While a lot can change in the four months leading up to the 2025 NBA draft in June, this year’s draft class is defined by its youth. The average draft-night age of the 30 prospects who rank among ESPN’s top 100 is 19.6, a group that includes 18 college freshmen.
Take, for example, this year’s projected No. 1 draft pick in Duke star Cooper Flagg, who is among the youngest in this class after turning 18 on Dec. 21. Projected top-five picks Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and Kasparas Jakucionis all have yet to turn 19. And working down the list, there are just six players with multiple years of college experience in our ESPN’s top 30.
This is in sharp contrast to last year’s draft, which stands as the oldest in recent memory — in ESPN’s analysis of every first round dating back to 2009, the 2024 class had the highest average age of 21.2. Oftentimes, the long-term intrigue for NBA teams comes from that combination of youth and talent, making this year’s class appealing as prospects improve over the course of the season.
“The talent level this year is higher in terms of ability, even though they’re younger,” one Western Conference scout told ESPN. “There was no Cooper Flagg in last year’s draft, or even a Harper or Bailey or VJ [Edgecombe]. There’s a lot more upside in these prospects. With no disrespect to a guy like [Zaccharie] Risacher, last year was a tough year to pick first; in this draft, [Risacher] may not even go in the top five.”
Most years, older players trend up the boards when the draft draws closer, as some freshmen choose to return to school and NBA teams search for immediate help to prioritize experienced contributors during the predraft process. While this will change to some extent, working off our current projections, 2025 could have one of the youngest, if not the youngest, first rounds in recent history.
In addition to the six international prospects in our top 30, this year’s draft will be shaped by this group of buzzworthy young players. And with the NCAA men’s college basketball season entering its final stretch, it’s a good time to focus on the freshmen, some of whom have just a few weeks to leave an impression.
Starting with Flagg, we selected 15 star freshmen whom executives are buzzing about. We spoke to NBA scouts on condition of anonymity and presented one big question for each — all listed in order of where each player ranks in our Top 100 and who are at the center of many draft discussions for 30 NBA front offices.
10 draft risers | New 2025 mock draft
Top 100 | Draft assets for 30 NBA teams
More draft news
Top 100 ranking: No. 1 | Age: 18.1 | Height: 6-9
How high is his offensive ceiling?
Flagg has obliterated expectations with his offensive impact, emerging as the best player in college basketball and showing he can take over games at this level both scoring and playmaking for teammates. The two biggest areas for improvement, which will dictate what level of stardom he reaches, are his ballhandling and perimeter shooting. Will he be able to score effectively using multiple dribbles? How much of a threat will he become outside the arc (currently he’s shooting 36% from 3)?
He’s likely going to be drafted No. 1 regardless, but the long-term picture will be defined by Flagg’s growth in those areas. While it’s nitpicky, considering how good he has been this season, his occasional struggles to create for himself late in games came to the fore in early-season losses to Kentucky and Kansas.
Scout’s take: “He’ll get to a point where he can create for himself comfortably. He’ll be good enough to be the best player in a playoff series at his peak. But the late-clock stuff isn’t necessarily his gift.”
Seth Greenberg and Sean Farnham break down what makes Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg a strong candidate for the Wooden Award
Dylan Harper, PG/SG, Rutgers
Top 100 ranking: No. 2 | Age: 18.9 | Height: 6-6
How much can he sharpen his efficiency?
Much like Flagg, there has been little to nitpick with Harper’s game this season, and his draft stock is essentially entrenched as one of the first prospects off the board. If there’s a hole in his profile, it’s his shooting (31.1% on all jumpers, per Synergy). He has been excellent in the paint, but he takes a lot of tough shots, while often asked to create late in the clock.
He is shooting much better (40%) on catch-and-shoot looks, pointing to feasible room for improvement. But he is also an average shooter from the free throw line (75%). The difference between the Rutgers freshman being a starting-caliber player and a star-level performer might lie in those margins.
