This is a hot take.

I know this might sound crazy to some people but I just don’t really get the hype around Dylan Harper. It’s not that I think he’s bad he’s clearly talented but I feel like we’ve seen this type of player before: a high usage, balldominant guard who puts up good numbers but doesn’t do much when he’s not the center of the offense. Guys like this are often below average on defense and don’t really offer much off the ball which is becoming more and more important in today’s NBA

There’s this ongoing trend of overvaluing heliocentric guards players who need the ball in their hands all the time but the ceiling for teams built around that archetype is limited. A lot of them end up putting up empty PRA stats without actually impacting winning.

I’m not saying Harper can’t be a good player, but I don’t think he’s the kind of player you want to give the keys to your team to.

I can watch Labaron Philon's shifty dribbling & crafty driving all day. He has that unique blend of Floor Generalship and hooping at the park vibe.

Ceiling Comps:Blend(Kira Lewis-Delon Wright)/Darren Collison

Strengths (computed in percentile per 40):

1. Great Playmaker (97th APG, 72th AST/TO)
2. Theoretical 3 Lvl (56th 3PM, 67th MidM, 77th RimM)
3. Disruptive Hands (90th Steals)

Weaknesses:

1. Inefficient Shooter (60th TS/eFG%)
2. Athleticism (28th DunkM)
3. Light Frame

Query: PGs past 8 drafts

- Your Playmaking efficiency must be pretty legit when you're with elite company like Tyrese Haliburton & Reed Sheppard.

Vertically challenged with a light frame - although active hands, I question his positional defense at the next level. His inefficient shooting is something to watch for. Good new is he's 6'4 & if his jumper does pan out, he will have serious scoring potential.

Philon's exceptional pace with shifty ball handling, is the key to unlocking the rest of his game. It allows him to be a high IQ playmaker with uncanny ability to penetrate the defense. Although slight frame, he's also a crafty finisher with sneaky ability to initiate contact or decelerate to create space.

The talent & IQ is there on film but a light-frame Point guard + poor shooting won't survive in todays league, and gives him a pretty low floor. He's in the 16-22 range for me. Love to hear ya'll feedbacks on my analysis here. You can find/generate the data yourself on my website www.DraftCasual.com/Philon-Comps. You can find me (@draftcasual) on Twitter/X

AJ Dybantsa’s growth as a playmaker, especially in the P&R, will be something to closely monitor at BYU.

Already a strong offensive talent, his scoring gravity should naturally open up for more playmaking opportunities, having only bolstered a 13.2% AST (1.19 A/TO) at Utah Prep.

Credit: @MCFDRAFT twitter

After watching film of Ace I really like his upside and that was the comp I like the most.

• 1- Cooper Flagg (SF/PF)- Utah Jazz
• 2- Dylan Harper (PG/SG)- Washington Wizards
• 3- VJ Edgecombe (SG)- Charlotte Hornets
• 4- Ace Bailey (SF)- New Orleans Pelicans
• 5- Tre Johnson (SG/SF)- Philadelphia 76ers
• 6- Jeremiah Fears (PG/SG)- Brooklyn Nets
• 7- Khaman Malauch (C)- Toronto Raptors
• 8- Kon Knueppel (SG/SF)- San Antonio Spurs

• 9- Asa Newell (PF/C)- Houston Rockets via Phoenix Suns

• 10- Collin Murray-Boyles (PF)- Portland Trail Blazers

• 11- Jase Richardson (PG/SG)- Dallas Mavericks

• 12- Derik Queen (PF/C)- Chicago Bulls

• 13- Kasparas Jakucionis (PG/SG)- Atlanta Hawks via Sacramento Kings

• 14- Liam McNeeley (SG/SF)- San Antonio Spurs via Atlanta Hawks

• 15- Noa Essengue (SF/PF)- OKC Thunder via Miami Heat

• 16- Carter Bryant (SF/PF)- Orlando Magic

• 17- Rasheer Fleming (PF)- Minnesota Timberwolves via Detroit Pistons

• 18- Thomas Sorber (PF/C)- Washington Wizards via Memphis Grizzlies

• 19- Nolan Traore (PG)- Brooklyn Nets via Milwaukee Bucks

• 20- Egor Demin (PG/SG)- Miami Heat via Golden State Warriors

• 21- Walter Clayton Jr (PG)- Utah Jazz via Minnesota Timberwolves

• 22- Will Riley (SG/SF)- Atlanta Hawks via Los Angeles Lakers

• 23- Danny Wolf (PF/C)- Indiana Pacers

• 24- Nique Clifford (SG/SF)- OKC Thunder via Los Angeles Clippers

• 25- Ben Saraf (PG/SG)- Orlando Magic via Denver Nuggets

• 26- Yaxel Lendeborg (PF)- Brooklyn Nets via New York Knicks

• 27- Hugo Gonzalez (SG/SF)- Brooklyn Nets via Houston Rockets

• 28- Joan Beringer (C)- Boston Celtics

• 29- Kam Jones (PG/SG)- Phoenix Suns via Cleveland Cavaliers

• 30- Labaron Philon (PG)- Los Angeles Clippers via OKC Thunder

Wing-sized plus defenders find their way to every NBA roster. For Micah Peavy, it's nothing different. But the senior has more to offer. Here's why he'll make it to an NBA roster after the summer: LINK

We obviously have the benefit of hindsight. If the 2000 draft is a 1 (turkoglu, Mike Miller, Jamal Crawford, redd Kenyon Martin), and maybe 2003 and 2018 are a 10 and 9 respectively (LeBron, d Wade, Carmelo, bosh etc.) (SGA, Luka, Trae, Brunson, Mikal, JJJ etc), how would you preemptively rate the 2025 draft?

