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2025 NBA Draft: Ranking the best guards in the class, led by Rutgers star Dylan Harper

2025 NBA Draft: Ranking the best guards in the class, led by Rutgers star Dylan Harper

Yahoo6 hours ago

Let's run down the top prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft by position. Here are the best guards in the class. You can also find the entire Big Board, plus a full two-round mock draft and scouting reports for every single prospect, in the 2025 NBA Draft Guide.
Height: 6-5 • Weight: 213 • Class: Freshman • Age: 19.3
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Harper is a big-bodied lefty combo guard with NBA blood in his veins, as the son of Ron Harper, who was a 20/5/5 guy before winning five titles as a role player. Like his father, Harper has a high-floor with the skill, poise, and playmaking instincts to dictate the game at his pace. But the fate of his jumper will determine whether he's an All-Star or just one of the NBA's many solid guards.
(Grant Thomas/Yahoo Sports Illustration)
Height: 6-5 • Weight: 190 • Class: Freshman • Age: 19.3
Johnson is a clutch shot-maker who can catch fire from all over the floor, drilling step-backs and off-screen jumpers with ease. But he needs to continue developing his point guard skills while also honing his shot selection and dramatically improving his defense.
Height: 6-5 • Weight: 205 • Class: Freshman • Age: 18.7
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Fears is a dynamic guard with a twitchy attacking style and a knack for coming through as a clutch shooter. He was one of college basketball's youngest freshmen, and it showed with his shaky decision-making as a shooter and passer. But he has a feel for shot creation and a handle that lets him get anywhere on the floor, so he may only need time to emerge as a star.
Height: 6-5 • Weight: 205 • Class: Freshman • Age: 19
Jakučionis is a slick shot-creator with a creative passing gene and a fearless scoring ability, carving up defenses with crafty finishes, step-back jumpers, and jaw-dropping passes. But as a freshman he'd follow up those highlights with turnover brain-farts that derail the hype train.
Height: 6-1 • Weight: 178 • Class: Freshman • Age: 19.7
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Richardson is a skilled combo guard with a lethal midrange game and a poised pick-and-roll feel, looking like he downloaded the experience of his NBA veteran father, Jason Richardson. Jase didn't inherit his father's height or dunk contest athleticism though, so his smaller stature could cap his upside.
You can find the entire Big Board, plus a full two-round mock draft and scouting reports for every single prospect, in the 2025 NBA Draft Guide.

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2025 NBA Draft: ChatGPT predicts the first 14 picks
2025 NBA Draft: ChatGPT predicts the first 14 picks

USA Today

time35 minutes ago

  • USA Today

2025 NBA Draft: ChatGPT predicts the first 14 picks

Artificial intelligence, as it turns out, is not quite intelligent enough to put together a full 2025 NBA mock draft. It is, however, good enough to predict the lottery picks – the first 14 selections – in this year's draft and provide some short analysis for each one. USA TODAY Sports used ChatGPT to put together a full, first-round mock draft for the 2025 NBA Draft. The first 10 picks went smoothly, but after that, it couldn't help but try to re-draft players who are already in the league despite multiple attempts to correct it. Or, when it wasn't doing that, the AI chatbot was selecting players that did not declare for this year's draft. Only after many more tries was a writer able to coax out the final four lottery picks from the AI. Nevertheless, we persisted to cobble together a mock draft comprised of all top-14 picks this year. Here's what ChatGPT thinks could happen with the lottery selections in the 2025 NBA Draft: NBA MOCK DRAFT: Final projection for every team's pick in first round NBA draft 2025: ChatGPT predicts every first round pick ChatGPT wrote: "Unanimous top pick; versatile two-way star, Wooden winner." It wrote: "Elite driver and scorer, shooting remains a question; consensus No. 2." It wrote: "Athletic playmaker and defensive force; top fit for Philly" It wrote: "Sharpshooting wing with high floor; alternative to Edgecombe." It wrote: "Center with massive upside: elite rim protection, shooting upside." The AI chatbot wrote: "Scoring wing; draft stock wobbles due to skipped workouts, but talent keeps him high." ChatGPT wrote: "Dynamic scorer and facilitator; fits well with New Orleans' team structure." It wrote: "High school track record and elite ball‐handling; playmaking upside." It wrote: "Freshman All‑Big East big; floor-spacing and shot-blocking ability." It wrote: "3‑and‑D wing and late first-round sleeper." Perhaps ChatGPT does not realize that the 10th overall pick is not necessarily "late" in the first round. Nevertheless, the mock draft continues. The chatbot wrote: "Skilled big, draft stock ~11." It wrote: "Athletic forward with upside." It wrote: "Pro guard, Euro floor-general." ChatGPT wrote: "6'11" versatile forward." 2025 NBA DRAFT: Golden era of second-generation players is here When is the 2025 NBA Draft? The 2025 NBA Draft begins with its first round on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. ET. And for the 12th time in the last 13 years, the Barclays Center will host the event – 2020 being the lone exception due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The second round will begin the following day, Thursday, also at 8 p.m. ET. The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.