Scout’s take: “Right now the shot is a little flat. His mechanics aren’t broken. There’s tweaking that can be done as he moves forward. But he’s made enough to convince me he can become an efficient shooter. It’s hard at Rutgers, teams game plan for [Harper and Ace Bailey], it can make them not look as good [statistically]. Because of his age, I think the shooting will improve — he may never be a deadeye, but I’m confident it will get better.”
Ace Bailey, SG/SF, Rutgers
Top 100 ranking: No. 3 | Age: 18.5 | Height: 6-10
Can he find consistency at the next level?
Bailey has authored some spectacular individual scoring performances this season for the Scarlet Knights, but has also struggled at times because of the number of difficult and sometimes haphazard shots he takes. He’s played hard on a regular basis, and has made some strides defensively and on the glass, helping to round out his profile somewhat, but his calling card will always be his scoring.
Bailey’s ability to knock down tough shots (he has made an impressive 50% of his midrange jumpers 17 feet and out) — is going to translate at his size, but NBA evaluators want to see him sharpen his shot selection and have a better plan of attack as a scorer. Teams will want to learn more about Bailey’s habits, his approach, and what it will take for him to reach his considerable ceiling during the predraft process, which will be key for him as a projected top-five pick.
Scout’s take: “His best years are down the road as he gets stronger. I look at how guys like Paul George and Kevin Durant’s bodies changed from college. He does need to take better shots, but part of it is they’re so reliant on him and Harper. I do wonder if he was at, say, Duke, are we talking differently about Ace if he’s in a winning context?”
Referee Jeffrey Anderson gets tangled up in the action as Ace Bailey scores for Rutgers.
VJ Edgecombe, SG, Baylor
Top 100 ranking: No. 4 | Age: 19.5 | Height: 6-5
After a slow start to the season, what’s clicking for him now?
Edgecombe hit his stride in January, with Baylor working to get the ball in his hands more often and empowering him as a secondary handler. Some of that coincided with an injury to veteran guard Jeremy Roach, who has been coming off the bench as of last week. Edgecombe has emerged as the go-to guy, with excellent burst to the rim off the dribble and in transition that proves difficult for college defenders to contain.
He has sharpening to do with his handle and jump shot (he’s shooting 33.9% on all jumpers, per Synergy), but these valuable college reps point to his best chance of stardom at the next level: Edgecombe’s size and explosiveness could be a difference-maker as he grows comfortable creating offense with the ball.
Scout’s take: “I see a lot more confidence when he has the ball now. … Feel like the shot looks better, a bit more belief that it can go in from the perimeter. The athleticism has always been there, but now he’s driving and making strong finishes. I’ve always liked his work ethic and felt like he’d figure it out, and he’s more advanced than I thought he’d be this year. He has definitely helped his stock.”
Kasparas Jakucionis, PG, Illinois
Top 100 ranking: No. 5 | Age: 18.7 | Height: 6-6
Will his athleticism limit him as a starting point guard?
With full control of Illinois’ offense, Jakucionis has been one of college basketball’s top playmakers, showing off his excellent vision, passing chops and an array of crafty moves off the bounce. He has struggled a bit with turnovers (3.5 per game), but the bigger concern from a projection standpoint is whether he can create advantages physically, since he has good size but isn’t the fastest or strongest.
Jakucionis has made 59.7% of his 2-pointers and is shooting 67.4% at the rim, per Synergy — but scouts still wonder how much of that efficiency will translate against NBA defenses.
Scout’s take: “Is he going to be able to separate? Can you get into the paint by yourself — it matters a lot more at our level. Right now it’s a lot of ball screens. He does a good job there, and he can shoot it, so he’ll have more of a chance but the athletic question is the real one.”
Kon Knueppel, SG/SF, Duke
Top 100 ranking: No. 6 | Age: 19.5 | Height: 6-7
Do his physical tools limit his upside?
