One of the Brooklyn Nets' biggest needs in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft is the point guard position. Over the last seven years or so, the Nets have rotated through elite playmaking talent such as Kyrie Irving and D'Angelo Russell. After Dennis Schroder was traded back in December, the Nets desperately need to fill the void at the one.

One of the most talked about point guards in this year's draft is Illinois freshman Kasparas Jakucionis. Averaging 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.8 assists this season, the 18-year-old immediately took the Big Ten by storm through the Fighting Illini's first half of games.

In late November and December, Jakucionis drastically increased his draft stock across six games in which he averaged 21.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists. Illinois went 4-2 in that stretch, including wins over No. 19 Arkansas and No. 20 Wisconsin.

However, Jakucionis' draft stock has fallen. Once projected as a top-five pick, the point guard has slid back to the mid-to-late lottery, slotted at No. 9 in Bleacher Report's latest NBA mock draft from Jonathan Wasserman.

Most recently, Jakucionis struggled in Illinois' final game of the season versus Kentucky in the NCAA Tournament. In an 84-75 loss, he put up just 13 points and two assists on 5-of-13 shooting from the field and 2-of-9 from three. More glaringly, he had six turnovers.

Jakucionis has looked very different through the second half of the season, but nevertheless, he's still a lottery talent. The Nets could use the overall offensive IQ he possesses, and he would be a great partner to shooting guard Cam Thomas if Brooklyn re-signs him.

There are plenty of NBA stars who had worse statistics in college and then turned it around in the pros: Jimmy Butler, Zach LaVine, and Rajon Rondo, just to name a few. Jakucionis' cold streak definitely poses major concerns, but it doesn't define him as a prospect.

For the better part of the season, Jakucionis played with maturity and was at the forefront of a Big Ten basketball program, winning games. When it mattered most, he faltered, but he should still be one of the top players on Brooklyn's radar as the draft approaches.