College stars go early in second round of NBA draft
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; 2025 NBA Draft class poses for a group photo before the first round at Barclays Center. (Photo: Brad Penner-Imagn Images/REUTERS)
Former college basketball stars Ryan Kalkbrenner and Johni Broome went among the first five picks of the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft on Thursday night.
Kalkbrenner, the 7-foot-1 center who won four straight Big East Defensive Player of the Year awards at Creighton, was the fourth pick of the night at No. 34 overall by the Charlotte Hornets. Charlotte also picked Duke forward Sion James one selection earlier.
Broome, a consensus first-team All-American at Auburn who was The Sporting News' National Player of the Year, was picked No. 35 overall by the Philadelphia 76ers.
A 6-foot-9 forward, Broome averaged 18.6 points, 10.8 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.1 blocks per game for the Tigers in his final year of college basketball.
Kalkbrenner, meanwhile, put up 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per contest in his fifth and final year at Creighton.
The night began with a trade, as the Minnesota Timberwolves dealt the 31st overall pick to the Phoenix Suns for the 36th pick and two future second-rounders, ESPN reported. Phoenix used the opening pick of the second round on Saint Joseph's forward Rasheer Fleming.
The 36th pick reportedly changed hands from Minnesota to the Brooklyn Nets to the Los Angeles Lakers, who chose Arkansas big man Adou Thiero.
Will Richard, a starting guard for national champion Florida, went to the Golden State Warriors with the 56th pick (via a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies).
NBA draft second-round results, with draft-day trades included --
No. 1 (31 overall): Phoenix Suns (from Minnesota), F Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph's
2 (32): Orlando Magic (from Boston), F Noah Penda, France
3 (33): Charlotte Hornets, F Sion James, Duke
4 (34): Charlotte Hornets, C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
5 (35): Philadelphia 76ers, F/C Johni Broome, Auburn
6 (36): Los Angeles Lakers (from Brooklyn), F Adou Thiero, Arkansas
7 (37): Detroit Pistons, G Chaz Lanier, Tennessee
8 (38): Indiana Pacers (from San Antonio), G Kam Jones, Marquette
9 (39): Toronto Raptors, G Alijah Martin, Florida
10 (40): New Orleans Pelicans (from Washington), G Micah Peavy, Georgetown
11 (41): Phoenix Suns (via Golden State), G Koby Brea, Kentucky
12 (42): Sacramento Kings, C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
13 (43): Washington Wizards (from Utah), G Jamir Watkins, Florida State
14 (44): Oklahoma City Thunder, F Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern
15 (45): Minnesota Timberwolves (from Chicago via Phoenix), C Rocco Zikarsky, Australia
16 (46): Boston Celtics (from Orlando), C Amari Williams, Kentucky
17 (47): Milwaukee Bucks, F Bogoljub Markovic, Serbia
18 (48): Memphis Grizzlies, G Javon Small, West Virginia
19 (49): Cleveland Cavaliers, G Tyrese Proctor, Duke
20 (50): Los Angeles Clippers (from New York), G Kobe Sanders, Nevada
21 (51): New York Knicks (from Los Angeles Clippers), F Mohamed Diawara, France
22 (52): Golden State Warriors (from Phoenix), F Alex Toohey, Australia
23 (53): Utah Jazz, F John Tonje, Wisconsin
24 (54): Indiana Pacers, G Taelon Peter, Liberty
25 (55): Chicago Bulls (from Los Angeles Lakers), F Lachlan Ulbrich, Australia
26 (56): Golden State Warriors (from Memphis), G Will Richard, Florida
27 (57): Boston Celtics (from Orlando), G Max Shulga, VCU
28 (58): Cleveland Cavaliers, G Saliou Niang, Senegal
29 (59): Houston Rockets, G Jahmai Mashack, Tennessee
--Field Level Media/Reuters
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