2025 Mock Drafts

[MU82]

Hard to believe, but they're starting already. And our guy Kam Jones figures to be a popular pick.

Let's get started with Kam going #22 in Sam Vecenie's mock for The Athletic:

One of my favorite players in college basketball the last two years, Jones is a legitimate three-level scorer at Marquette, with superb touch at all three. He averaged 17 points and shot obscenely efficiently, making 50 percent of his attempts from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 72 percent from the line. Marquette ran him off several dribble-handoff actions to get him downhill to his left, where he showed an ability to finish around the rim with scoop shots. He made 67 percent of his attempts at the basket, per Synergy. He also has a solid runner game, then can hit pull-up and catch-and-shoot 3s.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5580289/2024/07/10/2025-nba-mock-draft-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper-prospects/?campaign=5888993&source=dailyemail&userId=3738391

Vecenie also picks five Dookies in the first round, starting with Cooper Flagg (obvi) but also including Kon Knueppel at #16, saying: This is my big call in the 2025 class. Knueppel doesn’t necessarily look the part — at around 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, he’s more wide than he is long — but he is one of my five favorite freshmen entering college basketball next season. What he lacks in what one may refer to as “traditional” athletic tools, he more than makes up for with polish, skill and competitiveness.

Yes, very traditional!

Also has 2 UConn guys getting picked: top recruit Liam McNeeley at #8 and Alex Karaban at #19.  and

[wadesworld]

Vecenie loves him some college productivity in his mocks.  He's much higher on college guys than they typically go.

Kam's season is going to be very interesting.  As he notes, he's awesome on the dribble-handoff.  Now he's going to be handling the ball in the pick and roll much more.  He looked awesome doing it while Kolek was out.  If he can do that for a full season he'll be a first round pick.  My guess is an early second rounder.

[tower912]

A difference will be he does not have Oso for the pick and roll.   When Joplin and Gold are in, there will be pick and pops and pulling the big out to the 3 pt line.  Hamilton, Parham, Amadou are all tbd.

[Uncle Rico]

Hard to believe, but they're starting already. And our guy Kam Jones figures to be a popular pick.

Let's get started with Kam going #22 in Sam Vecenie's mock for The Athletic:

One of my favorite players in college basketball the last two years, Jones is a legitimate three-level scorer at Marquette, with superb touch at all three. He averaged 17 points and shot obscenely efficiently, making 50 percent of his attempts from the field, 39 percent from 3 and 72 percent from the line. Marquette ran him off several dribble-handoff actions to get him downhill to his left, where he showed an ability to finish around the rim with scoop shots. He made 67 percent of his attempts at the basket, per Synergy. He also has a solid runner game, then can hit pull-up and catch-and-shoot 3s.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5580289/2024/07/10/2025-nba-mock-draft-cooper-flagg-dylan-harper-prospects/?campaign=5888993&source=dailyemail&userId=3738391

Vecenie also picks five Dookies in the first round, starting with Cooper Flagg (obvi) but also including Kon Knueppel at #16, saying: This is my big call in the 2025 class. Knueppel doesn’t necessarily look the part — at around 6-foot-6 and 205 pounds, he’s more wide than he is long — but he is one of my five favorite freshmen entering college basketball next season. What he lacks in what one may refer to as “traditional” athletic tools, he more than makes up for with polish, skill and competitiveness.

Yes, very traditional!

Also has 2 UConn guys getting picked: top recruit Liam McNeeley at #8 and Alex Karaban at #19.  and

Another Wojo guy going to the NBA

[MU82]

A difference will be he does not have Oso for the pick and roll.   When Joplin and Gold are in, there will be pick and pops and pulling the big out to the 3 pt line.  Hamilton, Parham, Amadou are all tbd.

Very true, but Kam did have 23 points and 3 assists (and only 1 TO) in the game at Creighton when both Oso and TK were out. Gold went 1-for-8 from 3; a couple/few more makes and those woulda been more assists for Kam.