NBA trade grades: How can Kristaps Porziņģis help Hawks' offense? Do Nets have new plan?
NBA trade grades: How can Kristaps Porziņģis help Hawks' offense? Do Nets have new plan?

New York Times

time44 minutes ago

  • New York Times

NBA trade grades: How can Kristaps Porziņģis help Hawks' offense? Do Nets have new plan?

The big trades preceding draft night continue rolling in, and the Boston Celtics continue to shed payroll to get under the collective bargaining agreement's dreaded second-apron threshold. They agreed to trade Kristaps Porziņģis to the Atlanta Hawks in a three-team deal involving the Brooklyn Nets, less than a day after agreeing to trade Jrue Holiday to Portland for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. In the Porziņģis deal, Georges Niang and a second-round pick will head to Boston, and Brooklyn will receive Terance Mann and Atlanta's No. 22 selection in the first round of the NBA Draft on Wednesday. ESPN was first to report the deal. Advertisement This is another big Celtics trade during their mini-sabbatical from ring-chasing as Jayson Tatum heals from his Achilles injury. Let's bust out the red ink and throw grades on this big three-team deal: This is a very interesting and opportunistic move by a new Hawks front office. Porziņģis is on a $30 million expiring deal next season, meaning this could potentially be a rental for the Hawks. It's a great risk for a team that has been stuck in the mud of the East standings since their 2021 Eastern Conference finals appearance. The Hawks have been extremely disappointing for various reasons, as they've swapped out coaches and players around Trae Young since that postseason run. If Porziņģis is able to be relatively healthy for the Hawks this season, he provides a great running mate for Young. As good as some of the players alongside Young have been, Porziņģis would probably be the best he's had. He can stretch the floor as a career 36.6 percent 3-point shooter, and that number rose to 39.2 percent in his two seasons with the Celtics. He's a pretty special shooter at his size, and he's capable of being a great option going to the basket with pick-and-roll opportunities. For a passer like Young, that provides a phenomenal target. It allows the Hawks to feel pretty easy about moving on from 31-year-old Clint Capela, and it moves Onyeka Okongwu back to his more natural position of playing the 4. And, when adding a healthy Jalen Johnson into the mix, you have a great three-headed big-man rotation. The issue, though, is Porziņģis misses a lot of time. He hasn't played in 72 games since his rookie campaign. Over the last four seasons, he's missed 40, 25, 17 and 31 games, respectively. He's had injuries throughout his career, so the Hawks must be careful about how they utilize him and manage his physicality. The Hawks also have to make sure they can re-sign him. They aren't giving up too much for him, but you don't want this to be a rental. Advertisement As the Eastern Conference becomes more wide open, the key for Atlanta to reshape its roster is maintaining a $25 million trade exception it can use to be very aggressive in adding talent. The Hawks should be proactive in going for something big under head coach Quin Snyder next season. The East has opened up in a way they couldn't have anticipated even two months ago. This is the time to figure out what they have here, once and for all. Grade: A The Celtics needed to shed more salary to get under the aforementioned second apron, and this should do it and then some. The question now is whether they feel they need to save even more money. That probably doesn't mean sending out recently acquired players like Niang or Anfernee Simons (from the Holiday trade), but would they feel the need to part with Sam Hauser via salary dump if it means they can easily keep Al Horford and/or Luke Kornet? The latter players become even more imperative now that Porziņģis is officially off the books. Niang is a nice addition because his 3-point shooting fits perfectly in their offense. He can really let it fly and flirts with being a 40 percent 3-point shooter for his career. Finding him in the corner or on the wings will have high upside for a good result. The key for Niang, who enters a contract year during an era where elite shooting is quite invaluable, will be fitting into the team defense. Boston's next step is making sure its frontcourt has enough size to remain relatively competitive. Grade: B- I love this opportunistic approach by the Nets. They didn't really give up anything of value in this deal, and they ended up with a solid rotation wing and a fifth first-round pick in this year's draft. Take that, Sam Presti! I can't imagine the Nets are going to utilize all five of those picks because that would just be ridiculous. Developing five such players at once is asking a lot. But the Nets are in a position to package those picks to either move up or add selections for teams that need cost-effective depth on rookie deals. Brooklyn is doing what proper rebuilding teams often do, which is stockpiling draft assets by using its cap space to acquire contracts. And then, we'll see what happens with those resources. Grade: A+ ( Photo: David Butler / USA Today Network via Imagn Images )

