Round 1 NSL Draft Recap, 2025

 

The NSL Draft has been run and won for another year, and this years draft was highlighted by the enormous amount of draft pick movement that occurred pre-draft, but couldn’t be completed via trade until after the draft and financial year flip. We saw an entire NBA Summer League ahead of our draft this year, for only the 3^rd time, and it was likely to begin to skew opinions on players, particularly in the latter stages, as we have seen in the past when drafting after Summer League. So, without further adieu, let’s take a look at the recap of the draft!

*Disclaimer: I’m not going to even try and pretend I can follow how all the picks landed where they now are via trade, so will only mention the current drafter/owner as outlined from JMac and Pete’s pre-draft cheat sheet.*

*Double Disclaimer: A Draft Grade article will be done once the trades have settled so that it’s easy to follow who actually landed where on a team page.*

 

Pick 1 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Cooper Flagg!

Draft Position Grade: A+

The worst kept secret in the game, the Blazers were always going to get there man here after they accumulated an ungodly number of lottery attempts to win this lottery. Flagg obviously was head and shoulders above, and his great spot in the NBA will likely maximise his future potential, as well.

 

Pick 2 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Dylan Harper!

Draft Position Grade: A+

The Knicks love a lottery and they landed in a prime spot again here, but subsequently were offered the world for this pick by the Blazers who ended up completing their draft day dream of going #1 and #2, and taking Harper to pair with Flagg. He’s a big guard, and it’ll be interesting which position he ends up settling into post rookie year.

 

Pick 3 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Ace Bailey!

Draft Position Grade: A

Bailey was definitely the first point of contention on draft day, with him potentially going anywhere down to pick 6 due to circumstance and his NBA uncertainty with his NBA pre-draft BS. The Nets ended up trading this pick to the Detroit Pistons, presumably to help acquire Trae Young, and Sheed swooped in to take his scoring wing of the future, Mr. Bailey, ahead of the more projected VJ Edgecombe. Bold. Too bold?

 

Pick 4 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…VJ Edgecombe!

Draft Position Grade: A+

Andrew is selecting for himself here, and low and behold he had the possibly unexpected VJ Edgecombe land in his lap with Ace having already been grabbed. Saves for a “tough decision”, and the young rookie built Clippers get yet another nice looking stud kid to fit in somewhere. VJ looks like he should be set for a role that won’t necessarily ask him to be the main man in the NBA, either, which should help ease the pressure and allow him to hone his wrecking ball skills.

 

Pick 5 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Tre Johnson!

Draft Position Grade: A+

Johnson is the next guy to have gone above his NBA spot, but it’s easy to see why as Knueppel starts to slide. The Knicks traded into this spot in the #2 out deal I believe and they got a kid that looks smooth and damaging, and might yet be as good as the guy they could have had at pick 2, who knows? Because of his likely 2k upside also, “picking down” isn’t frowned upon here.

 

Pick 6 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Egor Demin!

Draft Position Grade: B+

The Mavs supposedly shopped this pick a fair bit, but that probably means they sat there and had guys throw the world at him and he ended up just holding. I don’t mind this pick, but I do wonder if they could have traded down a little and still grabbed Demin despite his obvious positional size and maybe with a little more research around to allow for it. Then, you get this guy and assets. Hence, the B+ grade.

 

Pick 7 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Kon Knueppel!

Draft Position Grade: A

At this spot, it’s hard to fault anyone for taking the sliding Knueppel as Rootsey did after he traded into this spot by moving Bam. The kid went 4^th in the NBA and is still on the board at 7, and there’s not really a clear cut “better” option out there. That said, I think there’s going to be some 2k pains for a guy like Kon which is why he’s slid in the first place, and honestly with those thoughts in mind, I wouldn’t have been surprised to see him actually outside the top 10.

 

Pick 8 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Kasparas Jakucionis!

Draft Position Grade: B+

The Hawks held this pick and they had a guy they wanted, and stuck to their guns in drafting him despite the massive slide in the NBA to pick 20, and the lacklustre Summer League play, which I will admit, got better with more games. I think you can definitely make a case that a small down trade would have allowed you to still take Jaku, but then I still commend someone for just taking the guy they believe in most, in a position they know they can get him. At the end of the day, he was mocked top 10 in the NBA often, has decent positional size, and has been labelled a steal at NBA pick 20 before even starting to play.

 

Pick 9 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Cedric Coward!

Draft Position Grade: A

Memphis were rumoured to not be cowards for taking Coward ahead of his NBA spot, despite him also being a possibly surprising “reach” there. They stayed in the pick and took their guy and he might end up being one of those guys that will be a top 5 redraft guy, given his tools and shortened reps for assessing at college. That said, the shortened reps could go all James Wiseman, too.

