The 2025 NBA Draft delivered star power, surprises, and significant movement Wednesday night, but the top selection was never in doubt. As expected, the Dallas Mavericks made Cooper Flagg the No. 1 overall pick, ushering in a new era in Dallas alongside Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
Flagg, the 6-foot-9 forward from Maine who starred at Duke, now heads to a Mavericks franchise hungry to return to contender status after a disappointing 39-43 season that ended with a loss in the final Western Conference play-in game.
Dallas made an aggressive mid-season trade to land 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, and with Flagg now in the fold, the Mavs boast one of the most formidable frontcourts in the league. Flagg is expected to start immediately in a rotation that includes Davis, centers Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford, and versatile forwards P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin.
“Dallas is the perfect place for me,” Flagg said. “I’m ready to compete right away and help bring a winning culture back.”
The San Antonio Spurs continued their rebuild by selecting Rutgers guard Dylan Harper at No. 2. The pick gives the Spurs a chance to make NBA history: Harper follows Victor Wembanyama (2024) and Stephon Castle (2025) as the franchise’s third straight top rookie selection.
Though questions were raised about Harper’s fit in a backcourt already featuring Castle and newly acquired De’Aaron Fox, San Antonio’s front office remains committed to positionless basketball. Harper’s ability to pressure the rim and facilitate spacing around Wembanyama made him a clear fit.
“This is where I wanted to be,” said Harper. “Playing with Wemby and a coach like Pop is an opportunity to showcase everything I can do.”
The Spurs also selected Arizona forward Carter Bryant at No. 14, further bolstering their athletic wing depth.
Duke had a landmark night, becoming the first school to produce three top-10 picks in a single draft. After Flagg went No. 1, guard Kon Knueppel was taken No. 4 by the Charlotte Hornets, and center Khaman Maluach landed at No. 10 with the Phoenix Suns. With 50 first-round picks since 1989, Duke surpassed Kentucky for the most all-time.
The Jazz pulled off a minor coup by nabbing former top-three projection Ace Bailey at No. 5. Bailey’s chaotic pre-draft process—including canceled interviews and a mysterious ankle tweak—allowed him to slide, but Utah believes it secured a future star.
At No. 6, the Washington Wizards took Texas scoring phenom Tre Johnson, who led all Division I freshmen with 19.9 points per game. Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears went No. 7 to New Orleans, while BYU’s 6-foot-8 guard Egor Demin landed with Brooklyn at No. 8. Toronto rounded out the top nine with forward Collin Murray-Boyles, a springy defender out of South Carolina.
The Brooklyn Nets, flush with picks, made five first-round selections: Demin (8), Nolan Traore (19), Drake Powell (22), Ben Saraf (26), and Danny Wolf (27). Powell was later traded to Atlanta for No. 23 and a future first.
The Oklahoma City Thunder nearly lost their first-rounder due to the top-six protection on a five-year-old Al Horford trade, but they retained the pick and selected Thomas Sorber at No. 15. They also drafted Nique Clifford at No. 24, who was immediately traded to the Sacramento Kings for a 2026 protected first.
Phoenix, fresh off the Kevin Durant trade, used Houston’s No. 10 pick to grab Duke’s Maluach while also acquiring Hornets center Mark Williams, reshaping their frontcourt around Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.
At No. 16, Portland made a surprise pick by drafting 7-foot-1 Chinese center Yang Hansen, who became just the third Chinese-born player ever drafted in the first round after Yao Ming and Yi Jianlian. The Blazers acquired the pick via trade with Memphis, which took Cedric Coward at No. 11.
One of the most dramatic storylines of the night involved Florida star Walter Clayton Jr., whose legendary March Madness run helped the Gators win the national championship. The Wizards selected him at No. 18 but quickly flipped him to Utah for picks No. 21, No. 43, and two future second-rounders (2031 and 2032). The Wizards used the 21st pick on Illinois’ Sixth Man of the Year Will Riley.
The 2025 NBA Draft set the stage for several franchises to accelerate their rebuilds or cement their cores. Dallas took its biggest swing yet by adding Cooper Flagg to a playoff-ready roster. San Antonio doubled down on its youth movement. Brooklyn and Oklahoma City stocked up on talent. And college bluebloods like Duke and Rutgers stamped their presence on the league’s future.
With Summer League looming and free agency days away, the league’s youth movement is officially in motion. And if the hype surrounding Flagg and Harper is any indication, the 2025 rookie class is ready to make a splash.