[tower912]

Agreed.   And I am looking forward with optimism to this iteration

[mugrad_89]

I’d be very surprised if Kariban goes in the first round next year - it’ll be a stronger draft than this year’s was.

[JakeBarnes]

Agreed.   And I am looking forward with optimism to this iteration

I believe the "most threes in the country" per Militec's recruitment pitch.

Should be exciting to watch. I have a feeling Stevie is going to be in a heavier ball-handling role a lot this year too. I have no sources.

[Pepe Sylvia]

Stronger at the top, for sure. When the NBA guys say 'weak draft' thats really what they mean. No Andrew wiggins/jabari parker/joel embiid to salivate over. This draft will probably still have like a dozen 10-year vets in it. Karaban was likely a second rounder last year and probably this year too. Might as well take the NIL at UCONN 1 more year than start a 2-way now, might even be comparable money.

[tower912]

I believe the "most threes in the country" per Militec's recruitment pitch.

Should be exciting to watch. I have a feeling Stevie is going to be in a heavier ball-handling role a lot this year too. I have no sources.

I agree on Stevie.

[Billy Hoyle]

Vecenie loves him some college productivity in his mocks.  He's much higher on college guys than they typically go.

Kam's season is going to be very interesting.  As he notes, he's awesome on the dribble-handoff.  Now he's going to be handling the ball in the pick and roll much more.  He looked awesome doing it while Kolek was out.  If he can do that for a full season he'll be a first round pick.  My guess is an early second rounder.

sitting behind the basket at X gave me a nice perspective on Kam's PG skills. 34 points and 9 assists, 8 of 11 from inside the arc. Very Kolek like in his ability to drive the basket but he has more length to finish in traffic with his scoop shot at the rim while avoiding contact.  He was also 6-8 from inside the arc at Creighton when Kolek was out. At 6-5 if he primarily plays the point I think he's going to increase his draft standing.

[MU82]

Stronger at the top, for sure. When the NBA guys say 'weak draft' thats really what they mean. No Andrew wiggins/jabari parker/joel embiid to salivate over. This draft will probably still have like a dozen 10-year vets in it. Karaban was likely a second rounder last year and probably this year too. Might as well take the NIL at UCONN 1 more year than start a 2-way now, might even be comparable money.

Numerous 2nd-round picks in the '24 draft, including our own TK and Oso, received very nice guaranteed contracts worth well more than even the most outrageous NIL claims.

[We R Final Four]

sitting behind the basket at X gave me a nice perspective on Kam's PG skills. 34 points and 9 assists, 8 of 11 from inside the arc. Very Kolek like in his ability to drive the basket but he has more length to finish in traffic with his scoop shot at the rim while avoiding contact.  He was also 6-8 from inside the arc at Creighton when Kolek was out. At 6-5 if he primarily plays the point I think he's going to increase his draft standing.

Me too Billy!

[Pepe Sylvia]

Numerous 2nd-round picks in the '24 draft, including our own TK and Oso, received very nice guaranteed contracts worth well more than even the most outrageous NIL claims.

Sure, but they clearly had assurances from decision makers. I'm saying those decision makers likely gave no such assurances to Alex Karaban.

[MU82]

Sure, but they clearly had assurances from decision makers. I'm saying those decision makers likely gave no such assurances to Alex Karaban.

It would appear not, though who really knows? Maybe next year they will give him such assurances.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

I'm on record as being skeptical of Kam's future in the NBA. My thought process being that below-the-rim shooting guards aren't really a thing in the NBA unless they are 3 and D guys (Kam is half that).

But that was before we got treated to point-Kam at the end of last season. If that's repeatable over the course of the entire season, I think he will go in the first round.

[Lennys Tap]

Another Wojo guy going to the NBA

As long as he doesn’t coach ‘em.

[Goose]

TAMU

I actually thought Kam had a lot more to lose coming back then gain. I think he is going to have a very solid senior year, but concerned that has flaws might be exposed. I really hope I am wrong, and Kam improves his draft stock. Fingers crossed for him.

[4everwarriors]

Kam's talkin' lottery pick. Too bad he's not from France, aina?

