2025 NBA Draft News & Notes | NBA.com
(Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.)
(Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.)
• The Dallas Mavericks are set to make the first pick in the NBA Draft for the second time in the common draft era (since 1966). They previously made the first pick in 1981, selecting Mark Aguirre.
• The Mavericks (1.8% chance) had the fourth-lowest odds for an NBA Draft Lottery win- ner since the lottery began in 1985, behind the Orlando Magic in 1993 (1.5%), Chicago Bulls in 2008 (1.7%) and Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014 (1.7%).
• In the 2024-25 season, the Mavericks (39-43) finished in 10th place in the Western Conference and advanced to the 2025 SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament, where they de- feated the Sacramento Kings in their first game before being eliminated with a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies.
• If the Mavericks make the pick, it would be their highest selection since choosing Trae Young with the fifth pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. Dallas traded his rights, along with a 2019 first-round pick, to the Atlanta Hawks for 2018 No. 3 pick Luka Dončić.
• This year’s first overall pick will potentially join a Dallas roster that currently features 10-time NBA All-Star Anthony Davis, nine-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving, four-time NBA champion Klay Thompson and 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection Dereck Lively II.
• In the lottery era, the Cleveland Cavaliers have made the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft the most times (five). With the top pick, Cleveland selected Brad Daugherty (1986), LeBron James (2003), Kyrie Irving (2011), Anthony Bennett (2013) and Andrew Wig- gins (2014).
• A college freshman was the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft for 13 consecutive years from 2010-22. The streak was broken in 2023, when the San Antonio Spurs se- lected 2023-24 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama of France with the top pick.
• The Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher of France with the No. 1 pick in 2024, marking the first time in history that an international player who did not play basketball at a U.S. college was selected with the top pick in back-to-back years. Risacher was named to the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team.
• In the common era of the NBA Draft, Duke has had the most first overall picks with four, followed by Kentucky with three. The Blue Devils’ No. 1 selections are Elton Brand (1999), Kyrie Irving (2011), Zion Williamson (2019) and Paolo Banchero (2022). The Wildcats’ No. 1 selections are John Wall (2010), Anthony Davis (2012) and Karl-Antho- ny Towns (2015).
• In the NBA Draft Lottery era, four of the 40 No. 1 overall picks have won an NBA cham- pionship with the team that drafted them: David Robinson (San Antonio Spurs; first pick in 1987), Tim Duncan (Spurs; first pick in 1997), LeBron James (Cleveland Cav- aliers; first pick in 2003) and Kyrie Irving (Cavaliers; first pick in 2011). James’ NBA championship with the Cavaliers came in his second stint with the team.
• The 2025 NBA Draft presented by State Farm will feature a two-night format for the second year in a row. The first round will take place on Wednesday, June 25 and the second round on Thursday, June 26, both at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. ABC and ESPN will each air the first round, and ESPN will broadcast the second round.
• The NBA Draft has consisted of two rounds since 1989.
• The NBA Draft once lasted as long as teams desired. The 1973 NBA Draft, for in- stance, had 20 rounds. The event was shortened to 10 rounds from 1974-84 (except for an eight-round draft in 1977), seven rounds from 1985-87, three rounds in 1988 and the current two rounds in 1989.
• The Denver Nuggets famously selected three-time Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Ni- kola Jokić in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft (41st overall pick).
• The Memphis Grizzlies selected Jaylen Wells in the second round of the 2024 NBA Draft (39th overall pick). In 2024-25, Wells started 74 of his 79 games and averaged 10.4 points and 3.4 rebounds on his way to becoming a Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award finalist and a 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team selection.
• Since 1989, 21 players selected in the second round of the NBA Draft have become NBA All-Stars. Eleven of those 21 players have earned multiple NBA All-Star selec- tions: Nikola Jokić (seven), Draymond Green (four), Paul Millsap (four), Gilbert Arenas (three), Marc Gasol (three), Khris Middleton (three), Carlos Boozer (two), Jalen Brun- son (two), Manu Ginóbili (two), Rashard Lewis (two) and Isaiah Thomas (two).
