25 For 25: Potential 2025 NBA Draft Prospects I’m Monitoring In NCAA Tournament

Has the Miami Heat season gone swimmingly? Absolutely not! While we are approaching the end of the 2024-25 NBA season: March Madness is here! Especially since the Heat are in line to potentially have two first-round picks, it’s never too early to think about the 2025 NBA Draft! Currently, they are slotted to have the No. 11 and 22 picks in the upcoming draft, giving them a lot of flexibility and maneuverability.

Recall, last year, we debuted our “24-for-24: 24 prospects for the 2024 NCAA Tournament.” This year, I have raised the bar by one whole prospect in the NCAA Tournament that I–yes, me, ar than NBA scouts and front office members–am keeping tabs on. Let’s dive into it!

(Note: Not every player on this list will declare ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft … we’re just identifying who may. Every player has their own reasons why they will, or will not declare!)

15 Potential First Round Prospects For 2025 NBA Draft:

Alex Karaban, F, UConn

It didn’t take us long to have someone from last year’s list already–it took us one player! Karaban is one. But the redshirt junior went back to UConn after two consecutive National Championships is their most polished prospect. He’s played a larger offensive role this season, though his 3-point shot took a hit in Big East play. However, he improved incrementally as a finisher this season and continued to excel as a team defender, even though he’s not a “lockdown” one-on-one defender. Karaban is one of the smartest players in college basketball and will show up one way or another when UConn needs him–and they will.

Asa Newell, F/C, Georgia

As of right now, I have Newell as my highest-rated big in this class. He was a byproduct of bad spacing this year and still averaged 15.3 points, 6.8 rebounds, one steal and one block on 54.1 percent shooting and 60.9 percent true shooting. The southpaw’s 3-point percentage (29.9) wasn’t good. But as the season went along, the 6-foot-11 big became more comfortable with his long-range shooting, knocking down 36.4 percent of his 3.7 triple tries over his final nine games. Newell will have to bulk up, but he is incredibly agile and switchable for his size with an elite motor.

He’s a very capable defender in space against quick guards with strong hip mobility. Additionally, of the 80 bigs 6-foot-10 or taller that played at least 750 minutes, Newell’s 13.8 offensive rebound rate is the 5th-best. I also think there are more playmaking chops there with him (as a short-roll threat), considering how often Georgia runs hi-low actions with Newell at either position. He’s not a poor decision-maker, and while some of his entry passes are errant, he’s gotten better with his placement and velocity–where I think he will be able to parlay that into something greater at the next level.

Danny Wolf, C, Michigan

Wolf is one of the most unique prospects in this class. He’s 7-foot, but moves and handles like a 6-foot-4 guard. He’s not perfect–his turnover rate is fairly lofty for someone who handles as much as he does–but there are very few 7-footers on the planet who possess the kind of skill and fluidity that the Michigan big does. Wolf averaged 13.3 points, a Big-Ten-best 9.9 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He’s a good rebounder and shot-blocker for his size and moves his feet very well laterally on the perimeter.

Wolf’s movements are herky-jerky; his shot mechanics (shoots from his left eyebrow) are pretty funky too, even though he’s shooting 35.0 percent from deep on low volume (3.0 3PA) this season (despite a career-low 61.0 FT%). Perhaps his biggest bugaboo is his touch around the rim, but he more than makes up for it with the rest of his skillset. Wolf played a pivotal role in Yale’s Tournament win over Auburn last year … and now will have a chance to face his former team this year (assuming both Michigan and Yale win).

Derik Queen, C, Maryland

Queen has been a tough evaluation for me the entire year. But let’s start with the good: Like Wolf, he’s remarkably skilled with his handle and passing ability. The 6-foot-10 handles the ball pretty well and makes live-dribble reads with both hands. Queen does not have great vertical pop, but is a great rebounder, moves better laterally and does a good job attacking when he catches the ball on the perimeter; he’s got a sneaky first step for a 6-foot-10, 250-pounder. Queen’s not afraid to be physical in the post or around the rim. On the other hand, he’s a very poor defender. Kevin Willard oftentimes employs a zone to try and hide Queen at or around the rim. He doesn’t move well north-south, where he gets caught in drop, and doesn’t take up enough space in drop to be disruptive. Queen has good hands, but he does a pretty poor job contesting around the rim, where he doesn’t deter anything away. This could be a big tournament to either raise–or sink–his stock.

Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State

Richardson, the son of former 13-year NBA veteran Jason Richardson, has continued to blossom as the season’s gone on. At the start of the season, he wasn’t featured much in Tom Izzo’s offense. However, since entering the team’s starting 5 on Feb. 8, he’s averaging 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 50.0/42.3/82.1 shooting splits. There are far more playmaking chops than his assist numbers may indicate too–Richardson has excellent feel. He’s pretty creative with his shot creation–possessing an array of stepbacks, crossovers and spin moves–especially when he gets within 15 feet. He’s a very efficient player and doesn’t make many mistakes, which matters if you’re playing under Izzo. Don’t be surprised if he goes on a heater, where he can score in bunches with a smooth, quick left-handed shooting stroke.

JT Toppin, F, Texas Tech

Toppin was another player who made this list from last year! The former Mountain West Freshman of the Year transferred to Texas Tech last summer, where he won the conference’s Big 12 Player of the Year after he averaged 24.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, one steal and 1.4 blocks on 56.4/36.0/74.0 shooting splits over his final nine regular season games. While I worry about his tendency to go over his right shoulder–that’s going to be atop of NBA scouting reports–the 6-foot-10 big has trusted his 3-point shot more as conference play went on, attempting 2.8 3-point attempts per game over that aforementioned sample. He shot the corner 3-ball well in combine scrimmages last year, but his trust in his long-range shot didn’t come until late in the season. At worst, Toppin has an outstanding motor and projects to be scheme versatile defensively at the NBA level, where he’s very disruptive.

Kam Jones, G, Marquette

You thought you were going to go through list without a Marquette player being mentioned, huh?!? Well, you thought incorrectly! Jones played alongside current New York Knicks guard Tyler Kolek last year, deciding to return back to school. Jones’ efficiency has taken a hit this year because of how responsible he’s been on the ball, but he’s still a very good scoring guard who’s improved his playmaking over his four-year career. Jones is also an underrated rebounder for his position–and I think he could excel in a secondary role in the NBA in the right context.

Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois

Jakucionis has flown up draft boards this year and is currently a top-6 prospect in this class. While it’s unlikely the Heat will be in that range, he’s still worth mentioning. Behind Rutgers’ Dylan Harper (who won’t be in the NCAA Tournament), there’s no better point guard in this class than Jakucionis. I think he will be a better shooter than his 32.9 3-point percentage indicates, but the 6-foot-5 guard already has an NBA-ready body and does a bit of everything. The Lithuanian native has an incredible nose for basketball and is physical on both ends of the floor. His turnovers and secondary burst do raise some caution, however.

Khaman Maluach, C, Duke

Maluach is a mammoth. Few players are as large as Duke’s 7-foot-2 rising star, who’s one of the best bigs in this class. He’s got a ginormous wingspan and moves well for a player of his size. His numbers don’t jump off the page. Most of his baskets aren’t self-created, but Maluach is an immense lob threat with incredibly soft hands. He parlays the latter to being arguably the best (offensive) rebounder in this class, having corralled 21.3 percent of his team’s misses (!!!) in conference play. Jon Scheyer has tinkered with screen coverage in drop, at or near the level and as a switch defender–and he’s shown flashes in all three! He’s still very raw, but he has a perfect skillset to fit the modern-day rim-running big man with improving shooting touch.

Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma

Fears, who reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class, was one of the biggest freshman risers this season, elevating Oklahoma to an unbeaten 13-0 in non-conference play. He took a step back in SEC play, however, where the physicality and wear-and-tear appeared to be too much for the 6-foot-4 guard to overcome despite his exceptional burst, body control and natural feel. Despite his concerns as a long-range shooter and consistency (or lack thereof) as a defender and finisher, he ended the season on an incredibly strong note, averaging 22.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.5 steals. He’s got so much potential and I think will continue to improve when he matures into his body; he’s still very young, and it can take a while for small guards. But Fears has incrementally improved his stock in my eyes since the start of conference play; it was a war in the SEC every night, so the fact he improved in most facets is a huge plus in it of itself.