[Uncle Rico]

Kam's talkin' lottery pick. Too bad he's not from France, aina?

Correct.  He’d have gone through a proper developmental program instead of the ineffective and inefficient American system of athletic development.  But, hey, amateurism to entertain

[MU82]

I actually thought Kam had a lot more to lose coming back then gain. I think he is going to have a very solid senior year, but concerned that has flaws might be exposed. I really hope I am wrong, and Kam improves his draft stock. Fingers crossed for him.

From what I was told, he was getting the vibes from NBA types that he probably wouldn't have been drafted had he left.

So, theoretically at least, he's the perfect example of a guy who should play another year of college ball - show that you can be the go-to guy for a ranked team; and while you're doing that, take the NIL money and get the degree.

Win-win-win.

[MU82]

The latest mock draft from The Athletic's Sam Vecenie still has Kam going in the first round - this time, with the last pick:

30. Boston Celtics

Kam Jones | 6-4 wing | 23 years old | Marquette

Jones is a polished scorer who enters the college season as a real candidate to make an All-America team. He has superb touch from all three levels, and he made 67 percent of his shots at the rim and 39 percent from 3 last season. He also showed some real potential at lead guard during Tyler Kolek’s late-season absence, averaging 4.5 assists per game during that six-game stretch. NBA scouts would love to see him be more consistent as a playmaker as well as a better defensive presence. That’s the big question. Who does Jones guard? Can he prove he can guard ones? Is he big enough to guard wings? Showcasing real improvement there will be the key to solidifying his stock. But he seems like a good candidate to be drafted this season.

+++

Only two other Big East players, both wings from UConn, are projected to go in Round 1: Liam McNeeley (10th) and Alex Karaban (19th).

Kon Knueppel is projected to go 9th - one behind Georgia forward Asa Newell, who figures to be a handful for MU at Atlantis.

At 23, Kam is the oldest player in Vecenie's first round. Most of the projected picks are 19.

[Uncle Rico]

The latest mock draft from The Athletic's Sam Vecenie still has Kam going in the first round - this time, with the last pick:

30. Boston Celtics

Kam Jones | 6-4 wing | 23 years old | Marquette

Jones is a polished scorer who enters the college season as a real candidate to make an All-America team. He has superb touch from all three levels, and he made 67 percent of his shots at the rim and 39 percent from 3 last season. He also showed some real potential at lead guard during Tyler Kolek’s late-season absence, averaging 4.5 assists per game during that six-game stretch. NBA scouts would love to see him be more consistent as a playmaker as well as a better defensive presence. That’s the big question. Who does Jones guard? Can he prove he can guard ones? Is he big enough to guard wings? Showcasing real improvement there will be the key to solidifying his stock. But he seems like a good candidate to be drafted this season.

+++

Only two other Big East players, both wings from UConn, are projected to go in Round 1: Liam McNeeley (10th) and Alex Karaban (19th).

Kon Knueppel is projected to go 9th - one behind Georgia forward Asa Newell, who figures to be a handful for MU at Atlantis.

At 23, Kam is the oldest player in Vecenie's first round. Most of the projected picks are 19.

He won’t get drafted.  Needs to come back for Covid year, even though he isn’t eligible for one

[brewcity77]

He won’t get drafted.  Needs to come back for Covid year, even though he isn’t eligible for one

I'm curious how many people will come back for a COVID year next year. While most people are saying this is the last year of COVID eligibility, that's not exactly true. If someone played during a freshman year in 2020-21, then took a redshirt in any of 2022, 2023, 2024, or this year, they would be eligible for an additional year in 2025-26. Going to be a small pool, but I'm guessing it's non-zero.

[Uncle Rico]

I'm curious how many people will come back for a COVID year next year. While most people are saying this is the last year of COVID eligibility, that's not exactly true. If someone played during a freshman year in 2020-21, then took a redshirt in any of 2022, 2023, 2024, or this year, they would be eligible for an additional year in 2025-26. Going to be a small pool, but I'm guessing it's non-zero.

Half of them will play for UW-Madison