With 19 days to go until the 2025 NBA Draft kicks off, I decided to hold off on doing another roundup of national experts’ mock drafts and instead try doing one myself.
I mixed in a few trades, and since the Sixers own not just the No. 3 overall pick but also the No. 35 overall pick, I extended the mock to the fifth pick of the second round.
This mock draft doubles as my first time attempting to forecast which player the Sixers will take if they stick and pick at No. 3.
That prediction is, of course, very much subject to change. It is also not the result of any sourced information — merely a guess. Let’s begin:
No. 1 overall: Dallas Mavericks select Cooper Flagg, PF, Duke
Not even the Mavericks can mess this up. Flagg is a generational prospect given his skill and production at such a young age. Somehow, Dallas committing the ultimate basketball sin has been rewarded.
No. 2 overall: San Antonio Spurs select Dylan Harper, PG, Rutgers
San Antonio could have difficult decisions down the line with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle already in their backcourt rotation, but having three stellar guards is a great problem to have. They will figure it out eventually.
No. 3 overall: Philadelphia 76ers select Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
It is difficult to have less confidence in a prediction than I do here right now, because the Sixers have been extremely tight-lipped about their intentions here — and no option is perfect.
If he indeed uses a pick this high on the board, my expectation is that Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey will be looking to maximize his chance of landing a long-term star, regardless of how that player fits with the team’s current core. I landed on Johnson being the guy through process of elimination. The players I eliminated:
• Ace Bailey has been the most common prospect mocked to the Sixers here, but there are so many real red flags — his poor shot selection, his lackluster handle and the fact that so far he has been close to a non-creator for others. Bailey’s size and shot-making prowess should enable him to succeed at the NBA level in some capacity, but star outcomes are a big ask for a player with his weaknesses.
• VJ Edgecombe is thought by most to be Bailey’s strongest competition here, but his own scoring upside is questionable. Edgecombe is a dominant offensive player in transition, but whether or not he can consistently generate good shots and make them when facing set defenses is very much in question. His pathway to being an elite offensive player is a bit murky.
• Kon Knueppel seems like a lock to be a helpful NBA player and he fits extraordinarily well with the Sixers. But many question if he has a real chance of becoming a star player because of extremely limited explosiveness off the dribble. I think Knueppel should be a serious candidate here and would not be surprised if the Sixers are at least weighing the option of picking him, but his lack of burst could take him out of the running.
SIXERS-SPECIFIC SCOUTING REPORTS
Ace Bailey | VJ Edgecombe | Kon Knueppel
Then there is Johnson, who is not without his flaws. He will be a poor NBA defender almost certainly, he needs to become a much more willing driver to round out his scoring arsenal and he is going to have to put on some more bulk to become a viable finisher against NBA competition.
But Johnson is truly a nuclear shooter. Draft expert Ahmed Jama told us last month that Johnson’s lone season at Texas was “the most impressive jump-shooting season for a freshman since at least the advent of college play-by-play statistics (2010).” He shot a tick under 40 percent from three-point range on absolutely massive volume, making all sorts of difficult shots.
There are many indicators — general stats, advanced analytics and things to watch for with your own eyes — that help when evaluating how a prospect’s skill as a shooter is going to translate to the NBA. All of the numbers back up the argument that Johnson is a genuinely special shooting prospect — but so does the eye test. Take a look for yourselves:
There is a whole lot of work ahead for Johnson to actualize the sort of star outcome the Sixers are hoping for, but he has the foundation, and just as importantly, he has time. Johnson will remain 19 years old until the last month of his rookie campaign and possesses all of the talent to reach great heights.
Does Johnson fit with Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain? Looking into the distant future, he does not. He could definitely fit with one of them, but he is likely never going to start at small forward in any context, let alone one with an undersized backcourt next to him.
The Sixers, however, are not in a good enough team-building situation to worry about that when making a pick this high. The goal here should be to land a potential franchise cornerstone for many years to come — not just in the immediate post-Joel Embiid world, but even beyond that. It is not as challenging as you would think to argue that drafting Johnson represents their best chance to do so.
MORE: Tre Johnson’s Sixers-specific scouting report
No. 4 overall: Charlotte Hornets select Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers
Since Bailey is not the pick at No. 3, he goes one slot later, joining LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller as Charlotte’s franchise cornerstones. I like Edgecombe more here, but Bailey seems to generally be thought of as the superior prospect.
No. 5 overall: Utah Jazz select VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
So, Edgecombe goes to Utah at No. 5, a strong outcome for the Jazz after dropping four spots in the lottery. Utah’s rather light collection of young talent is jarring given how long they have been bad; Edgecombe can be a pillar for them moving forward.