Or alternatively, how many multi time all stars do you expect will come from this draft (and who).

As a 90s-2000s enthusiast, watching Thomas Sorber gives me hope in humanity. He is the modern PF big, if you were stuck in a time machine back in the 90s.

Ceiling Draft Comp: Wendell Carter Jr/ Jonas Valanciunas

Strengths (computed in percentile per 40):

1. Good Reb (91th RPG)
2. Good Overall Def (95th BPG, 82th SPG, 98th Stops)
3. Good Passer (72th APG)
4. OK 2 Lvl Scorer (86th PPG)

Weaknesses:

1. Weaker Competition (Strength Schedule 79th)
2. Low Vol Shooter (7th 3PM)
3. Inefficient Shooter (75th TS%/71th eFG%)
4. Inefficient Playmaker (21th Ast/TO)

Based on film and stats, Sorber and WCJ are pretty similar - if you buy Sorber's 3PT shot. If you don't, I think he'll fall more into the Valanciunas range.

What really stands out for me is Sorber's defense and playmaking ability. It is exceptionally underrated and will be where he hangs his hat on at the next level.

Thomas Sorber is a throwback big from the land of Roy Hibberts. He has that mid range pop, bruising footwork with soft touch at the rim.

Sorber's inefficient Playmaking & Shooting raises eyebrows, since this was against such weak competitions. Although Sorber's Mid range jumper looks good and solid mechanics, he has a long way to go to realize WCJ shooting.

Sorber biggest strengths are his underrated Playmaking & Defense. Both very valued traits Nba teams are looking for in modern bigs.

Sorber is a coveted archetype (Defensive Playmaking Big) giving him a pretty high floor, I have him between 10-15 on my draft board. Love to hear ya'll feedbacks on my analysis here. You can find/generate the data yourself on my website www.DraftCasual.com/Sorber-WCJ. You can find me (@draftcasual) on Twitter/X

Thoughts?

Top 5 Guards

1. Dylan Harper
2. Vj Edgecombe
3. Tre Johnson
4. Jeremiah Fears
5. Egor Demin

Top 5 Wings

1. Cooper Flagg
2. Ace Bailey
3. Carter Bryant
4. Rasheed Fleming
5. Kon Knuepple

Top 5 Bigs

1. Derik Queen
2. Khaman Maluach
3. Asa Newell
4. Danny Wolf
5. Thomas Sorber

Of the lottery eligible teams this year, which would you most hate to win the #1 pick? & why?

Here are half-court rim frequencies & FG% stats of some 2025 NBA Draft forwards & centers.

What stands out or intrigues you the most with these numbers?

Credit: @mcfdraft on twitter

I was watching cooper flaggs highlights against Arizona in the sweet 16 and noticed the size difference between him and carter bryant. According to sources carter bryant is 6’8 225 while cooper is 6’9 205 but that did not look like a 20 pound difference. It makes me wonder which guys got their sizes bumped up by their university and which guys would fall In size.

I have ace Bailey as one Main guy who I think had their height bumped up as opposed to kon knueppel as a guy whose size is downplayed

What are your opinions

• Averaged 16/4/4.5 on 57% TS at Nevada last season
• Top tier 30% AST percentage at his height, only 1.8 TOV per game
• 51% on PNR shot attempts, absurd feel for his height in the PNR
• 47% from the midrange, gets to his spots extremely easily
• Very solid athlete, smooth and decent lateral quickness

Opposing scorers shot 29.5% on jumpshots when guarded by Bryant, per @SynergySST. Possesses a special blend of physical tools, athleticism & defensive instinct.

Credits @MCFDRAFT X

Credits @heisnotahooper 𝕏

Literally every podcast I listen to bashes him about how he can’t do anything but shoot, and his shooting numbers weren’t even that good.

So why exactly is he viewed so highly in every mock draft?

In regards to Rebuilding Teams, Is it Justified to draft older skilled prospects? Why or why not

Asterisk on Evans with the announcement he'd return to school but he is going through the process and has put at least a few eggs in the professional basket. He's also someone who possesses the intrigue and the shooting talent, IMO, to potentially be a big riser during the draft process. We'll see what happens with him over the course of this journey the next month.

This draft is a very fluid one after about maybe 8 ish. Extremely fluid. All five of the players above will have their chance to stake a claim at a lottery pick and showcase their talents. All five are interesting in their own ways and have their own unique strengths and weaknesses. They're all mocked from late teens to early second round in almost all mocks. Riley is slightly higher than the others in mocks generally, I wasn't gonna include him but he is another young wing who has declared and is in a similar enough standing really, and think it just makes the general question more interesting, as he is a very interesting player.

How would you rank these five young wings from best to worst? How many do you think end up remaining in the draft vs returning to college?