• Since 1989, 11 players selected in the second round of the NBA Draft have been named to the Kia All-NBA Team: Nikola Jokić (seven), Gilbert Arenas (three), DeAndre Jordan (three), Marc Gasol (two), Manu Ginóbili (two), Draymond Green (two), Jalen Brunson (two), Carlos Boozer (one), Goran Dragić (one), Michael Redd (one) and Isaiah Thomas (one).
• Since 1989, 16 players selected in the second round of the NBA Draft have won at least one of the five longtime annual Kia Performance Awards (MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player and Rookie of the Year). The list includes a three-time MVP (Nikola Jokić), a three-time Sixth Man of the Year (Lou Wil- liams) and a recipient of both the Rookie of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year awards (Malcolm Brogdon). In 2024-25, another second-round pick, Jalen Brunson, won the Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year Award, which was first presented in 2022-23.
• The San Antonio Spurs are set to pick second overall in the NBA Draft for the first time. They moved from the eighth position in the lottery to the second pick, making good on a 12.3% chance of landing in the top two. San Antonio also owns the last pick in the lottery, No. 14.
• The Spurs have made five previous top five picks. Four of those players won the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award: No. 1 selections David Robinson (drafted in 1987), Tim Duncan (1997) and Victor Wembanyama (2023), and No. 4 pick Stephon Castle (2024). San Antonio’s other top five pick, No. 3 selection Sean Elliott (1989), was an NBA All-Rookie Team choice and later became a two-time NBA All-Star.
• The Philadelphia 76ers are set to pick third in the NBA Draft for the fifth time. With the No. 3 pick, the 76ers selected Charles Smith in 1988, Jerry Stackhouse in 1995, Joel Embiid in 2014 and Jahlil Okafor in 2015.
• The Charlotte Hornets are set to pick fourth in the NBA Draft for the second time. With the No. 4 pick, the Hornets selected Cody Zeller in 2013. The Hornets selected 2020- 21 Kia NBA Rookie of the Year LaMelo Ball with the third pick in 2020 and 2023-24 Kia NBA All-Rookie First Team member Brandon Miller with the second pick in 2023.
• The Utah Jazz is set to pick fifth in the NBA Draft for the second time. With the No. 5 pick, the Jazz selected Danté Exum in 2014, which marked the last time that Utah had a pick in the top five.
• The Washington Wizards are set to pick sixth in the NBA Draft for the first time since 2011 (Jan Veselý). Washington is set to make a pick in top 10 for the sixth time in the last seven years.
• The Brooklyn Nets have four picks in the first round – Nos. 8, 19, 26 and 27. The last team to make four selections in the first round was the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 NBA Draft, choosing Ricky Rubio (fifth), Jonny Flynn (sixth), Ty Lawson (18th) and Wayne Ellington (28th).
• The Houston Rockets are set to pick 10th in the NBA Draft, having acquired the se- lection from the Phoenix Suns in a previous trade. After not making a pick in the first round from 2016-20, the Rockets have made eight picks in the first round in the last four drafts (2021-24).
• There are 59 picks in the 2025 NBA Draft instead of the usual 60. The New York Knicks forfeited a second-round pick for violating league rules governing the timing of free agency discussions.
• Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach have a chance to be picked in the top 14 of the 2025 NBA Draft. That would give Duke three lottery picks for the third time in school history; the Blue Devils had three in 1999 (Elton Brand, Trajan Lang- don and Corey Maggette) and 2019 (Zion Williamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish).
• Flagg and potential first-round picks Liam McNeeley of Connecticut, Asa Newell of Georgia and Derik Queen of Maryland were teammates in high school at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla.
• Rutgers teammates Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey have a chance to be among the top picks in the NBA Draft. The Scarlet Knights have had three first-round picks in school history: James Bailey in 1979, Roy Hinson in 1983 and Quincy Douby in 2006.
• Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears has a chance to become the sixth lottery pick in school his- tory, joining Wayman Tisdale in 1985, Stacey King in 1989, Blake Griffin in 2009, Buddy Hield in 2016 and Trae Young in 2018.
• South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles has a chance to become the first lottery pick in school history and the Gamecocks’ first first-round pick since Renaldo Balkman in 2006.
• BYU’s Egor Demin has a chance to become the school’s fifth first-round pick in the lot- tery era, joining Michael Smith (1989), Shawn Bradley (1993), Rafael Araujo (2004) and Jimmer Fredette (2011).
