2025 NBA mock draft 1.0: Cooper Flagg among multiple Duke first-round picks

The men’s college basketball season is here.

Which also means there’s an eye on the NBA draft and the top individual players who may be playing on NBA teams a year from now.

Not only is No. 5 Duke a potential Final Four team, it has multiple projected first-round picks, including three in the lottery and the likely overall No. 1 pick, according to USA TODAY’s 2025 NBA mock draft. Plus, the Blue Devils have at least two other players who could be drafted.

No. 3 UConn, No. 9 Arizona and No. 10 North Carolina also have multiple projected first-round picks, and continuing a trend, there are multiple players born outside the U.S. expected to go in the first round.

Here is USA TODAY Sports' early-season NBA mock draft. (All ages are as of time of June draft.)

2025 NBA mock draft

1. Cooper Flagg, Duke

Freshman, guard-forward, 6-9, 205, 18 years old

2023-24 high school stats: 16.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds per game, 3.8 assists per game, 2.7 blocks per game, 55.1% FG

2. Ace Bailey, Rutgers

Freshman, guard-forward, 6-10, 200, 18

2023-24 high school stats: 33.4 ppg, 15.5 rpg, 3.9 apg, 2.9 bpg

3. Dylan Harper, Rutgers

Freshman, guard, 6-6, 215, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 22.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.4 spg

4. V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor

Freshman, guard, 6-5, 180, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 17.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 4.0 apg, 2.3 spg, 1.1 bpg

5. Nolan Traore, Saint-Quentin (France)

Guard, 6-4, 175, 19

2023-24 France top-tier pro league stats: 10.3 ppg, 5.4 apg, 36.8% FG

6. Hugo Gonzalez, Real Madrid (Spain)

Guard-forward, 6-7, 207, 19

2023-24 Spain top-tier pro league stats: 2.5 ppg, 45% FG

7. Liam McNeeley, UConn

Freshman, forward, 6-7, 210, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 13.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.2 spg

8. Drake Powell, North Carolina

Freshman, guard-forward, 6-6, 195, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 17.7 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 2.2, spg, 1.2 bpg, 57% FG, 41% 3PT

9. Ben Saraf, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)

Guard, 6-6, 200, 19

2023-24 stats in Israel pro league: 10.1 ppg, 3.5 apg, 2.9 rpg, 1.1 spg, 38.7% FG

10. Khaman Maluach, Duke

Freshman, center, 7-2, 250, 18

2023-24 Basketball Africa League stats: 18.2 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 2.8 bpg, 60.3% FG

11. Egor Demin, BYU

Freshman, forward, 6-9, 19

2023-24 Spanish minor-league stats: 13 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.3 apg, 57.1% FG, 33.6% 3PT

12. Tre Johnson, Texas

Freshman, guard, 6-6, 190, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 15.5 ppg, 3.6 apg, 3.3 rpg

13. Kon Knueppel, Duke

Freshman, guard-forward, 6-7, 217, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 25.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 5.3 apg, 59.4% FG, 39.5% 3PT

14. Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois

Freshman, guard, 6-6, 205, 19

2023-24 Adidas Next Generation stats: 17.9 ppg, 9.0 apg, 6.3 rpg, 2.9 spg

15. Asa Newell, Georgia

Freshman, forward, 6-11, 220, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 67.6% FG

16. Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina

Sophomore, 6-8, 245, 20

2023-24 stats at South Carolina: 10.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 59.7% FG

17. Donnie Freeman, Syracuse

Freshman, forward, 6-9, 205, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 15.7 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 2.1 apg

18. Noa Essengue, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)

Forward, 6-10, 198, 18

2024 EuroCup stats: 13.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.2 spg, 1.2 bpg, 1.0 apg, 63.6% FG

19. Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane (Australia)

Center, 7-2, 227, 18

2023-24 Australian pro league stats: 3.2 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 59.7% FG

20. Carter Bryant, Arizona

Freshman, forward, 6-8, 225, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 17 ppg, 9.0 rpg

21. Jalil Beathea, Miami

Freshman, guard, 6-5, 190, 19

2023-24 high school stats: 22.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.0 apg

22. Dink Pate, Mexico City Capitanes (G League)

Guard, 6-8, 210, 19

2023-24 G League Ignite stats: 8.0 ppg, 3.8 apg, 2.9 rpg, 34.7% FG

23. Michael Ruzic, Joventut (Spain)

Forward, 6-9, 223, 18

2023-24 stats in Spanish league: 5.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 47.5% FG

24. Derrion Reid, Alabama

Freshman, forward, 6-8, 220, 18

2024 USA Basketball U18 stats at AmeriCup: 10.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg

25. Ian Jackson, North Carolina

Freshman, guard, 6-4, 190, 20

2023-24 Overtime Elite stats: 23.9 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.6 spg

26. Boogie Fland, Arkansas

Freshman, guard, 6-2, 75, 18

2023-24 high school stats: 19.3 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.6 apg, 2.4 spg, 46% FG, 37% 3PT

27. Motiejus Krivas, Arizona

Sophomore, center, 7-2, 260, 20

2023-24 Arizona stats: 5.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 54.8% FG

28. Alex Karaban, UConn

Junior, forward, 6-8, 225, 22

2023-24 UConn stats: 13.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.5 apg, 49.6% FG, 37.9% 3PT

29. Kwame Evans Jr., Oregon

Sophomore, forward, 6-9, 220, 20

2023-24 Oregon stats: 7.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 1.2 spg, 44.7% FG

30. JT Toppin, Texas Tech

Sophomore, 6-9, 225, 20

2023-24 stats at New Mexico: 12.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg, 1.9 bpg, 1.1 spg, 62.3% FG

Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on social media @JeffZillgitt

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.