2025 NBA Draft Early Big Board: Top 10, Interesting Prospects, Grizzlies Fits

The NBA Draft cycle is beginning with a loaded 2025 class. Who are some of the class' top prospects? Who could crash the party in the top-10? Which players could fit with the Memphis Grizzlies?

Everyone is excited for the 2025 NBA Draft — headlined by Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, but filled with talent possessing star or elite role player upside. The Brooklyn Nets have joined the arms race for any of these prized prospects. The Washington Wizards, Portland Trail Blazers, and Detroit Pistons have been in the chat for this class. Do any other teams mix up their roster to escape the middle and join them in the “Capture the Flagg” race?

In case you missed my last post about impressive FIBA prospects, I’m going to post more draft content on SubTsakalidis — shooting for monthly draft posts in the season, at the very least.

For my first board for 2025, I’m laying out these three specific tiers: Top 10 (elevator pitch with a development I’m monitoring for elite prospects), 5 Interesting prospects that could either soar or disappear from the lottery of most boards, and 5 Grizzlies Fits in the 20’s.

Top 10

1. Cooper Flagg, Duke, Forward. All-world talent that couples his two-way processing and versatility with a generational motor. If his live-dribble creation parlays into strong efficiency as a go-to guy, he has real “face of the league” upside.

2. Ace Bailey, Rutgers, Wing. Otherworldly shot creation with the size and tools that fit the golden standard of the ideal big wing, but has to sharpen his shot selection and his overall skillset to tap into franchise-changing greatness.

3. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor, Guard. A dynamite combo guard on both sides of the ball — exploding to the basket, and shutting the water off on defensive possessions. His development as a creator could determine if he hits his All-Star upside.

4. Dylan Harper, Rutgers, Guard. Cerebral big guard that touches the paint, creates his own shot with range, and has an expansive passing map. Harper has the argument of being the most versatile guard in his class due to sensational size and feel.

5. Nolan Traore, France, Guard. Paint-touching phenom with a lighting quick first-step and wonderful floor mapping downhill, but he needs to improve his efficiency as a scorer and playmaker to unlock his true, sky-high upside.

6. Liam McNeeley, Connecticut, Forward. Malleable forward that offsets athleticism deficiencies with phenomenal feel, a pure shooting form, and a knack for making the right play — the foundation to become an elite role player on winning teams.

7. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina, Forward. Could be the best returner in the class with a healthier start to the season. He plays larger than his size as a “small-ball big” to an extreme degree of efficiency. He boasts strong playmaking and defensive instincts, but his perimeter game is the key to unlock higher level of upside.

8. Hugo Gonzalez, Spain, Wing. Big wing with fluidity on the perimeter and underrated defensive chops. He can become a top-3 pick if he develops consistency with his outside jumper.

9. Drake Powell, North Carolina, Wing. Dynamic two-way wing with extraordinary finishing efficiency, passing feel, and the tools to be a physical defensive stopper. He made a leap as a shooter in his senior year, and sustaining it could be a pathway to be an elusive “3-and-D+” combo wing.

10. Asa Newell, Georgia, Big. Big forward that’s comfortable on the perimeter as a scorer and defender. He could be an underrated gem in this draft as he expands on his positional versatility as a 4/5 — especially defensively.

5 interesting prospects

1. Khaman Maluach, Duke, Big. Fascinating swing as a modern big with his emphatic rim protection, perimeter fluidity, and willingness to shoot the 3-ball. He’s facing a minutes battle with a veteran frontcourt, but if his readiness comes close to his talent level, he can crash the rotation for Duke — and the top-5 in next year’s draft.

2. Tre Johnson, Texas, Guard. Combo guard with fascinating shot creation upside, solid playmaking chops, and the size and acumen to play on or off the ball. His scoring could be a catalyst for lottery stock, but maintaining it will boil down to how he adjusts in a scaled role as an off-ball offensive player and as a defender — especially with his lack of vertical explosiveness.

3. Rocco Zikarsky, Australia, Big. Massive big man with positive shot-blocking timing, while also chasing blocks — sometimes to a fault. His physicality and offensive impact in a larger role could make or break his draft stock.

4. Boogie Fland, Arkansas, Guard. A dynamic guard that knows when to turn on the jets to touch the paint. He possesses real creativity finishing in crowds and generating separation in dribble jumpers, but needs to improve his efficiency to differentiate himself as a starting point guard and a bench bucket-getter.

5. Egor Demin, BYU, Point Forward. An intriguing 6’9” prospect with positional versatility, passing creativity, and solid defensive instincts that’ll make for a fascinating process with Kevin Young. His prowess as a shooter and a defender can make or break his draft stock.

5 Grizzlies fits

1. Kon Knueppel, Duke, Wing. Knockdown shooter with the ability to attack closeouts as a scorer and playmaker that should show how his game scales to a specific role on a stacked Duke team. The Grizzlies rarely go for one-and-done prospects, but Knueppel is an ideal fit given his shooting, size on the wing, and feel. He boasts good size as a physical wing defender, but will need to show he can avoid being a liability on that side of the floor.

2. Alex Karaban, UConn, Forward. A cog for Connecticut’s back-to-back championship run that’s the “winning plays” type player the Grizzlies covet. He has a nose for the ball on both sides of the ball — creating defensive events, cutting to the basket, and crashing the glass. He’s a great outside shooter, but may need to level up to being an elite one to ease concerns of his unorthodox shooting form.

3. Ben Saraf, Israel, Guard. As a 6’6” crafty ball-handler, hits Grizzlies’ indicators as a dribble-pass-shoot weapon that racks up steals and blocks. Saraf would be a good upside pick as a 18 year-old creator, but he needs to show he can be a complementary scorer.

4. Sion James, Duke, Wing. Checks all the boxes in the classic Shawn Coleman “Grizz Prospect Identification” method — defensive rebounding percentage missed by 0.4 percent. If he can break through on a loaded Duke squad, while sustaining his shooting from Tulane, he fits the mold of a 3-and-D wing with the requisite size to guard multiple perimeter positions.

5. Mackenzie Mgbako, Indiana, Wing. The Grizzlies have been chasing big, strong wings that can knock down shots and defend multiple positions. Coming into his own towards the second half of his freshman season, Mgbako has the toolset to fit the vision — depending on if he can produce and flash 3-and-D upside.

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