 

Pick 10 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Noa Essengue!

Draft Position Grade: B+

I can’t help but feel Pete was hoping someone else might have been here at this spot, though Essengue is definitely in the Pete mould with length on the wing. They passed on the big man, which is understandable for their “needs” but also is a fair trade chip to pass on. Tad higher than the NBA, despite there now being top 10 NBA guys sliding.

 

Pick 11 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Khaman Maluach!

Draft Position Grade: A+

Only 1 spot different to the NBA, but the first and best big man in the draft, especially if you’re looking down the 2k line of thinking, and he’s there at 11 surrounded by wings and tweeners. It’s an obvious choice, even if the plan was to go someone else here that has been picked higher. Ironically, this spot which was traded into by Laddas, could have been swapped with a higher spot, and the same player could have been drafted to the same teams…

 

Pick 12 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Carter Bryant!

Draft Position Grade: A

Even if he’s not a need, you start to have to factor in the dropping NBA 7^th pick, Fears, into some of these spots. Bryant is the perfect fit for Brooklyn though who held strong on their pick and hoped this guy would fall. High NBA selection were on the board, but they stuck to the guns.

 

Pick 13 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Hansen Yang!

Draft Position Grade: B+

Phoenix on the clock again after some kind of trading…lots of trading…and they went with the NBA reach in Hansen yang who despite his obvious shortcomings, has an incredible touch and vision and if he can get a bit lighter and/quicker on his feet, he might be a real special one. That said, he was called a reach in the NBA for a reason, and he’s gone higher here. Fears was on the board, the Suns already too a big man, and they needed a PG. Though, I could not tell you what a good range actually would have been on Yang!

 

Pick 14 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Collin Murray-Boyles!

Draft Position Grade: A+

Honestly, I love this pick here. He’s fallen down from NBA pick 9 and while he may not have “super high ceiling” written all over him, I’d say his floor might be one of the higher ones in the draft and he’ll fit a defensive role for years to come. Even Fears has more question marks, in my mind, like the others in this spot so the safety is a plus.

 

Pick 15 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Thomas Sorber!

Draft Position Grade: B+

It’s tough to grade down a positional pick because of the GM being forced to not be live due to scheduling meaning it would be 2am in her country, and she’s just got back that day from a long intense family holiday, but I can’t help but think if she had been online then Fears would have been the perfect pick for the team with Kyrie sitting out the year. That said, Sorber was the next best on the board going by NBA order and is in a nice developmental spot in the NBA where he won’t have pressure and a system that develops kids well.

 

The Draft starts to get more wild from here, every year. And here we go…

 

Pick 16 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Nique Clifford!

Draft Position Grade: B

Clifford is one of the older guys in the class and went early 20s in the NBA, and here he was selected to the team missing one of their star guards for the year, when Fears was still on the board. That represents a real value miss here, and I would unfortunately think a need miss too, as despite Clifford being good size and all round game, he’s going to be buried in the current NBA Kings like up and thus will likely struggle to get any kind of 2k gains in his rookie year. I like Nique, but the position is a little of a puzzle.

 

Pick 17 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Derik Queen!

Draft Position Grade: B+

Dairy Queen was always going to be Rootsey’s guy if he fell to here, and he made it known basically everywhere. He looked decent in Summer League with the ball, except for the turnovers, but the rest has always been the question mark on Queen. He fell a little compared to the NBA and it’s solid positionally for the Grizz, but he might end up regretting the Fears pass up (Like I may next pick).

 

Pick 18 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Drake Powell!

Draft Position Grade: C+

Nobody was necessarily on the Powell train for possibly close to 10 picks back from here due to him not playing Summer League and his non-popping stats from college, and yet the 76ers stayed in their traded into spot to take their guy. He’s not even a positional need for them, or skillset need, and Fears might have actually made the most sense here given Murray missing a chunk of the year and Clarkson getting old and maybe could have passed the 6^th man torch end of year. Or, there’s 2k big Beringer. Typical 76ers.

 

Pick 19 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Jeremiah Fears!

Draft Position Grade: A+

The slide is over! Nearly the entire teens has now got the “but I could have had Fears” tag hanging over their 1^st round selections, as the Wolves who acquired this pick in the Jimmy Butler trade stopped the slide and landed an NBA top 10 draft pick…at 19. It couldn’t have worked out any better for them, really, as they moved Butler to get extra pieces to help the build and even had to watch the trade partner draft the pick before them, and possibly break their hearts. Winning pick.

 

Pick 20 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Joan Beringer!

