trail Blazers: Jase Richarson, 6-foot-3 freshman guard, Michigan State
- Houston Rockets (via Suns): Khaman Maluach, 7-foot-2 freshman center, Duke
- Miami Heat: Kasparas Jakucionis, 6-foot-6 freshman guard, Illinois
- Chicago Bulls: Collin Murray-Boyles, 6-foot-7 sophomore forward, South Carolina
- Dallas Mavericks: Noa Essengue, 6-foot-9 forward, Ratiopharm Ulm (France)
- Atlanta Hawks (via Kings): Asa Newell, 6-foot-11 freshman forward, Georgia
- San Antonio Spurs (via Hawks): Egor Demin, 6-foot-9 freshman guard, BYU
- Orlando Magic: Carter Bryant, 6-foot-8 freshman forward, Arizona
- Minnesota Timberwolves (via Pistons): Ben Saraf, 6-foot-5 guard, Ratiopharm Ulm (Israel)
- Brooklyn Nets (via Bucks): Liam McNeeley, 6-foot-7 freshman forward, Connecticut
- Miami Heat (via Warriors): Nique Clifford, 6-foot-6 senior forward, Colorado State
- Washington Wizards (via Grizzlies): Nolan Traore, 6-foot-3 guard, Saint-Quentin (France)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (via Clippers): Danny Wolf, 7-foot junior forward, Michigan
- Utah Jazz (via Timberwolves): Thomas Sorber, 6-foot-10 freshman center, Georgetown
- Orlando Magic (via Nuggets): Will Riley, 6-foot-7 freshman forward, Illinois
- Indiana Pacers: Noah Penda, 6-foot-8 forward, Le Mans (France)
- Atlanta Hawks (via Pacers): Walter Clayton Jr., 6-foot-3 senior guard, Florida
- Brooklyn Nets (via Knicks): Yaxel Lendeborg, 6-foot-9 forward, UAB
- Brooklyn Nets (via Rockets): Rasheer Fleming, 6-foot-9 junior forward, Saint Joseph’s
- Boston Celtics: Joan Beringer, 6-foot-11 center, Cedevita (France)
- Phoenix Suns (via Cavaliers): Hugo Gonzalez, 6-foot-9 forward, Real Madrid (Spain)
- Los Angeles Clippers (via OKC): Kam Jones, 6-foot-5 senior guard, Marquette
MOVING UP: Noa Essengue, Nique Clifford, Walter Clayton Jr. and Yaxel Lendeborg
NBA Mock Draft Notes
- Duke’s meltdown and a few late-game misses won’t change any opinions on the top prospect’s NBA outlook. Cooper Flagg still put up 27 points against Houston’s elite defense, drilling three threes, attacking defenders and beating them in transition. He’s answered all the preseason questions about whether he possesses enough creativity to be a go-to guy or if shooting will be a problem for a No. 1 overall prospect. Flagg finished the year at 19.2 points per game with 52 three-point makes while operating as Duke’s lead playmaker and impact defender. From here on out, he’ll likely lay low outside of mandatory drills and testing at the combine. Flagg is locked into the No. 1 spot, presumably on all 30 draft boards, and he won’t have any reason to work out for anybody.
Flagg was brilliant against Houston in the Final Four, with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals.
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- While Nique Clifford has remained in my first-round projections since October, his popularity has risen since March. After scoring 36 points in the regular season finale against Boise State, he averaged 25.0 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists in three conference tournament wins. And he nearly helped the Rams knock off Maryland in the NCAA tournament with an outstanding crosscourt pass to Jalen Lake, who made what looked like a game-winning three. Clifford has ultimately transformed from Glue Guy to a No. 1 option who can create his own shot, run offense for teammates and convert from three levels. Teams outside the lottery figure to look at Clifford as a senior who can come in and give them instant versatility.
- The star of the NCAA tournament, Walter Clayton Jr. won more scouts over this past month with his fearless shotmaking, tough finishes and clutch play. There’s no mistaking that teams will eye him for scoring knack and shooting firepower. But against Houston in the national title game, despite struggling to find room against the pressure and traps, he looked like a real point guard finding teammates in transition and setting them up in the half court. Concerns over his size (for a mostly below-the-rim athlete) may prevent teams from picturing upside, but Clayton should now have multiple suitors in the first round who value him for his instant offense and shotmaking. The bonus is how his toughness and confidence will help compensate for any physical limitations.
Walter Clayton Jr. and his teammates celebrate their title win over Houston.
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- Scouts are still wondering about whether Yaxel Lendeborg will stay in the draft or join Michigan for the 2025-26 season. His across-the-board production and coveted versatility will now certainly have teams in the twenties thinking about the 6-foot-9 forward who had a 30-point, 20-rebound, eight-assist, nine-block game against Eastern Carolina in March. Lendeborg is a Swiss Army knife who finishes, passes and makes plays defensively. But his improving face-up game and shot have made Lendeborg a more believable and enticing pro prospect.
- Noa Essengue hit eight threes over Ulm’s last four games, an interesting development for the draft’s youngest prospect. His bread-and-butter revolves around non-skill, physical tools like the ability to finish, spring the floor, attack in space, rebound and cover ground defensively. Signs that Essengue will eventually become a reliable spot-up shooting threat could be a draft-stock changer.
- Joan Beringer’s block rate is up to 8.5 percent, higher than Maluach’s, Newell’s and Sorber’s. He’s also been scoring more frequently as a result of putting himself in the right spot at the right times to use his finishing tools around the basket. Centers with size, mobility and production translate well, and with Beringer not turning 19 until November, he still has an enormous amount of potential to improve his defensive awareness and offensive skill.
