NBA Draft mix 2025 winners and losers, starring Ace Bailey, Duke recruit, and extra

CHICAGO — The NBA Draft Mix may by no means have fairly as a lot star-making energy as its NFL counterpart, however make no mistake: a very good week of measurements, athletic testing, and interviews can change a younger basketball participant’s life endlessly.

It was just a few years in the past when Santa Clara senior wing Jalen Williams was collaborating within the mix scrimmages, usually an occasion for second rounders and undrafted hopefuls. Williams had already measured with an astounding 7’2 wingspan regardless of standing a quarter-inch underneath 6’6 in sneakers. When he appeared like one of the best participant on the ground in scrimmages, his first-round hype took off and he finally obtained drafted within the lottery by the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder. This yr, he was named an All-Star in his third professional season.

Is there one other Jalen Williams lurking beneath the radar on the mix this yr? That’s what NBA evaluators are attempting to determine this week in Chicago. Listed below are the gamers who helped themselves essentially the most on the mix, and ones who could have barely harm their draft inventory. For extra on the 2025 NBA Draft, take a look at our instantaneous mock draft from after the lottery.

Winner: Cedric Coward

Even the most important diehards could not have identified Coward’s title a pair months in the past. Coward’s school profession began at DIII Willamette in Salem, Oregon. He parlayed a incredible first yr right into a DI provide from low-major Jap Washington, and two years later, he had accomplished sufficient to switch as much as Washington State. He solely performed six video games for the Cougars this season earlier than struggling a torn labrum that ended his yr. In these six video games, Coward averaged averaged 17.7 factors, seven rebounds, and three.7 assists per recreation with 40 p.c from three on 5 makes an attempt per recreation.

Coward’s massive body for a wing and candy capturing stroke made him a scorching commodity within the school basketball switch portal. He picked Duke over Alabama. At this level, it feels extra possible than not that he by no means fits up for the Blue Devils.

Coward measured at 6’5.25 barefoot with a 7’2.25 wingspan and an 8’10 standing attain. That’s excellent measurement for an NBA wing, and his capturing drill performances had been simply as spectacular. Coward hit 23-of-30 photographs off the dribble, 18-of-25 photographs recognizing up, 17-of-25 photographs within the three-point star drill, 14-of-23 nook threes, and 9-of-10 free throws.

Coward was additionally spectacular in interviews. He’s targeted on the draft for now:

There are nonetheless a couple of purple flags in Coward’s tape. He completed his school profession with virtually as many turnovers (116) as assists (137). Steal charge is commonly used as a marker of athleticism, and Coward’s 2.1 profession steal charge is disappointing for a participant dealing with low- and mid-major competitors. Of his six video games this season, the one one towards a top-100 workforce got here towards Iowa (a workforce that went 7-13 within the Huge Ten), and he completed with solely 9 factors, eight rebounds, and two assists on 3-of-10 capturing in 33 minutes.

Coward’s body and capturing makes him interesting, however his flooring recreation (dribbling and passing) is a query mark and it’s onerous to mission his protection. It might be simpler to imagine in Coward if he hadn’t performed so poorly towards prime competitors at Jap Washington, too. In his seven video games towards top-100 competitors throughout his second yr at EWU, he completed with a -3.2 BPM. There’s a purpose Coward was so coveted by the massive boys of faculty basketball, and he’s making the identical gross sales pitch to the NBA. Duke is already recruiting his potential substitute in highly-regarded Italian wing Dame Sarr. At this level, it shouldn’t be stunning he finally ends up as a first-round decide.

Loser: Ace Bailey

Ace Bailey has been a consensus top-4 prospect within the 2025 NBA Draft from the second he entered Rutgers. He’s additionally one of the crucial polarizing prospects within the class for an inefficient play fashion that didn’t assist Rutgers win many video games.

Bailey was listed at 6’10 by Rutgers. He measured 2.5 inches shorter than that barefoot.

Bailey clearly appeared extra athletic than his school teammate, presumed No. 2 total decide Dylan Harper, all through the season. One way or the other, Harper put up a greater max vertical than he did.

If Bailey was listed at 6’9 as an alternative of 6’10, nobody would care about this measurement. School applications exaggerating an inch is nothing new. I’m sufficiently old to recollect when Oklahoma State listed Cade Cunningham at 6’8 (he’s been listed at 6’6 by the Pistons his whole professional profession). In equity to Bailey, he lived as much as each inch of his presumed wingspan. His mixture of size and explosiveness stays prime notch on tape, and he nonetheless has excellent positional measurement for an NBA wing.

If Bailey falls out of the top-5 on draft night time, it’s going to be extra due to his play than his measurements. Bailey’s scoring effectivity was below-average with 53.6 p.c true capturing, he had far more turnovers (61) than assists (38), and he was mainly allergic to attending to the rim, which led a scarcity of free throw makes an attempt. When Bailey did get to the foul line, he solely made 69 p.c of his makes an attempt.

I used to be within the fitness center to observe Bailey at Northwestern in Jan. in a recreation that Harper missed with damage. Bailey was spectacular that night time, ending with 37 factors on 13-of-20 capturing, and splashing so many ridiculous photographs over good contests. That night time tends to paint my notion of Bailey just a little rosier than the stat sheet would say in any other case. Comparisons to Kevin Durant and Paul George — which Bailey named himself on the mix! — do him no favors. A Michael Porter Jr. comparability feels a bit extra apt. I nonetheless like Bailey for his size, capturing, athletic explosiveness, and defensive restoration instruments. The questions on his underdeveloped ball dealing with and shaky really feel for the sport aren’t going to go away, although. In a league the place each inch issues, coming in just a little brief throughout measurements can be lower than ideally suited.