Draft Position Grade: A+

I love this pick for the Warriors too. They were always drafting here, and had a couple of options, but just moved off Hartenstein for Tari Eason, and might just have got a C that could put up some gaudy 2k numbers from day dot, sliding down from his NBA spot. That’s perfect business and another feather in the cap for the Warriors as the former Championship GM who took them over builds them back.

 

Pick 21 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Hugo Gonzalez!

Draft Position Grade: B+

Now this was my pick so I am biased, but I can also look at it from the outside. Personally, I think this was great value here as Gonzalez wasn’t in a role this past season for a big European club to maximise his opportunities and so went from being a potential lottery pick to pick 28 in the NBA. That said, it seems not many people here were enamoured with him, so maybe the 76ers could have moved down…but risked missing their guy. There were higher picked guards on the board, and the 76ers have an injury spot there, and Hugo is also buried on the bench.

 

Pick 22 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Will Riley!

Draft Position Grade: A

Riley has some questions to answer, but his positional size and 2way potential warrant a good choice vote at this draft spot. Particularly after you grabbed Fears 19, so don’t need the “falling” PGs, and have just created a spot at SG with Butler going out. Riley should get some chance to be a problem in 2k with his size and skillset, and the Wolves get another useful piece to develop.

 

Pick 23 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Asa Newell!

Draft Position Grade: A+

After getting one big man at 20, they grab another one that has looked solid in the Summer league and was considered a bit of a slide in the NBA, too, to help make up the front court rotation for the Warriors. If you don’t need a guard, which they don’t, then Newell is probably the clear BPA here too which means all ticks for the Warriors.

 

Pick 24 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Nolan Traore!

Draft Position Grade: A

I’m going to be honest, I know this pick went through at least 5 hands and I am not quite sure where it ended up. I have a feeling, Pjoenix…but do I know? If it’s Phoenix, they get a needed PG though they do like vets, but Traore can fill a void and has slid down from NBA 19 to be here. That’s solid for an athletic PG with decent size!

 

Pick 25 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Jase Richardson!

Draft Position Grade: B

This pick goes to the Clippers in the Hartenstein deal, and while I love Jase as an NBA guy, his NSL self might struggle unless he develops into that elite 6^th man type in the NBA like a LouWill or Clarkson. But even they were a little bigger. Size matters in 2k and Jase is going to have to overcome his lack of it, while there were bigger athletic types around here.

 

Pick 26 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Walter Clayton Jr!

Draft Position Grade: B+

So this pick was at the Lakers, but then the Pacers and now the Celtics and they use it to grab the no frills PG who has slid from NBA 18 down to 26, so you can’t really knock that. Do they need the PG, despite Garland’s exit, though? I’m not sure, but then they also definitely don’t need the athletic bigs and wings around them at this spot so go for the slide swing of value I guess. I feel there was more upside elsewhere, though.

 

Pick 27 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Rasheer Fleming!

Draft Position Grade: A

The Suns eventually landed in this slot, too, and Fleming who was an NBA 2^nd rounder is the 1^st of those kind to come off the board here. He was mocked as early as the teens in the NBA though but his lack of feel and the game being too fast for him saw him drop. If he figures it out though, his size and length paired with his athleticism should mean he’s an impactful 2k guy with upside to be more.

 

Pick 28 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Danny Wolf!

Draft Position Grade: B+

Can’t fault the Hawks from taking the NBA 28 pick at the NSL 28 slot. Even stevens. Wolf might not be the most attractive or 2k friendly type, but he’s big and will get some run in his NBA landing spot, and bolsters the big man slot in Atlanta as they try to make some moves through the offseason.

 

Pick 29 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Maxime Raynaud!

Draft Position Grade: B

Now, Raynaud was mocked to go up in the NBA 20s, but he fell all the way down to 42. So, despite his Summer league show out, he might have felt to have been on the board a little lower. The Warriors though love him and they wanted to get out ahead of the turn of the draft big man grab, and so they swooped on their guy even with a handful of others than look equally as solid, and a few more upside swings, on the board.

 

Pick 30 in the 2025 NSL Draft is…Ryan Kalkbrenner!

Draft Position Grade: A

The Heat love a big man, and Kalk showed he can play both ends of the court in college and was touted as one of the best big men left on the board. The Heat reached down a little to grab him, though he hasn’t looked all that great in Summer league. My personal feel is unsure how he develops in the NBA but size is good and he should have some ratings that makes him useful from day dot, even if the ceiling is low.

 

Congratulations to everyone on a successful draft! And thank you to the hosts of the day for a great show. JMac and Pete for their effort compiling and confirming the draft ownership list as well.

Hopefully I have time to do some 2^nd round love, and maybe team grades on the draft once the deals have completed.

 

-         Nenjabin