Knueppel has benefited from a very friendly situation at Duke, where he has been able to play off of Cooper Flagg’s offensive gravity and take plenty of good looks as a shooter. Knueppel is a well-rounded player in his own right and typically gets the most out of his average athletic tool kit, thanks to strong feel and anticipation reading the game on both ends.
The question is whether he’ll simply play a version of his current role in the pros, or if there’s more underlying upside for a player who led the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League in scoring in 2023 and is making 38% of his 3s in college.
Scout’s take: “He’s good, but I see him as a role player in the NBA. I was a little worried until he started to make shots. [Kon] is tough, he competes, not a vertical athlete. I just feel like, what’s he elite at? Is he a jack-of-all-trades, master of none? Those type of guys tend to wind up in more of a role. But even as kind of a thicker guy, if he can make shots, he can be your fifth starter.”
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Top 100 ranking: No. 8 | Age: 18.4 | Height: 7-2
How will he perform against other top bigs down the stretch?
Maluach’s defense has made him highly impactful for Duke, but he has also had trouble staying on the floor because of fouling and can be mistake-prone due in part to his relative inexperience. NBA teams will watching how he handles himself the rest of the season, with an important matchup coming up Saturday against Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic, and a potential series of challenging matchups lying ahead if the Blue Devils can mount a deep NCAA tournament run.
Maluach could wind up as the draft’s top rim protector in the long run, but it might take some time for him to excel on a nightly basis in the NBA. He has been an excellent finisher (76% on 2-pointers) and a solid per-minute producer, but is averaging only 20 minutes per game and has had limited opportunities against top bigs, not mustering much production in nonconference matchups against Kansas’s Hunter Dickinson and Auburn’s Johni Broome.
Scout’s take: “I just want to see him keep being good at what we project him to be. For his role as a non-shooting big, rim protector and rebounder, he just has to be able to play out of pick-and-roll, catch lobs, play in the dunker spot. Shooting probably will never be a threat. … If someone can tap into the upside, credit to them. Maybe he gets to where he can play in dribble handoffs, setting screens, that’s where he can be a great asset.”
Egor Demin, PG/SG, BYU
Top 100 ranking: No. 9 | Age: 18.9 | Height: 6-9
Will he be a threat to score?
Scouts were enamored early on by Demin’s size and playmaking vision. Since then, his struggles creating off the dribble and knocking down shots (27% from 3) have become apparent. He is not an advanced ball handler or especially quick for his size. To maximize his talent as a passer, Demin has to consistently manipulate defenses in the half court and be able to keep them honest with his jumper.
He has been frequently compared by scouts to Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey, who has plateaued somewhat in his adjustment to the NBA for similar reasons.
Scout’s take: “Giddey is a good comp — they’re both tall nontraditional point guards, Egor has more bounce and can turn the corner a little bit more. … The shooting has been an issue for Egor, it doesn’t look broken, but he misses a ton. Last year, Giddey was unplayable in the playoffs [with Oklahoma City]. If you’re worried about that, do you want him as a primary handler? Right now he needs a ball screen. If he doesn’t find the shot, it could be a real problem in terms of how you play him. Does that scare some teams?”
Egor Demin buries triple against West Virginia Mountaineers
Jeremiah Fears, PG, Oklahoma
Top 100 ranking: 10 | Age: 18.3 | Height: 6-4
Can he make adjustments the rest of the season?
It’s not surprising that Fears, 18, has struggled in conference play, having reclassified to enter college early, and being tasked with a gigantic role and usage rate north of 30% at Oklahoma. There’s a willingness among scouts to give Fears some benefit of the doubt considering his inexperience and lack of strength, as well as an appreciation for the fact Porter Moser has been coaching him hard.
Still, in SEC games, he has averaged 12.8 points to 3.6 turnovers and is shooting 42% on 2-pointers and 25% from 3 in 13 conference games. In order to push for a place in the lottery, Fears might need to recapture some of his early-season magic. His 30-point outburst against Michigan in December forced scouts to take him seriously as a one-and-done prospect, but that’s been the high watermark in his season so far.