No. 6 overall (TRADE): Houston Rockets select Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke
Trade terms: Washington Wizards trade No. 6 overall pick, No. 40 overall pick to Houston Rockets for Jabari Smith Jr., No. 10 overall pick.
Knueppel is not going to be a dreadful NBA defender, but he does not fit Houston’s mold of athletic multi-positional stoppers. However, the Rockets have enough of those to insulate a player whose offensive skill set can enable him to help a contending team right away, with room for major improvement down the line.
No. 7 overall: New Orleans Pelicans select Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
The Dejounte Murray trade was a disaster for New Orleans even before Murray ruptured his Achilles. Fears has been one of the biggest winners of the pre-draft process, and if he hits his high-end outcomes, the Pelicans will have their point guard of the future.
No. 8 overall: Brooklyn Nets select Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois
Brooklyn is desperate for star power and has the means to move up from this spot, but they also have so few sure things on their NBA roster that it might be best to take as many swings as they can. They start with Jakucionis, the jumbo-sized guard who needs to iron some things out.
No. 9 overall: Toronto Raptors select Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
The board caters well to a Toronto team likely in the market for its big of the future, and they get that with the massive 18-year-old Maluach. If the Raptors do not like how the board looks when on the clock, they are an obvious candidate to trade down.
No. 10 overall (TRADE): Washington Wizards select Derik Queen, C, Maryland
Trade terms: Washington Wizards trade No. 6 overall pick, No. 40 overall pick to Houston Rockets for Jabari Smith Jr., No. 10 overall pick.
The lottery sunk the hopes of Wizards fans, but coming away from this draft with a quality stretch four who just turned 22 years old in Jabari Smith Jr. plus an exciting rookie center in Queen is not the worst outcome. Perhaps they would try some massive lineups with Smith, Queen and Alex Sarr all on the floor.
No. 11 overall: Portland Trail Blazers select Noa Essengue, F, France
Portland is another team I could see moving down, but without an obvious trade partner, they stick and pick Essengue, an intriguing international prospect. The Donovan Clingan pick last year should take the Trail Blazers out of the running for a big. If they draft a ball-handler here rather than a wing, it could speak to reduced faith in the development of former No. 3 overall pick Scoot Henderson.
No. 12 overall: Chicago Bulls select Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
To call Chicago’s wing rotation barren would be a massive understatement. They badly need reinforcements there, and Bryant’s 6-foot-6.5, 215-pound frame with long arms makes him an ideal fit. Bryant seems to have a strong chance of being a lottery pick.
No. 13 overall: Atlanta Hawks select Asa Newell, PF/C, Georgia
Newell stays nearby and joins a Hawks team that does not have a glaring need positionally. Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Zaccharie Risacher and Jalen Johnson are their most significant pieces, but Onyeka Okongwu has blossomed into a strong starting center.
No. 14 overall: San Antonio Spurs select Collin Murray-Boyles, PF, South Carolina
If Murray-Boyles falls this far, there could be teams making calls trying to move up and grab him. He is a prospect of extremes: he is, to date, a non-shooter. But his defensive ability is special and makes many think he has the chance to be a high-caliber role player in the right situation. This certainly seems like that.
No. 15 overall: Oklahoma City Thunder select Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
Oklahoma City can do anything they would like here — and with two first-rounders in hand and their entire 15-man roster for 2024-25 already under contract for next season, some sort of consolidation is possible. If they love a player who cannot fall this far, would they move up?
No. 16 overall: Orlando Magic select Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
This feels like one of the more obvious fits imaginable, as the Magic finally appear ready to acknowledge and address their horrid lack of shooting and scoring. Richardson has many questions in his game, but those are not among them.
No. 17 overall (TRADE): Utah Jazz select Egor Demin, G, BYU
Trade terms: Minnesota Timberwolves trade No. 17 overall pick to Utah Jazz for No. 21 overall pick, No. 43 overall pick.
Utah moves up four spots to secure Demin, who early in the year was projected to go a lot higher than this. The Jazz should be taking as many big swings as they can, and Demin is probably the biggest swing left at this point.
No. 18 overall: Washington Wizards select Cedric Coward, SG/SF, Washington State
Coward is one of the other biggest winners of the pre-draft process, and the Wizards secure a player possessing rare length and noteworthy shooting skill.
No. 19 overall: Brooklyn Nets select Rasheer Fleming, PF, Saint Joseph’s
Speaking of length and shooting, the local product Fleming stays close to home as he lands in Brooklyn. Many mock drafts have him going in the mid-late 20s, but his frame and skills are tantalizing enough for me to think he has a real chance of going higher than that.
No. 20 overall: Miami Heat select Walter Clayton Jr., PG, Florida
Clayton feels like a player the Heat would covet, not to mention Miami could use some additional ball-handling around Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo now that Terry Rozier appears unplayable.
