The time has come! The 2025 NBA Draft is here! The Miami Heat only own the No. 20 pick across the two-day event, so who do experts have them picking as the time ticks away?! Let’s dive into it!
ESPN (Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo):
Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
“McNeeley has drawn positive feedback on the workout circuit, where he reminded teams of his all-around offensive ability coming off a tricky season that was hampered by an ankle injury. He has interest all over the back half of the first round, including the Nets, Heat, and Jazz in this range.
Miami is perennially among the toughest teams for rival organizations, as well as player agents, to get a read on, with a tight-lipped approach to how it conducts its predraft process. Walter Clayton Jr. is another player who has frequently been tied to this spot.”
The Athletic (Sam Vecenie):
Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
“Clayton was the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament. He averaged 18 points and four assists this year while shooting 45 percent from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 88 percent from the line. His shot making is truly special. He can get to his shot from any footwork or any angle on the court, especially from distance. He’s comfortable using a change-of-pace dribble to get to a stepback and can also attack and drive off that to score around the rim.
The questions are twofold. First, his ball-screen reads weren’t always on point. He was terrific against Houston in the championship game, but the picture often looked cloudy with his decision-making. Then, on defense, is he too far in-between positions? He got better as a senior but wasn’t always reliable throughout his college career. That’s concerning for an older, undersized player. Still, teams love Clayton’s toughness, and I would expect to hear his name called in the first round.
A few sources have mentioned that Clayton has been hard to get in for a workout recently and may have a situation that he feels comfortable with. This would make a ton of sense.
The three names I’ve heard most associated with Miami to this stage are Newell, Liam McNeeley and Clayton.”
The Ringer (J. Kyle Mann):
Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
“It’s been very quiet in terms of who the Heat might be targeting here, which is suspicious when you pair that silence with the reports that they (yet again) have superstar acquisition on the brain. That said, they’ve had some real success recently picking in the mid-to-late teens, with a pattern of properly valuing players who were misunderstood by previous context—Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and now Kel’el Ware. There aren’t as many clear candidates for continuing that streak at this point in the draft, so bringing in someone who could give them a scoring and facilitating jolt on offense feels like the move. Clayton attempted more 3s with a live dribble this past season than he did playing off the catch, but he did both really well. It wouldn’t shock me if he helped them right out of the gate.”
CBS Sports (Kyle Boone):
Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
“Few teams have as much up-close exposure to Clayton Jr., a Florida native who played at Florida the last two seasons and led the team to the national title this spring. He’s a dynamic shot-maker who can add versatility scoring on dribble jumpers and could elevate Miami’s backcourt.”
Yahoo Sports (Kevin O’Connor):
Jase Richardson, G, Michigan State
“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. Tyler Herro and Richardson could share creation responsibilities in the Miami backcourt, and Bam Adebayo would have another two-man-game partner to work with.”
No Ceilings:
Rasheer Fleming, F, St. Joseph’s
“The Miami Heat continue to build on their defensive identity by picking up Rasheer Fleming here at #20. Fleming’s ridiculous measurements (6’8.25” barefoot with a double-take inducing 7’5.25” wingspan) only serve to magnify his incredible defensive playmaking (a 2.6% Steal Percentage and a 4.9% Block Percentage) and his shooting (39.0% from three-point range on a healthy 4.5 attempts per game). His breakout as a shooter this year might not be entirely sustainable, but his steady improvement over the course of his college career indicates that he’s moving in the right direction as a shooter. His defensive fit as a space-eating, floor-spacing stretch-four alongside either Bam Adebayo or Kel’el Ware is just too enticing for the Heat to pass on here.”
NBC Sports (Raphielle Johnson, Kurt Helin, Noah Rubin):
Liam McNeeley, F, UConn
“The Heat struck out in the Kevin Durant sweepstakes. Unless another superstar talent were to become available this summer, they’re likely going to have to exercise some patience with their post-Jimmy Butler rebuild. While hampered for much of Big East play by an ankle injury, McNeeley is a very good shooter who can also serve as a playmaker at times. And he’s coming from a winning program, which should aid in his assimilation in Miami. Ask Heat assistant Caron Butler, who also plied his trade at UConn before enjoying a lengthy NBA career.”
Bleacher Report (Jonathan Wasserman):
Walter Clayton Jr., G, Florida
“Scouts aren’t confident that Walter Clayton Jr. will still be around in the 20s. His shotmaking, toughness and winning pedigree have teams looking past the size and athletic questions. He’ll be viewed as the type of guard who can play minutes and provide instant offense as a rookie.”
Fox Sports (Jason McIntyre):
Nique Clifford, G, Colorado State
“He feels like a Villanova player — a heart and hustle guy with a relentless motor. Feels like a Josh Hart-type wing, but Clifford did almost double his 3-point output over the last two years. He’s 23.”
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While the Heat are never shy of picking someone we don’t expect, there has been a ton of buzz surrounding the Heat drafting Walter Clayton Jr. over the next 24-48 hours. They only worked out a handful of potential first-round prospects–with Clayton being one of them, reportedly on multiple occasions.
We won’t know until we know. There are multiple experienced prospects that I would prioritize, specifically for the Heat, ahead of Clayton Jr. due to his size (or lack thereof) and potential fit next to Tyler Herro Defensively.
Who do you think Miami should draft, and who do you want them to draft? Let us know in the comments below!
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I’m very good with Walter or Jase. Both would add some juice.