Brooklyn Nets 2025 NBA Mock Draft Roundup 1.0

Oklahoma's Jeremiah Fears is another player who has given fans some amazing highlights as he continues to climb up draft boards. Fears can score at multiple levels from the floor and he is a fantastic playmaker on both offense and defense as well. Fears leads all freshmen in alley-oops assisted this season, per CBB Analytics. He is the second-youngest NCAA prospect we have projected in the first round behind only Flagg.

North Carolina freshman Ian Jackson has started just 5 of his 16 games played so far this season. But he is averaging 23.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists per game while shooting 42.9 percent on 3-pointers in those appearances. He leads all freshmen in field goals made in a transition offense and fastbreak points scored, per CBB Analytics.

Australia's Alex Toohey is a fascinating prospect who contributes well on both sides of the floor. He is a legitimately strong wing defender whose Defensive Statistical Impact (DSI) ranks as the best among those who have played more than one game in Australia's NBL, per Cerebro Sports.

One of the top international prospects in this class is France's Noah Penda. The forward is shooting well on his catch-and-shoot opportunities. He also has the highest Defensive Statistical Impact (DSI) among all players in the French Betclic Elite LNB Pro A this season, per Cerebro Sports.

Knueppel is skilled, he can score, and there are times when he's been Duke's primary facilitator and initiator. He's also exceeded expectations defensively, albeit surrounded by college basketball's best defense. The shooting is going to keep ticking up, and if he measures anywhere near his listed height, that's just one more box he'll check.

Jones may be the best guard in college basketball this year and is uniquely qualified to come into a Brooklyn program that could have significant minutes available in the backcourt and crack the rotation as a rookie.

Gonzalez is a high-IQ wing with an equally high motor, yet he's very difficult to evaluate this year because he doesn't get a ton of minutes. Brooklyn has enough picks to make the risk worth the reward.

Another home-run swing for Brooklyn with this potential jumbo guard in the making. It will be a bet on player development, though, as he'll have to develop his shooting and total floor game.

Jeremiah Fears' handle, burst, rim explosion, shotmaking flashes and two-way playmaking have scouts thinking top-five potential.

It's speed and decisiveness with the way he moves off the bounce and gets to spots that suggest he can continue to creating advantages in the NBA.

There are questions about his shooting and decision-making for a projected lead guard, but Fears doesn't turn 19 until next October. He'll earn a semi-pass from scouts for the inconsistency and turnovers. At his age, with how dangerous he is off the dribble, his 17 threes, strong mid-range pull-up and floater and 29.2 assist percentage should highlight enough shotmaking and passing capability to bet on long-term.

Ian Jackson has been showcasing the full scoring arsenal with his downhill attacking, pull-up shotmaking and off-ball shooting. He just hit a season-high five threes against North Carolina State, bringing his percentage up to 42.7.

The eye test on his body, movement, self-creation and jump shot hint at a surefire NBA scorer. No playmaking ability just reduces his margin for error/versatility and lowers the value of his projected archetype.

Adou Thiero's shooting remains problematic, but he's improved his ability to create for himself inside the arc, a needed development that's turned him into a more versatile scoring threat in the half court.

Between the open-floor athleticism for transition offense, the play-finishing, defensive playmaking and now the tougher driving ability, teams could start to talk themselves into an outlier, non-shooting wing or combo forward.

Carter Bryant has given Arizona good minutes lately with a combination of shotmaking, athleticism around the basket and defensive activity.

If his current role remains the same, he could have a tough time deciding on the draft. His usage and production aren't typical of a one-and-done first-rounder's, but his physical tools and three-level scoring flashes could tempt front offices to reach and wait/bet on the 19-year-old's development and upside.

Demin started out looking like a top-five pick, but he has struggled over the past month. He dealt with a sore knee in December that forced him to miss a few games, and it's worth acknowledging that. But the question that comes up consistently with scouts is whether Demin can separate from his man when the athleticism level increases across the court.

There's not a better passer in this 2025 draft class, as Demin can throw incredible live-dribble dishes with either hand consistently to any part of the court with serious velocity or touch depending on what's required. But how valuable is that skill set if he can't consistently collapse a defense? How valuable is it if he can't consistently score? Demin started the season hot from 3 and has showcased improved shooting mechanics, but his 3-point percentage is down to 31 percent after a cold spell that has seen him go 1-of-20 over the last five games. His 12 points on Tuesday against Texas Tech was his first double-figure scoring effort since Nov. 28.

The passing is so good with Demin that I can't get him outside of the top 10. He's a serious talent and immensely gifted with the ball in his hands. There's not a better passer in all of college basketball, and he's legitimately massive. And yet, there's still a lot to prove here as he continues to get back from his injury and starts to play more consistently difficult competition in the Big 12, as he learned last weekend against Houston.