No. 21 overall (TRADE): Minnesota Timberwolves select Nique Clifford, SG/SF, Colorado
Trade terms: Minnesota Timberwolves trade No. 17 overall pick to Utah Jazz for No. 21 overall pick, No. 43 overall pick.
Minnesota has to keep churning out cost-controlled rotation pieces, so moving down four spots gives them another extra chance to do so in the draft (they also own the first pick of the second round). Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker will be free agents this summer, and Julius Randle could be, too.
No. 22 overall: Atlanta Hawks select Noah Penda, SF, France
Drafting a French wing with impressive physical measurements did not go poorly for Atlanta last year. Why not double down? Penda weighed in at 242 pounds with a wingspan just short of 7 feet.
No. 23 overall: Indiana Pacers select Danny Wolf, C, Michigan
The lone hole in Indiana’s roster right now is the backup center spot, so they draft a unique five in Wolf to play behind Myles Turner with the potential to eventually step into the starting five if Turner ever does finally become a trade chip the Pacers actually use.
No. 24 overall: Oklahoma City Thunder select Joan Beringer, C, France
Oklahoma City almost certainly does not have roster space for two rookies, so they draft the best international prospect available, who can presumably be stashed in Beringer, a French center still very early in his basketball journey.
No. 25 overall (TRADE): Los Angeles Clippers select Nolan Traoré, PG, France
Trade terms: Orlando Magic trade No. 25 overall pick to Orlando Magic for No. 30 overall pick, No. 51 overall pick.
With a slew of teams needy for point guards ahead of them, the Clippers move up five spots to secure Traoré. James Harden will be back in Los Angeles next season, but the Clippers will need to find some additional ball-handling.
No. 26 overall: Brooklyn Nets select Thomas Sorber, C, Georgetown
Sorber falling this far would be a bit surprising, but he finds a home in Brooklyn. Sorber’s incredible 7-foot-6 wingspan is his greatest selling point.
No. 27 overall: Brooklyn Nets select Will Riley, SG/SF, Illinois
On the clock once again, the Nets take their second player from Illinois, landing the Canadian wing with a decorated pre-college career. They have essentially covered the entire positional spectrum across their four picks.
No. 28 overall: Boston Celtics select Ben Saraf, G, Israel
In the first of their two picks in this range, Boston adds a young combo guard who can be afforded patience with a chance to grow into a valuable rotation piece for a team hoping to return to championship contention in 2026-27.
No. 29 overall: Phoenix Suns select Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton
Another one of the obvious fits in this draft, the Suns do not have many better options at the five than drafting someone here and hoping they can contribute immediately. Kalkbrenner certainly has the size to succeed at the NBA level.
No. 30 overall (TRADE): Orlando Magic select Hansen Yang, C, China
Trade terms: Orlando Magic trade No. 25 overall pick to Orlando Magic for No. 30 overall pick, No. 51 overall pick.
Orlando adds to its center rotation by taking one of the most interesting prospects in this class. Yang possesses fascinating passing chops at his size.
No. 31 overall: Minnesota Timberwolves select Maxime Raynaud, C, Stanford
Minnesota always covets size and athletic advantages, and with a perimeter player already added earlier in the draft, they go with a bigger guy here.
No. 32 overall: Boston Celtics select Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee
Sharpshooting wing Sam Hauser seems very likely to be traded so the Celtics can reduce their luxury tax bill. Lanier is one of the most accomplished three-point shooters in this class and Boston’s front office could see him as a replacement for what they will be missing.
No. 33 overall: Charlotte Hornets select Hugo González, SG/SF, Spain
With the first of back-to-back picks, Charlotte takes an international prospect with a real chance of going in the first round…
No. 34 overall: Charlotte Hornets select Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas
…And then they take one of the only high-profile players whose last-minute decision about whether or not to return to school benefited the NBA.
No. 35 overall: Philadelphia 76ers select Drake Powell, SG/SF, North Carolina
Last month, I evaluated all of Morey’s later picks and undrafted free agent signings since taking over the Sixers in hopes of identifying the key traits he looks for down the board. The mold I found: high-caliber athletes with long arms and significant pre-college pedigrees.
I landed on a handful of players that fit parts of that description, but Powell is the only one who could be available here that is a perfect match. A five-star recruit whose season at North Carolina was underwhelming, Powell blew away athletic testing at the NBA Draft Combine and has an ideal wing frame for today’s NBA — 6-foot-6.5 and 200 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan.
Quite a few high-profile withdrawals from the class from collegiate returners previously expected to go in this range helped Powell’s stock, and it is absolutely not a sure thing that he will be available when the Sixers are on the clock. If he is, though, I view this as an ideal fit.
MORE: Identifying targets at No. 35 based on Morey’s history
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