Scout’s take: “Early on, I didn’t like his shot selection. I wasn’t a big fan, but then he had the huge game against Michigan, he hit the game winner and you saw the talent. I don’t know if his style of play translates to every team. It’ll depend on fit … As good as the SEC is, the NBA game is a lot quicker.”
Tre Johnson, SG, Texas
Top 100 ranking: 11 | Age: 18.9 | Height: 6-6
Will he improve on his shot selection?
I caught one of Johnson’s best games of the season last week, with a season-high 32 points in a win against Kentucky in Austin, Texas. Johnson has one of the greenest lights in college basketball at Texas (29.6% usage rate) and has made 37% of his 3s on high volume, illustrating his potential as a scorer. He has also been better defensively than many scouts expected, not reputed as a strong contributor on that end coming out of high school. But evaluators continue to wonder how well his style of play will translate in the pros, and whether he can involve teammates at a high level.
Scout’s take: “It’s tough — if you let me shoot whatever I wanted, I’d probably shoot some 19-footers. And I’m underwhelmed by what [Texas] is able to generate on offense. But his [shot selection] is a concern, and he doesn’t have an ancillary skill set. Is he good enough to warrant high usage, and if no, then what? The fact he plays defense gives him more of a runway.”
Freshman Tre Johnson scores 32 points and senior Tramon Mark drops 26 as the Longhorns defeat the Wildcats, 82-78, and snap a three-game skid.
Liam McNeeley, SG/SF, UConn
Top 100 ranking: 12 | Age: 19.3 | Height: 6-7
Can he carry UConn offensively?
After missing five weeks with an ankle injury, McNeeley’s 38-point explosion against Creighton on Feb. 11 served as a useful reminder of his talent. Team context hasn’t helped him a ton — UConn doesn’t have a true point guard, and he hasn’t gotten a ton of easy looks as a result — but he has taken on a big offensive role as a result, albeit with subpar efficiency. (He’s shooting 47.6% on 2s, but a respectable 36% from 3.)
It would be helpful for evaluators to see McNeeley have another big performance or two against good competition, particularly in postseason play — and his team will be leaning on him with limited shot-creation around him. His defense won’t be a strong selling point, but reaffirming his ability to make a major impact on offense in a suboptimal context would help leave a lasting impression as scouts assess his upside.
Scout’s take: “There’s definitely something about him, he makes shots, he finds a way to score. They were so loaded the last two years. I wonder if this [huge role] is going to wear him down by the time they get to the tournament. But he’s accepted the challenge and is growing with more responsibility. I also like him on the glass, he’s a tough kid, has some s— to him, a little bit edgy, which you kind of need.”
Derik Queen, C, Maryland
Top 100 ranking: 14 | Age: 20.1 | Height: 6-10
Will he show more defensively?
Queen has been a phenomenal source of offense for Maryland all season (15.9 PPG and 58.8% 2FG), showcasing his ability to create mismatches, face up and find teammates on the interior. There’s going to be demand for his skills, even without a reliable 3-point shot. But the long-term concern around him sticking in the NBA has to do with his oft-languid defense.
Queen lacks ideal size and rim protection skills to play center, nor is he fleet enough of foot to defend the perimeter. While his offensive workload likely limits his defensive output somewhat, he hasn’t turned in enough effort to convince scouts that much improvement is coming. The lack of optimism on that end puts a bit of a damper on the excitement around his scoring.
Scout’s take: “Defensively, even when he’s giving effort, he has to play in a drop. He’s not quick-footed. He can get up and down end to end, but in pick-and-roll situations, it’ll be hard to switch. If he feels like he doesn’t want to play defense that day, what do you do with him? Some games, he’s mailed it in. But you see the passing, or he’ll do something with the ball, and you’re like, ‘Wow.’ … He’s a small-ball 5 — do you use him on offense like Draymond [Green], just without the defense?”
