Nets 2025 NBA draft big board 5.0: Best players at pick No. 8

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The Brooklyn Nets came away from the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with the eighth overall pick, something that the franchise was hoping wouldn't happen heading into the event. However, Brooklyn went into the Lottery knowing that they could have come away from the Lottery with a less-than-ideal pick and now, they have to move forward with different plans for who to use that pick on.
The Nets had ideas of getting lucky enough to get the first overall pick, giving them the ability to select Duke forward Cooper Flagg, but that outcome did not come to fruition. Be that as it may, the 2025 class still has some players after Flagg that have the potential to become impact players at the next level and Brooklyn has to make sure that it does its homework.
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This will be the first time since 2023 that the Nets will have multiple first-round picks in the same draft so they have a chance of adding multiple players that can fit into the framework of the team's current rebuild. Here are five players that would be a good fit for Brooklyn at the eighth overall pick, assuming that they are not trying to trade the pick in an effort to move up:
Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma
Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Oklahoma Sooners guard Jeremiah Fears (0) reacts after scoring against Connecticut Huskies during the second half at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
Fears, listed at 6-foot-3 and 180 pounds, seems to be one of the players that could go anywhere from the fifth overall pick to the 10th overall pick due to his profile that gives plenty of reasons to either believe in his ceiling or his floor. Fears is one of the youngest prospects in this class and while that is a good thing for a prospect to be, it could also mean that his game is far from being what it could be when he is ready to contribute.
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Fears' game gives credence to the fact that he could be one of the better combo guards in the league at some point due to his ability to get whatever shot he wants while also having the ability to set up his teammates with some incredible passes due to his vision and ball-handing. However, Fears did shoot 28.4% from three-point land on 3.9 attempts per game so the hope is that his shooting gets better so that he can use the entirety of his bag on a nightly basis.
CBS Sports' Gary Parrish writes:
"Fears is set to join the relatively short list of one-and-done lottery picks who were ranked outside of the top 60 of their high school classes. His unique ability to change speeds and keep defenders off balance is too much to ignore even if his subpar 3-point percentage is a source of concern for some front offices."
Kon Knueppel, F, Duke
Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Kon Knueppel (7) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Knueppel, listed at 6-foot-6 and 217 pounds, projects to be the kind of player that will be a floor-spacer for whatever team he goes to given his ability to shoot the basketball during his freshman season at Duke. While Knueppel doesn't seem like the kind of player that will be able to create shots for himself and others, his shooting ability is vital for any team looking for more shooting.
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Knueppel, whom Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compares to Nets forward Cam Johnson, could be the kind of guy that allows Brooklyn to build around whoever comes to the roster that will have the ball in their hands, especially if Johnson ends up getting traded somewhere else this summer or during next season. As of this writing, Knueppel has a workout scheduled with the Nets so it seems like the team is doing its due diligence with him during the predraft process.
Parrish writes:
"Knueppel was mostly excellent through Duke's run to the Final Four, averaging 19.0 points while shooting 63.6% from beyond the arc. He's an elite shooter, obviously, but far from only a shooter — and anybody labeling him as little more than a catch-and-shoot threat is wildly underestimating Knueppel's versatility as a player who projects as a nice building block."
Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
Mar 29, 2025; Newark, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) dunks the ball against Alabama Crimson Tide forward Grant Nelson (4) during the second half in the East Regional final of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Prudential Center. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Maluach, listed at 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, had a promising freshman season that rightfully made many around the NBA excited about what he could do at the next level thanks to his size and shot-blocking ability. Maluach averaged 8.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 71.2% from the field and 76.6% from the free-throw line, but he had the worst game of his first season at Duke at the worst time.
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In the National Semi-finals against the Houston Cougars, Maluach showed all of the weaknesses of his profile as he put up just six points and one block in 21 minutes played. Maluach disappeared against a physical, veteran Houston team and while Maluach showed plenty of promise that will not take him out of the top-10, the hope is that he wouldn't have lows like that in the NBA.
Parrish writes:
"Maluach's otherwise great freshman year concluded horribly with a zero-rebound effort in 21 minutes during Duke's season-ending loss to Houston. But that was just one game against an older and stronger team, and it shouldn't sour front offices too much on an 18 year-old who can move unusually well for a man his size."
Derik Queen, C, Maryland
Mar 8, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Maryland Terrapins center Derik Queen (25) handles the ball against Northwestern Wildcats guard K.J. Windham (24) during the second half at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Queen, listed at 6-foot-10 and 246 pounds, showed plenty of promise towards the end of the NCAA regular season and boosted his stock significantly with what he did during conference tournament time and the NCAA Tournament. What would make a selection of Queen interesting is how the Nets foresee him fitting alongside starting center Nic Claxton, who will be entering the second year of his four-year, $97 million contract next season.
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Queen is compared to Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun by Wasserman and it's easy to see why with the way that Queen moves on the offensive end of the floor with some sneaky athleticism to boot. However, it seems like Queen came away from the Combine with less regard for his skillset given the fact that his overall athleticism is worse in terms of numbers that it looks on tape.
Parrish writes:
"Queen is a super-interesting forward who offsets some of his physical limitations with incredible skill and above-average smarts. He hit the buzzer-beater against Colorado State that sent Maryland to the Sweet 16, scored 27 against the eventual national champion (Florida) and solidified himself in the NCAA Tournament as an intriguing lottery option."
Carter Bryant, F, Arizona
Mar 21, 2025; Seattle, WA, USA; Arizona Wildcats forward Carter Bryant (9) dribbles the ball against Akron Zips guard Shammah Scott (1) during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Climate Pledge Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Bryant is an interesting prospect given that his profile is a guy with plenty of upside for what he can do at the next level while not being able to show much of that during his freshman season at Arizona. Bryant, listed at 6-foot-7 and 215 pounds, appears to have the typical size and athleticism for a player who can make a career in the NBA as a wing who shoots threes and plays solid defense.
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Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assists per game while shooting 46.0% from the field and 37.1% from three-point land in 37 games for the Wildcats. However, he started in just five of those games for Arizona and he played just 19.3 minutes per game, showing that while he has the profile to indicate he could be more in the NBA, he also didn't play much for a Wildcats team that made it to the Sweet 16 before losing to the Duke Blue Devils.
Parrish writes:
"These playoffs have reminded everybody how much great 3-and-D wings impact winning in the postseason. Bryant has the tools to become one and should be selected accordingly regardless of his limited role as a freshman at Arizona."
This article originally appeared on Nets Wire: Nets 2025 NBA draft big board 5.0: Best players at pick No. 8