Penda is a big-bodied four man with a ton of skill. But more than the skill, Penda's overall feel for the game stands out. He's an incredibly reactive player. He reads the court really well as a passer and manipulates defenders with his eyes. Defensively, he's sharp and consistently in the right spot. He's switchable because of how strong he is. The scoring efficiency doesn't look great, as he's shooting just 43 percent from the field, but he's averaging 10.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, and has done so almost entirely as a teenager in the top-tier professional French league (he just turned 20).

The big number for Penda is that he's making 36.2 percent from 3 so far this year, as that has been an issue in the past. However, he looks to have quieted his mechanics a bit, and the shot looks smoother off the catch. He's even shown some interesting moments without a dip on his ball as a shooter off the catch. Penda just looks like a really solid NBA rotation player every time I watch him.

It's been an up-and-down season for Maluach. He's had highly impactful games, like a recent 15-point, eight-rebound outing against Georgia Tech. He's also had games when he's struggled to stay on the court, such as against Louisville where he saw just 11 minutes. He also struggled immensely against the two best frontcourts he faced this year in Auburn and Kansas, scoring a combined four points and grabbing four rebounds in 38 minutes. The role is easy to define, as he has immense size for the NBA center position at 7-1 with a 7-6 wingspan and a massive standing reach. I've also been impressed with him in space defending out on the perimeter, using his feet to slide with opposing guards well. But Maluach desperately needs to become more impactful on offense, as his hands have been hit-or-miss and his overall feel could use a boost. He has just five assists in 289 minutes, which is one of the lowest assist rates you will see for a potential first-round pick. But as a rim-running potential defender, teams will often bet on tools over production, and Maluach certainly has the tools.

Markovic is this season's bet on production from Europe. The stretch big man has been terrific, averaging 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists, shooting over 50 percent from the field and 36 percent from 3. He can grab and go with a functional handle for a teenage big man and has really nice touch around the rim as well as from 3. His feel is quite strong, and his decisions tend to be pretty solid. He's not quite as skilled with the ball as someone like Nikola Jović, who also came from Serbian powerhouse Mega. He might end up as more of a position-locked four man. That'll give him a bit less versatility positionally and make him a bit less of an intriguing overall prospect. But Markovic has the kind of size, skill and feel for the game that will make him highly interesting to NBA teams.

It seems the Nets might not be in the tank for long -- their forthcoming wealth of salary cap space gives them latitude to upgrade -- making this year's likely lottery pick a critical opportunity to add a core young player. Traore's season in France hasn't been totally smooth -- role and minutes have been reduced of late.

But NBA teams remain intrigued by his long-term upside and for good reason. He has a strong mix of playmaking talent, speed and shot-creation ability for a lead guard. The exciting flashes have remained amid his struggles, but Traore will need to make a better case for himself to secure early-lottery positioning as a developmental talent. His defense, decision-making and overall consistency are key areas for improvement. -- Woo

The Nets currently hold four first-round picks, including this one from the Bucks. The stockpile could give them opportunities to add talent or start to consolidate some of their selections.

Murray-Boyles put together a strong December for the Gamecocks and will need to carry that productivity into a challenging SEC schedule. Outside of two poor showings against Indiana and Mississippi State, he has showcased the breadth of his skills.

Though his lack of great positional size might limit his ultimate upside, NBA teams remain intrigued by Murray-Boyles' feel and value on both ends of the floor. A strong run in conference play could help him inch closer to lottery status in a first round that could wind up somewhat thin on interior talent. -- Woo

The Nets are flush with first-round picks and can go in many directions on draft night, including taking multiple swings on talent or being aggressive in trade conversations. Karaban, in the midst of his best college season to date, is a known quantity after two UConn championships. He's a reliable shooter (career 39.6% from 3), passer and cutter who should plug in and add offensive value early in his NBA career.

His defensive projection is a bit more dubious because of his athletic limitations -- Karaban's strong instincts have made up for that in college, but he'll be further challenged to guard in space and chase away from the ball in the pros. Regardless, he should be appealing to teams -- and perhaps the Nets here -- as a trustworthy, experienced bench addition late in the first round. -- Woo

Brooklyn is firmly in talent-acquisition mode and could look to take a swing late in the first round on a high-upside prospect in need of seasoning. Bryant is still finding his way for the Wildcats and isn't putting up eye-popping numbers, but is oozing with talent and skills scouts are seeking: an intriguing combination of size, length, frame, shot-making prowess and flashes of defensive versatility.

He has played some of his best basketball as of late and is the type of prospect every NBA team will want to get a closer look at in the pre-draft process. Bryant will have to produce as the season moves on, hopefully making strides in his feel for the game and toughness as he gains experience. He might require additional time at Arizona to maximize his NBA outlook. -- Givony

The 6-5 prospect is a two-way guard who takes pride in how he defends, sitting in the top 20 in the country with 2.5 steals per game for the Bears. He is as good as any prospect on that end of the floor in this draft while possessing a great first step and the body control to make him a quality finisher on offense. He's another prospect who has to work on his jumper, but Edgecombe does so much to impact the game with 12.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.