Winner: Thomas Sorber

It was evident all through the season that Sorber is a tad brief for an enormous man, however makes up it with lengthy arms. Nonetheless, I don’t assume anybody realized simply how wild his measurements can be: 6’9 barefoot, 262 kilos with a 7’6 wingspan and 9’1”standing attain. The distinction between Sorber’s top and wingspan is the most important of any middle on this class, and solely ranks behind Cowhard and Rasheer Fleming total.

A 7’6 wingspan would rank as in regards to the twelfth longest within the NBA. A weight of 262 kilos would make him the eighth heaviest participant within the NBA. Given his energy and size mixture, Sorber now not feels undersized for a professional middle in any respect.

I like Sorber as a mid first-round decide for his means to guard the paint defensively, grease the offense along with his passing, and stable contact as an inside scorer. He does play just a little heavy, failing to get off the bottom shortly for rebounds and blocks, and having some hassle defending the perimeter towards faster gamers. Sober might want to develop a three-point shot like everybody else to actually hit his ceiling (he went 6-of-37 from three at Georgetown), however his no-nonsense fashion of play will likely be interesting in some capability regardless.

Loser: Derik Queen

Derik Queen grew to become an instantaneous star from the second he stepped onto campus at Maryland. The beefy massive man was a grasp at creating photographs with the ball in his palms, displaying off bruising inside scoring contact, agile Eurosteps by means of site visitors, and a eager understanding of the best way to achieve leverage on his matchup. His NCAA match buzzer-beater towards Colorado State within the spherical of 32 was one of the crucial memorable photographs of the season.

On the similar time, there have been some questions on Queen’s motor, conditioning, and protection. NBA evaluators at all times knew he was just a little undersized for a professional middle, and his mix measurements solely confirmed that. Queen measured 6’9 barefoot, 247.8 kilos with a 7-foot wingspan and 9’1 standing attain. His athletic testing numbers had been pedestrian, and that is likely to be placing it kindly. In comparison with varied massive males who participated within the mix by means of the years, Queen put collectively a fairly disappointing profile.

Queen appears like a pure upside guess to me. He doesn’t actually have function participant expertise: he doesn’t provide a lot rim safety or switchability defensively, he doesn’t at present house the ground by capturing threes, and his effort closing out to shooters usually isn’t there. If Queen goes to an NBA success, it’s going to return by placing the ball in his palms and letting him prepare dinner as a scorer and playmaker for his teammates. His mixture of quickness, energy, and aggression is an extremely robust cowl within the halfcourt, he’s nice at attending to the foul line, and he’s proven some means to throw passes with each palms.

If groups imagine in Queen’s potential star-power, he might be off the board within the first six picks. It’s potential he can fall out of the top-10 if the NBA isn’t fairly satisfied.

Winner: CMB’s Draymond comps

Collin Murray-Boyles is your favourite draft analyst’s favourite draft prospect this yr. The South Carolina sophomore massive man may appear like a questionable prospect at first blush as an undersized massive man with out confirmed three-point capturing means but, however the tape exhibits that he’s one of many smartest and hardest gamers gamers within the class.

Murray-Boyles appears like one of the best defensive prospect on this class. He’s a wonderful assist defender who at all times feels a step forward of the play. He’s capable of physique up larger gamers along with his low middle of gravity and nonetheless contest their photographs along with his size. He’s a terror when he blitzes opposing ball handlers, with the top consequence usually being two factors for his workforce the opposite means. I chatted with Murray-Boyles on the mix on Wednesday afternoon and located him to be extremely self-aware and fascinating about his personal growth.

“I simply take a number of issues from profitable gamers. Julius Randle’s aggressiveness, Draymond’s protection, a number of these younger defenders, how they use their palms. I simply take a number of issues from different video games. Jokic’s connectivity and the way they move the ball and the way they draw on protection, simply small issues like that simply to construct upon my recreation and to be one of the best that I may be.”

Murray-Boyles has been in comparison with each Draymond Inexperienced and Julius Randle by his most ardent supporters, so it was humorous to listen to him say that himself. His mix measurements received’t do something to dissuade it.

That chart exhibits Murray-Boyles’ measurements in comparison with Inexperienced’s popping out of Michigan State. CMB is an inch taller, Draymond has him by a half-inch in wingspan, and Murray-Boyles is 4 kilos heavier with just a little longer standing attain. He’s additionally virtually three years youthful than Draymond was coming into the NBA.

A Draymond comparability usually appears like a kiss of dying for a prospect. Inexperienced grew to become a Corridor of Famer on the Golden State Warriors with one of the crucial distinctive ability units of his technology: he’s an all-time defender who shaped a masterful two-man reference to Stephen Curry that showcased his flooring recreation and brief roll playmaking. Inexperienced’s means to play larger than his measurement is known at this level. There aren’t many gamers who can stay as much as his legacy, however Murray-Boyles was so spectacular on tape and so statistically dominant that it lets the thoughts run wild just a little bit.

Winner: Tahaad Pettiford

Pettiford was one of the best participant on the ground throughout the first scrimmage, who ought to come as no shock to those that watched his electrical freshman season at Auburn.

Pettiford was unbelievable as a shot creator and shot-maker in serving to lead Auburn to the Remaining 4 this season. He at all times simply appeared just a little too small to be a one-and-done, and his measurements confirmed these issues: he’s 6-foot barefoot, 168 kilos with a stable 6’5 wingspan.

I used to be stunned that Pettford posted top-of-the-line vertical jumps at 42-inches.

Pettiford creates house so simply when he assaults his defender on an island. He’s absurdly shifty, fearless going to the basket, and he can pull-up from wherever. I had Pettiford because the No. 25 decide in my instantaneous mock draft following the lottery. Auburn higher backup the NIL brink vans if they’ve any hope of getting him again.