Night one of the NBA draft is officially behind us, but we still have round two on Thursday night. The first few picks were expected, but then everything became chaotic. There were a handful of trades sprinkled in, but Mark Williams was the only player that was moved. The rest were all picks.
The most surprising move of the night was the Trail Blazers trading back to select Hansen Yang with the No. 16 pick. Prior to the draft, I was planning to have Yang on this list. Instead, he went just outside the lottery. One wonders if Portland would’ve taken him at 11 if they couldn’t trade back.
30 talented players were selected in round one, and 29 more will be selected in round two. Here are the 10 best available players, with the Timberwolves making the next selection.
It was a good day to be the Mavericks, not so much for Trail Blazers fans.
F Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
I don’t understand the Fleming slide to the second round. He’s an older prospect, and he isn’t the most dynamic shot creator, but he is a legitimate three-and-D wing with a 7’5” wingspan. Those players don’t grow on trees. He averaged 14.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 1.4 steals, 1.5 blocks and 1.8 three-pointers per game last season. He should be one of the first few players selected in round two.
Fleming’s top moments from Saint Joseph’s season
Look back on the top moments from Rasheer Fleming’s 2024-25 season for the St. Joseph’s Hawks ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
I thought Raynaud had a case to be selected on night one, but a handful of other bigs went instead. Raynaud is at least a better shooter than all of them and could be a better overall offensive player than most of them. He averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.9 three-pointers per game last season. Boston has pick 32, and Charlotte has picks 33 and 34. Both teams need center help.
F Adou Thiero, Arkansas
The uber-athletic wing isn’t a great shooter, but he is ready to make an impact in the NBA immediately. He averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game last season. Adding a player of his caliber in the second round is going to be a great pickup, and he’ll be able to be part of a team’s rotation immediately. If he finds himself on a team that needs him to play big minutes, he should wreak havoc on defense and provide plenty of steals.
F Noah Penda, Le Mans (France)
Penda is a playmaking forward that can really defend on the perimeter. He isn’t a great scorer, but he can fill a number of holes for whatever team takes him. He averaged 10.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.9 blocks and 1.0 triple per game in 37 appearances last season. He is a well-rounded prospect that will make any team happy to take him in the second round.
G Kam Jones, Marquette
Jones is an older prospect at 23 years old, but he is one of the best playmakers in this class. He averaged 19.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.9 three-pointers per game last season. He wasn’t a great shooter, and he isn’t an explosive athlete, which may have forced teams to shy away from him in round one. But getting a reliable lead ball handler in round two is a great value selection.
HLs: Jones’ best from Marquette’s 24-25 season
Look back on the top moments from Kam Jones’ 2024-25 season for the Marquette Golden Eagles ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
As another 23-year-old prospect, Kalkbrenner enjoyed a productive 2024-25 season with averages of 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.7 blocks per game. The 7’2” center may not have the same upside that other bigs in this draft have, but he should be able to play a solid role in the NBA, even if he is a reserve.
G Alijah Martin, Florida
Martin certainly has a case to be the best defender in the class. He isn’t the most dynamic offensive player, but he does enough on that end to not be a liability, specifically as a floor spacer. Teams will be far more interested in what he does defensively. He averaged 14.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.1 three-pointers per game last season. He’s a bit undersized at 6’3”, but a 6’7.5” wingspan helps make up for it.
F Bogoljub Marković, KK Mega Basket (Serbia)
The 6’11” forward is an intriguing offensive player, but there are some major question marks on the defensive end. Still, there is enough there for a team to select him early in round two. He truly has the potential to be a dynamic offensive stud, mostly as a shooter, but also as a playmaker. He averaged 13.9 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.0 three-pointer per game last season.
F Jamir Watkins, Florida State
Watkins will be 24 years old at the start of Summer League, which likely made some teams shy away. However, he averaged 18.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 three-pointers per game last season and will certainly be ready to contribute next year. He isn’t a dynamic offensive player, but the defensive ability should get him some minutes.
G Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
Every team needs shooting, and the 23-year-old can help with that. He averaged 3.2 three-pointers per game last season while shooting 39.5 percent from beyond the arc. There are some intriguing measurables, such as a 39” vertical and a 6’9” wingspan, but he wasn’t a great defender in college, and he isn’t a dynamic offensive force. Still, a reliable shooter in round two is always a nice addition.
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