Asa Newell, PF, Georgia
Top 100 ranking: 21 | Age: 19.3 | Height: 6-11
What’s his long-term role?
Newell has been one of the more productive freshmen this season, but scouts have questions about his skill set, which isn’t elite in any one area. Power forwards typically have to excel at one of three things: making decisions on the perimeter, spacing the floor or providing defensive versatility. Newell doesn’t do any of those three things reliably at this stage of his career, working mostly off a solid motor and playing effectively around the rim (63.8% on 2-point attempts).
Newell leads his team in scoring (15.3 PPG) and rebounding (6.8 RPG) and has largely exceeded expectations already. His projection to the next level still requires some imagination, as he might not offer quite enough as a traditional energy big to be a difference-maker.
Scout’s take: “I feel like the shot will get better — it doesn’t look bad. For now he’s going to have to be a rim-roller, lob threat. There’s something a little passive about him that worries me. Defensively, maybe he could switch, but what position is he defending? He’s a bit small for the 5. Is he quick enough to slide out on a mobile 4? It might be matchup-based, which isn’t ideal — you hope you can play a guy all the time, not just based on your opponent. I feel like he’ll find a way to fit in somewhere, he just might not be a star.”
Carter Bryant, SF/PF, Arizona
Top 100 ranking: 25 | Age: 19.2 | Height: 6-8
Can he win teams over in the predraft process?
I caught a strong game from Bryant on the road at Baylor this week — along with 36 credentialed NBA scouts — that showcased his passing and defensive versatility. He looked comfortable guarding Edgecombe for stretches and played one of his more complete games of the season.
Some of the scouts in attendance told me they still feel Bryant is going to need time to develop, as he is not a polished ball handler or scorer (he’s averaging 6.3 PPG), and would benefit from more time in college. However, that’s rarely the reality for top freshmen in this era — it’s tough to pass on guaranteed first-round money — and Bryant will have plenty of interest from NBA teams who will want to work him out and better understand how his offensive game might evolve.
It is unlikely Bryant makes a gigantic in-season leap as a scorer given the timing in Arizona’s season, but if he shoots the ball well in workouts, showcases his strong physical tools and interviews well, he could rise up draft boards come June.
Scout’s take: “The body, his length, he projects as a 3-and-D type. I’d love for him to add more strength. There are some times where maybe he’s overthinking a bit when he catches the ball. … A guy that young who can add more to his game, I think every team can use a guy like that. Think about what [the Phoenix Suns’] Royce O’Neale has been, guarding multiple positions and making 3s. I wonder sometimes if his misses are mental, the shot looks good but there’s a split-second of hesitancy sometimes. He’s young and will have a chance to keep growing there. He can rise up in the process for sure.”
Will Riley, SG/SF, Illinois
Top 100 ranking: 28 | Age: 19.0 | Height: 6-8
How much strength can he pack on to help himself?
Riley reclassified to attend college a year early and turned 19 on Feb. 10. He has been adjusting on the fly against older competition, bouncing back from a forgettable January with some noteworthy February outbursts (27 points, 9 rebounds and 7 assists at Minnesota and 24 points against Ohio State). After appearing to hit the freshman wall, Riley has scored double figures in seven straight games.
Illinois lists him at 6-8 and 195 pounds, with excellent size to get his shot off, but also a pronounced strength disadvantage against most defenders. It’s easy to project Riley as a quality NBA shooter due to his size and stroke, despite middling efficiency — he has good feel as a passer and can put in on the floor in a pinch, too — but his projection has a lot to do with his physical development, not just his skill set.
Scout’s take: “The shooting looks nice. He can play off one or two dribbles, doesn’t need the ball, makes good reads. I’ve seen glimpses of side pick-and-roll ability. On defense, he competes. It’s just the strength. … He’ll never be a super strong, muscular guy. Based off the eye test, you worry about that, but you see that he can play.”
Source: espn.com