• Saint Joseph’s Rasheer Fleming has a chance to become the school’s seventh firstround pick in the common draft era, joining Matt Goukas (1966), Mike Banton (1973), Maurice Martin (1986), Jameer Nelson (2004), Delonte West (2004) and DeAndre’ Bem- bry (2016).
• Illinois’ Kasparas Jakučionis and Will Riley have a chance to become the first pair of Fighting Illini teammates selected in the first round of the same NBA Draft since Deron Williams (third) and Luther Head (24th) in 2005.
• Since 1989, Kentucky has had the most first-round picks (48), followed closely by Duke (47).
• Since 1989, Kentucky holds the record for the most picks in an NBA Draft from one school – six each in 2012 and 2015.
• In the 2025 NBA Draft, the top international players who did not play for a U.S. college in 2024-25 include Joan Beringer (France), Noa Essengue (France), Hugo González (Spain), Bogoljub Marković (Serbia), Lachlan Olbrich (Australia), Noah Penda (France), Ben Saraf (Israel), Nolan Traoré (France), Hansen Yang (China) and Rocco Zikarsky (Australia).
• In the 2025 NBA Draft, the top international players who competed at U.S. colleges in 2024-25 include BYU’s Egor Demin (Russia), Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe (Bahamas), Illinois’ Kasparas Jakučionis (Lithuania) and Will Riley (Canada), Duke’s Khaman Malu- ach (South Sudan) and Stanford’s Maxime Raynaud (France).
• In the 2024-25 season, France’s Noa Essengue and Israel’s Ben Saraf were teammates on Ratiopharm Ulm in the BBL, the highest level of professional basketball in Germany.
• A record 27 international players were selected in the 2016 NBA Draft, including a re- cord 15 in the first round.
• At least 10 international players have been selected in the NBA Draft every year since 2000.
• At least two international players have been selected in the top 10 of the NBA Draft in each of the last 12 years.
• Fifteen international players have been selected first overall in the NBA Draft, most recently Zaccharie Risacher of France in 2024.
• Rutgers’ Dylan Harper is the son of Ron Harper, who played 15 seasons in the NBA and was a member of five NBA championship teams.
• Michigan State’s Jase Richardson is the son of Jason Richardson, who was an All-Amer- ica selection at MSU, played 13 seasons in the NBA and won two Slam Dunk titles.
• Duke’s Kon Knueppel is the nephew of Jeff Nordgaard, who was the 53rd pick in the 1996 NBA Draft and appeared in 13 games with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1997-98 season.
• Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears is the son of Jeremy Fears Sr., who played collegiately at Ohio and Bradley and professionally overseas, and the brother of Jeremy Fears Jr., who was a starting guard for Michigan State in 2024-25 and is a former McDonald’s All-American.
• Rutgers’ Ace Bailey is the nephew of Venus Lacy, who played in the WNBA and won a gold medal with the United States at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
• Arizona’s Carter Bryant is the son of D’Cean Bryant, who played college basketball at Long Beach State.
• BYU’s Egor Demin is the son of the Vladimir Demin, who played professional basket- ball in Russia.
• Texas’ Tre Johnson is the son of Richard Johnson, who played college basketball at Baylor and Midwestern State.
• Creighton’s Ryan Kalkbrenner is the son of Lynn Kalkbrenner, who played college bas- ketball at Saint Louis.
• Kentucky’s Koby Brea is the godson of Felipe Lopez, who starred at St. John’s and played four seasons in the NBA.
• Washington State’s Cedric Coward is the grandson of Maxie Parks, who won an Olym- pic gold medal with the United States in the 4×400 relay at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
• North Carolina’s Drake Powell is the great nephew of the late Walter Davis, who starred at North Carolina, earned six NBA All-Star selections and was a 2024 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee, and the cousin of UNC head coach Hubert Davis, who played 12 seasons in the NBA.
• Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard is the brother of Andrew Nembhard, who plays for the Indi- ana Pacers and was the 31st pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
• Arkansas’ Adou Thiero is the son of Mariam Sy, who was the 33rd pick in the 2006 WNBA Draft.
• Saint-Quentin’s Nolan Traore is the brother of Armel Traore, who appeared in nine games with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2024-25 NBA season.
• Illinois’ Coleman Hawkins is the son of Rodney Hawkins, who played college basketball at San Diego State.
