2025 NBA Draft: 1st Round Recap

After a season’s worth of scouting, tape-grinding, and analytic debates, the 2025 NBA Draft didn’t just meet expectations, it flipped them on their head. From early trades to late-round swings and some inexplicable slides, the first 30 picks delivered everything we’ve come to expect from a draft night: clarity, confusion, and conviction.

Now that Round 1 is in the books, let’s break it down: which teams stuck to the plan, who went off-script, which selections surprised us, and who are the best prospects still on the board heading into Round 2, based on our final Mock Draft 6.0.

Top 5 Picks - Potential Franchise Cornerstones

Dallas Mavericks – Cooper Flagg (#1)

No surprise here. We mocked Flagg at No. 1, and Dallas made the right call. He’s a generational two-way forward who checks every modern NBA box. Elite pick.

San Antonio Spurs – Dylan Harper (#2)

We had Harper at No. 3, but the Spurs didn’t hesitate. A physical guard with great instincts and a NBA pedigree, with both his Dad (Ron) and Brother (Ron Jr.), he’s tailor-made for San Antonio’s culture and a great addition to their young core..

Philadelphia 76ers – VJ Edgecombe (#3)

Edgecombe was our No. 5 prospect, so we understand Philly’s aggressiveness to snag the young wing. He brings immediate perimeter toughness and defensive versatility. High ceiling, low risk.

Charlotte Hornets – Kon Knueppel (#4)

This was the first major surprise of the night in our eyes, as we had him slated for right outside of the lottery (Mocked at #15), but it’s a calculated swing. Knueppel is one of the best shoorter in this draft and he just seems to fit well around good player but the issue that we found was that we charted him as one of the worst defender but we're looking for to be proven wrong.

Utah Jazz – Ace Bailey (#5)

Bailey falling to No. 5 was a win for Utah. We mocked him second overall. His athleticism, slashing, tough shot making and defensive upside give the Jazz a franchise cornerstone on the wing. We believe in 5 years he could be the best player taken in this draft.

Teams On the Right Path

Brooklyn Nets – Five 1st rounders:

Starting the night with four first-round picks and picking up an additional draft night trade Brooklyn came away with Egor Demin, Nolan Traoré, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf, each ranked on our board between 1st rounder or early 2nd rounder. That’s a balanced haul of playmakers, scorers and one of the best defender in the draft, with some international flair for good measure.

Pelicans’ Young Duo:

The Pelicans walked away with one of the best draft-night hauls in the league. Landing both Jeremiah Fears and Derik Queen, two top-10 talents on our board, is a testament to smart and savvy leadership of newly appointed Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars. Fears gives them a dynamic, downhill playmaker, while Queen brings interior polish and elite feel as a frontcourt anchor. This is how you build long-term sustainability around your core.

Hawks’ Strategic Trade:

We’re extremely pleased with Atlanta’s decision to trade back and still land Asa Newell. He was a projected lottery talent on our board, and picking him up along with an additional first-rounder next year shows patience and long-term vision of their newly appointed vice President of Basketball Operations, Bryson Graham . Newell’s defensive versatility and two-way upside make him a good piece for a team already rich in young talent. That’s how you win in the margins.

Surprise Slides & Swings

Rasheer Fleming Goes Undrafted in Round 1

We had Fleming at #12, he's strong, physical, and consistently impactful on both ends. His absence from the first round was one of the more puzzling developments of the night. A big opportunity awaits in Round 2. Look for his name to be called early tonight.

Yang Hansen at #16 (Trail Blazers

From what we heard leading into the draft Yang's emergence into the Mid-First round isnt' a shock but we at BTL had only seen him once so he wasn't on our board. But his size and skill intrigued the Trail Blazers enough to take a swing and we under his value proprositution for the Portland's front office.

Best Available (Heading into Round 2)

Dink Pate (Mock #11)

Jumbo creator with good passing instincts. Still raw at 18, but dripping with upside. At 6’6 with positional versatility, Pate is a no-brainer for teams willing to continue to develop him. A long-term investment worth making.

Rasheer Fleming (Mock #12)

Physical, high-motor forward who defends, rebounds, and wins 50/50 plays. Battle-tested and mature, he does all the little things and brings a winning mentality. A ready-made rotational contributor with sneaky two-way upside.

Jamir Watkins (Mock #23)

Mature, athletic wing who plays with purpose. High-floor prospect who can immediately help defensively and has the tools to expand his offensive game.

Maxime Raynaud (Mock #28)

Stretch big with a 7-foot frame, excellent touch, and playmaking ability from the top of the key. One of the smartest bigs in the class, an ideal fit for systems that prioritize ball movement and spacing.

Adou Thiero (Mock #29)

Defensive specialist with switchability, rebounding, and nonstop energy. Can guard multiple positions and thrives in transition. A coach’s dream as a role player and wing defender.

Noah Penda (Mock #30)

Under the radar international forward with size, feel and developing shot mechanics. One of the better long term stash candidates in the class.

Some teams trusted their boards. Others trusted their guts. The 2025 first round gave us a mix of safe bets, risky swings, and a few glaring oversights. If there’s one thing history has taught us, it’s that Day 2 offers real gold, if teams know where to look, there is value in round 2.

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