Kon Knueppel, G, Duke

I’ve been a fan of Knueppel’s game since before his first regular season game and he’s parlayed his well-rounded game into being a potential top-6 prospect. He was one player who helped his stock a lot during conference tournament play after Cooper Flagg’s ankle injury. Knueppel is a deadeye shooter off movement or as a stand-still threat. He will leverage his shooting into attacking closeouts and making smart decisions when journeying downhill; he’s a very good passer. The 6-foot-7 guard is an exceptional, competitive and physical one-on-one defender despite lacking above-average foot speed. I don’t think he will ever become a primary creator, but he has a malleable modern-day skillset.

Liam McNeeley, F, UConn

McNeeley, a former top-10 recruit, is the second UConn player to make our list! He missed eight games in the middle of the season with an ankle injury and he really struggled with his efficiency upon his return, shooting just 35.8 percent and 28.6 percent from deep (42.9 percent; 37.9 3P% pre-injury) despite averaging 15.6 points and 6.5 rebounds. He’s a decent team defender and a productive rebounder. Where the marksman struggles is dealing with physicality; he’s gotten better with the ball in his hands as the year’s gone on, but the reps when he has to create his own shot have still been murky. He’ll compete, though, and he will be relied upon for UConn.

Nique Clifford, G/F, Colorado State

A former second fiddle to current Sioux Falls Skyforce guard Isaiah Stevens, Clifford, a fifth-year senior, had an excellent season as Colorado State’s lead creator this season. The Rams were projected to finish seventh in the MW and Clifford’s two-way production led to the Rams finishing No. 2 in the regular season standings capped by a Mountain West Tournament title, granting them an automatic bid. He averaged 19.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals on 50.7 percent shooting, including 39.8 percent from 3-point range on 4.9 triple tries per game. He was a walking double-double and consistently defended the opposing team’s best player; the lanky 6-foot-6 guard still has room to grow as a primary creator, but he’s an outstanding defender, phenomenal rebounder, off-ball shooter and an improved finisher around the rim.

Tre Johnson, G, Texas

There are very few players I like more than Tre Johnson, who I’ve had as a fringe top-5 player for most of the season. The 6-foot-6 guard led the SEC–the best conference in the country–in scoring as a freshman on very encouraging efficiency, shooting 39.2 percent from 3-point range (6.8 3PA) and 89.1 percent from the free-throw line. He’s a far better passer than the numbers suggest and is an underrated defender, even though he will occasionally get lost off-ball. Johnson doesn’t just lead Texas’ offense–his is their offense. Not much more can be said about his leadership and will to lead Texas to the First Four.

VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor

By the chance the Heat land a top-4 pick, Edgecombe will be out of their range. He’s the best athlete in this class and an exceptional defensive playmaker. He’s incredibly instinctive on-ball and improved his 3-point shooting as the season aged–especially when Baylor dealt with injuries to their backcourt. Players aren’t supposed to move like Edgecombe does; he glides on a basketball court. His on-ball reps are still shaky but I do think he’s made tangible growth in multiple areas offensively throughout the season, which is exactly what you want to see from a player of his caliber.

Tough omissions: Labaron Philon, G Alabama; Tahaad Pettiford, G, Auburn; Johni Broome, F/C, Auburn; Ian Jackson, G, North Carolina; Egor Demin, G, BYU; Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas

10 Potential Second-Round/UDFA Prospects:

The Miami Heat don’t own any second-round picks heading into the 2025 NBA Draft. That said, we never know which players certain teams will take chances on–and we know the Heat love to snatch players off the undrafted pool. I had second-round grades on both Keshad Johnson and Pelle Larsson last year … and Miami ended up with both! We won’t spend as much time on these players, but here’s a quick synopsis of 10 potential second-round/undrafted players!

Alex Condon, C, Florida

Condon, a 6-foot-11 Australian big with a rugby background, has a fierce motor with excellent feel as a passer in the mid-to-high post. He’ll need to continue to get stronger, but he’s not going to back down from anyone at the next level. I think there could be room for him to grow as a shooter, too.

