Darren & Vic's Takes: The 2025 NBA Draft

Published: Wednesday, June 25, 2025

by Darren Worrell and Victor Lisboa

After an entertaining and highly rated 7-game NBA Finals series that crowned the Oklahoma City Thunder as NBA Champions for the first time, it is already time for the 2025 NBA Draft. This year’s class is a very intriguing one, with Duke star Cooper Flagg projected to go #1 overall to the Dallas Mavericks, after having one of the best freshmen seasons in NCAA history. 

In New Jersey, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights produced two top projected lottery picks, although they somehow failed to qualify for the tournament. All throughout, this can be deemed a deep class when it’s all said and done. With that said, here are some of Darren and Victor’s most intriguing prospects. 

Vic’s Favorite Picks 

1. Ace Bailey – SF/SG, Fr., Rutgers 

Perhaps the biggest mystery in the draft is Ace Bailey. He is listed at about 6 '8”, 200 lbs and is a dynamic offensive scoring presence, with a knack for knocking down difficult shots. Criticisms about his shot selection and tendencies to take difficult shots are evident on tape, but there are several arguments to why that is, which still have teams more than willing to take a chance. 

He is one of the few players who has the overall package and talent to be the best player in this class. However, originally projected as a safe top 4 pick, Bailey’s stock has recently taken some hits after he still hasn’t worked out for any teams, leaving the impression that he may have a preferred destination. 

With averages of 17.6 PPG and 7.2 RPG on 46% from the field and 35% from three-point range, along with 1.3 blocks and one steal per game, whoever drafts Ace is surely getting an impressive talent. 

2. Tre Johnson – SG, Fr., Texas 

Touted as the best “one and done” player to go through the program since the great Kevin Durant in 2007, Tre Johnson is the true definition of a bucket-getter. In my opinion, the best overall scorer in the draft who has shown promise as a playmaker and passer.

Johnson averaged 19.9 PPG on 42.7% from the field, 39.7% from deep, and 87% at the charity stripe, making him a legit, three level scorer, whose work ethic has been praised. I am fully confident that he is one of the safest picks in this draft as a player who can be around for a long time. 

Concerns about his consistency as a pick and roll defender are evident, but definitely with room to grow. Overall, when I watch the tape, he is a player that I can see becoming a legit high level scoring threat and star. 

3. Cedric Coward – SG/SF, Sr., Washington St. 

Cedric Coward started off playing DIII competition as a freshman. He then ended up playing for Eastern Washington for the next two years where he really showcased his talent before transferring to Washington St. and only playing six games due to injury. He was going to transfer to Duke for his 5th year, but after an impressive combine, he entered the NBA draft. 

Coward is a good scorer averaging 17.7 and 15.4 PPG in his last 2 seasons. Shooting 39% from 3 and 60% from the field as he finished nearly 70% of his shots at the basket. He has also shown impressive defensive capabilities and an ability to read defenses and switch. 

Many scouts were not even sure if he’d enter the draft, but he is now rising boards quickly, and I’m excited to see where he lands and he is surely a potential lottery pick.

Darren’s Favorite Picks

1. Dylan Harper - SG, Fr., Rutgers

One of the best talents and one of my absolute favorite picks in this 2025 draft class is without a doubt Dylan Harper. The Freshman guard averaged 19.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 4.0 APG, and other than Cooper Flagg, he is one of the players that has not moved in the mock draft. 

He is a lock for the number two pick to the San Antonio Spurs as of right now but it’s draft day, so you never know what happens. However, the question is, how would he fit in with this team? The Spurs traded for former Kings guard De'Aaron Fox at the trade deadline, and they drafted the 2025 Rookie of the Year in Stephon Castle in last year’s draft. 

However, Dylan Harper can play off ball very well as he can knock down the three point shot at a high level. Therefore, it should be really interesting to see if the Spurs go along with the consensus and select the number two player in this year’s draft.

2.Thomas Sorber- PF/C, Fr., Georgetown

In only one season at Georgetown, Thomas Sorber took the BIG EAST by storm as he averaged 14.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 2 blocks per game. However, he had to get surgery to repair a foot injury causing him to miss the rest of his freshman season, which was really unfortunate. 

In the short amount of time he played, I got a clear understanding of the type of player that he is. He is an interior threat type of player and that is where he does most of his damage from, converting almost every time he is in the post. He is a very good rebounder and can provide that for any team that drafts him. 

His weakness is his shooting, but he still has time to improve that. Right now, the latest mock draft has him going to the Wizards, but he can fit in with any team.

The 2025 NBA Draft is set to take place at 8pm tonight in the Barclays Center, home of the Brooklyn Nets. Round 2 will follow tomorrow night at 8pm. Make sure to tune in to see where the top prospects land and who your favorite team selects, as it is shaping up to be a very interesting draft.

Darren Worrell can be reached at darren.worrell@student.shu.edu.

Victor Lisboa can be reached at victor.lisboa@student.shu.edu.

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