National media offer projections on Clemson's Viktor Lakhin being taken in 2025 NBA Draft
The 2025 NBA Draft is fast approaching, and Clemson Tigers big man Viktor Lakhin is among the players hoping to hear his name called Wednesday night at Barclay's Center in Brooklyn.
Lakhin, a 6-foot-11, 245-pound center from Russia, transferred to Clemson from Cincinnati ahead of the 2024-25 season and started 33 of the Tigers' 34 games. He averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds in 23.6 minutes a night while helping Clemson to a school-record 27 victories, including an 18-2 ACC record. Lakhin averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.5 assists per game.
The 2025 NBA Draft will consist of two rounds with 59 total selections. Duke guard Cooper Flagg is the consensus favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick. The draft will be held June 25 beginning at 8 p.m. ET and will be televised on ABC and ESPN.
Here's where national media outlets have Lakhin ranked among the top 100 draft-eligible prospects and in mock drafts on the final weekend before the 2025 NBA Draft.
ESPN projects Clemson's Viktor Lakhin as second-round pick by Clippers
ESPN unveiled its final big board rankings of the top 100 prospects on Saturday. NBA analyst Jonathan Givony ranks Lakhin as the 51st best draft-eligible player this year.
The latest mock draft from Givony and ESPN's Jeremy Woo have Lakhin being selected by the Los Angeles Clippers with the No. 51 overall pick. CBS Sports' draft prospect rankings have Lakhin much lower at No. 75 overall.
Yahoo Sports NBA Draft analyst sees Lakhin as potential second-round pickup
Yahoo Sports' Kevin O'Connor has Lakhin at No. 59 on his NBA draft big board. O'Connor's latest mock draft has Lakhin going to the Utah Jazz with the 53rd overall pick.
Part of Yahoo's scouting report on Lakhin describes him this way:
"He's a great positional defender at the rim, even though he doesn't block a ton of shots. And he's quite mobile on the perimeter with the ability to step out and recover to his man, or hold his own when defending shooting bigs."
Clemson basketball: recent NBA Draft history
There's a chance Clemson could have a new player in the NBA for the third straight season. Last year, the Denver Nuggets signed forward P.J. Hall to a two-way contract as an undrafted free agent. He made his NBA debut on Nov. 17 and played in 19 regular-season games for the Nuggets.
Hall played in 13 games for the Grand Rapids Gold in the G League this past season and averaged 19.2 points and 12.5 rebounds a night while adding 1.1 blocks and 1.8 assists per game.
Two years ago, the Oklahoma City Thunder selected Hunter Tyson in the second round with the 37th overall pick as part of an agreed-upon trade with Denver. Tyson played in 51 games for the Nuggets in 2024-25. He had 13 points and seven rebounds in 22 minutes during the Nuggets' Western Conference semifinals series against the Thunder.
Prior to Tyson, Clemson hadn't had a player taken in the NBA Draft since forward Jaron Blossomgame was selected in the second round at No. 59 overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 2017.
Contact us @Clemson_Wire on X, and like our page on Facebook for ongoing coverage of Clemson Tigers news and notes, plus opinions.
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