Carter Bryant, F, Arizona

It will be fascinating whether or not Bryant heads back to school for another year. While he does possess a raw skillset, the 6-foot-8, 225-pound wing has shown serious flashes as an athletic 3-and-D wing. He’s been more featured as the year’s gone on, but it may not be enough to give him first-round buzz.

Chaz Lanier, G/F, Tennessee

A stone-cold sniper: That’s what the fifth-year senior provides. He shot 40.2 percent from 3-point range on 8.2 3-point attempts per game and has a lightning-quick release; he’ll get a handful of shots off before you even blink. He’s also improved as a playmaker and a multi-level scorer, but his main skill is shooting–which he’s exceptional at.

Darrion Williams, F, Texas Tech

Williams is currently injured with a lower-body injury, which will be something to monitor. I’ve watched Williams closely since his first career game. This season was his first as a true “point forward” in Texas Tech’s offense, where it’s been a mixed bag of results. He has good feel, is a solid rebounder, possesses solid shooting touch and instincts defensively–but his athletic limitations could limit his upside at the next level. Keep an eye on him come the NBA Draft Combine in May, at the very least.

Donovan Dent, G, New Mexico

There have been 14 players ever to have at least 600 points and 200 assists in the regular season. Dent, a 6-foot-2 guard who made last year’s list, is one of them. He’s an insanely good and crafty finisher around the rim for his size; he’s also an above-average playmaker and is continuing to improve as a long-range threat, despite hoisting just two per contest. While he is small, he’s quicker than a bolt of lightning and has spearheaded one of the nation’s most up-tempo offenses.

Kadary Richmond, G, St. John’s

There aren’t many guards tougher in the country than Kadary Richmond. He’s a bad floor spacer, but he’s nothing short of a bulldog with a capital B. He’s disruptive at the point-of-attack defensively and has continued to show strides as a playmaker and play-finisher inside the arc. He also continuously shows up in big moments for the Johnnies on both ends of the floor. Richmond needs a more reliable jump shot, however.

Koby Brea, F, Kentucky

Similar to Lanier, Brea’s a cold-stone sniper. There aren’t many shooters better than him on the planet. The super senior led the country in 3-point shooting (49.8 percent on 6.1 3PA!!!) last year at Dayton and followed suit by leading the SEC in 3-point percentage at 43.9 percent (5.9 3PA!!). Every shot he shoots feels like it’s going in, even though the 6-foot-6 wing doesn’t provide much else.

Miles Byrd, G, San Diego State

Byrd is one of the best defensive playmakers in this class. He’s a cornerback in the passing lanes and tenacious as a help rim protector. The redshirt sophomore’s 3-point shooting has been hit-and-miss this season. SDSU’s poor spacing hasn’t helped, but he hasn’t done himself any favors, either. The athletic combo guard has good playmaking chops when has enough space to get downhill, even though he will need to continue to improve as a finisher. He’s a bulldog, though.

Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

Few players will be entering the NCAA Tournament more accomplished than Kalkbrenner, a four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year and a three-time All-Big East honoree. He’s a bone-crushing screen setter, excellent play finisher and a very good shot blocker who plays well in drop coverage. While he doesn’t move all that well all the time, he contests very well without fouling and has improved his 3-point shooting, even though he still shoots it on very low volume.

Tyrese Proctor, G, Duke

Proctor is one of the few mainstays on Duke’s loaded, young roster. He’s improved as a secondary creator and has continued to improve as a 3-and-D combo guard. That will be his role–more or less–at the next level. He’s one of Duke’s top connector tissues.

One Wildcard:

Boogie Fland, G, Arkansas

Fland hasn’t played since Jan. 18 with a hand injury that initially ruled him out for the season. The Brooklyn, N.Y., native, is expected to be ready to go for the tournament, however. He was one of my favorite point guards in this class early in the season, but didn’t have much opportunity to improve his stock during SEC play. He’ll defend 94 feet, he’s got great hands, is a capable two-level scorer and playmaker. He’s undersized but I’m fascinated to see how he looks in his return.

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