Ace Bailey drama adds wild card atop 2025 NBA Draft
Ace Bailey drama adds wild card atop 2025 NBA Draft

New York Post

time44 minutes ago

  • New York Post

Ace Bailey drama adds wild card atop 2025 NBA Draft

Before the college basketball season even began, this draft class was praised for its star power at the top. Three difference-making talents — Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey — were going to be selected in the top three, in some order. The trio all had strong seasons to back up their considerable talents, even if Harper and Bailey didn't reach the NCAA Tournament playing for Rutgers. But then last week, reports began to leak that Bailey and his representatives didn't like the idea of him winding up with the 76ers. They preferred him on a rebuilding team — like the Wizards, Pelicans or Nets — where he would have a major role from Day 1. Then, he canceled a workout with Philadelphia. Some experts have him falling several spots. Suddenly, there is uncertainty as to how this draft will go, after the top two. Throw in the recent big trades — Kevin Durant going from the Suns to the Mavericks, the Celtics dealing Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers for Anfernee Simons and the Celtics sending Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks as part of a three-team deal — and there is a growing belief this could be a fascinating few days in Brooklyn. 'This feels like a very unique draft, in the sense that there are more smoke screens, there is more trade chatter and just subsequent uncertainty across the board,' NBA draft analyst Matt Babcock said in a phone interview. 'Talking to teams, agents, it's pretty wild right now. There's the potential of a lot of activity. … I think players have wider ranges than they do in most years.' If the 76ers don't take Bailey, they could opt for uber-athlete VJ Edgecombe of Baylor at No. 3. 5 Rutgers star Ace Bailey throws out the first pitch before the Mets-Braves game on June 24, 2025. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Other options include guards Tre Johnson (Texas), Kon Knueppel (Duke) and Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma). 'It'll be like the year Chicago took Patrick Williams at [No.] 4,' an NBA scout said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 'Whatever happens with [Bailey], if he's not [No.] 3, everything is a crapshoot after that.' There will be no mystery at the very top. Flagg is going No. 1 to the Mavericks. 5 Cooper Flagg is widely expected to be selected by the Mavericks as the top overall pick in the NBA draft. Getty Images This has basically been a lock since he moved up a year and attended Duke last fall. He became the top pro prospect to attend college since Zion Williamson, and more than lived up to the hype, as the consensus national player of the year this past season even though he should've still been in high school. The 6-foot-9 forward, who doesn't turn 19 until December, doesn't have a weakness. He does everything well, from shotmaking to distributing, defending to rebounding. 5 VJ Edgecombe could go to the 76ers with the No. 3 pick if they decide to pass on Ace Bailey. Getty Images He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals, along with shooting 38.5 percent from 3-point range. 'He's kind of like a queen on a chess board for you because he can play [and] he can guard multiple positions,' ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said. Added fellow one-and-done teammate Kon Knueppel: 'He just doesn't turn it off. That's something that can't be taught, it can't be trained to get better at. He's just got it. He just works hard all the time. His effort level on each individual possession is high. It's really hard to find that in players of his caliber.' Walter Clayton Jr. was confused at the question, when it was suggested to the Most Outstanding Player in the Final Four that he was an older guy among the draft prospects invited to the green room. 5 Florida's national championship-winning star guard Walter Clayton Jr. talks to reporters on June 24, 2025. Getty Images 'I'm 22,' he said with a smile. In terms of how the NBA views prospects, however, the former Iona and Florida star is on the older side. The same can be said for likely first-round picks Nique Clifford (23), Cedric Coward (21), Danny Wolf (21) and Maxime Raynaud (22). Teams typically look for upside and youth in the draft, and that will continue this week at Barclays Center. 5 Nique Clifford, who is 23, likely will be on of the older players selected in Wednesday's NBA draft. AP College success isn't nearly as important as projection. 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