Latest news with #NBADraft
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rumored dark-horse Nets draft target receives green room invite
The post Rumored dark-horse Nets draft target receives green room invite appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Brooklyn Nets will have no shortage of directions they can take with the No. 8 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Noa Essengue has been linked to the rebuilding squad amid a recent surge up draft boards. The French Phenom received a green room invite to attend the draft at Barclays Center, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony. Advertisement Essengue is one of 19 prospects to receive an invite, alongside Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Khaman Maluach, Jeremiah Fears, Kon Knueppel, Kasparas Jakucionis, Egor Demin, Carter Bryant, Derik Queen, Asa Newell, Collin Murray-Boyles, Thomas Sorber, Liam McNeeley, Nolan Traore, and Will Riley. The 18-year-old has impressed with his performance this season for Ratiopharm Ulm in Germany's top professional league. He has averaged 12.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 54.5 percent shooting in 21.4 minutes per game over his last 13 appearances. Noa Essengue receives NBA Draft green room invite amid ties to Nets Essengue is the second-youngest player in this year's draft class, behind only Cooper Flagg. His impact at the professional level at such a young age has piqued the interest of NBA front offices. While he's a raw prospect who will need to improve as a ball-handler and outside shooter, his blend of size, fluid mobility and athleticism is highly enticing. Advertisement Essengue's recent pre-draft measurements will help his case as a potential top-10 pick. He came in at 6-foot-10 barefoot and 204 pounds with a 7-foot-1 wingspan, according to DraftExpress' Jon Chepkevich. The Frenchman's 9-foot-2 standing reach is just five inches shorter than Victor Wembanyama's. ClutchPoints and Bleacher Report project the Nets to select Essengue at No. 8 in their latest mock drafts. ESPN has him ranked No. 9 on its top 100 big board and projects the Toronto Raptors to select him with the No. 9 pick. Related: Nets opening youth basketball training facility next to Barclays Center Related: Kevin Durant trade offer Heat must make to Suns to seal deal
Washington Post
7 hours ago
- Sport
- Washington Post
When Wizards are on the clock, these are their likely options
The 2025 NBA draft begins with Wednesday's first round and brings with it a pivotal selection for the Washington Wizards, who have intriguing young talent but still no centerpiece to build around. Washington's chances at nabbing a star dropped with their pick — which fell as far as it could to No. 6 in May's draft lottery. But the selection could still yield a talented piece in a draft that largely remains uncertain. The first pick (Cooper Flagg to the Dallas Mavericks) is a near-lock. The second pick (Dylan Harper to the San Antonio Spurs) is less so, but still likely. Things get murky after that.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Atlanta Hawks' perfect outcome for No. 22 pick in 2025 NBA Draft
The post Atlanta Hawks' perfect outcome for No. 22 pick in 2025 NBA Draft appeared first on ClutchPoints. The 2024-25 season did not go according to plan for the Atlanta Hawks. It was a disappointing end to the year for them, as they ended up missing the playoffs entirely after suffering two defeats in the play-in tournament. The Hawks made a name for themselves as the league's giant slayer this past season, only for injuries to derail what was such a promising start to the campaign. Advertisement At the very least, the Hawks did not give up a very high pick to the San Antonio Spurs (courtesy of the Dejounte Murray trade in 2022). Their own pick landed at 14, which then conveyed to San Antonio. But thanks to other shrewd moves, the Hawks managed to pick up the 13th pick (via the Sacramento Kings courtesy of the Kevin Huerter trade) and the 22nd selection (via the New Orleans Pelicans courtesy of the 2024 Dejounte Murray trade). This should give the Hawks two opportunities to add to their burgeoning young core that includes Trae Young, Dyson Daniels, Jalen Johnson, Zaccharie Risacher, and Onyeka Okongwu. If there's a lesson NBA teams have picked up in this year's playoffs, it's that having athletic, two-way players who can defend multiple positions is a must for a team to contend deep into the playoffs, and Atlanta at least has the tools to bolster the roster with the wings they need to compete. But with the Hawks having a lottery pick already, the 22nd pick could end up being a more expendable piece that they can package with some salary (Terance Mann, perhaps?) to acquire a more impactful player. But the best route for the Hawks to take is to use the pick to continue adding to their growing core, building gradually instead of going after short-sighted moves that could end up being more damaging in the long run. With that said, this is the perfect outcome for the Hawks using the 22nd pick of the 2025 NBA Draft. Hawks take a chance on the next Jalen Johnson in Asa Newell Dale Zanine-Imagn Images The past few drafts have been a mixed bag for the Hawks. On one hand, they managed to draft the likes of Jalen Johnson and Onyeka Okongwu, both of whom profile as high-level starters in the NBA. But on the other hand, the selections of Kobe Bufkin and AJ Griffin missed the mark completely. Bufkin still has a chance to change the narrative of his career, but it's telling that he hasn't quite broken through as a prominent rotation fixture, let alone a starter. Advertisement At the very least, the Hawks have managed to bring out the best in athletic forwards/big men and developed them into quality starting-level players. Even John Collins was selected in the middle of the first round and he turned in a few productive seasons for Atlanta before he was traded away to the Utah Jazz. Trae Young's presence makes life easier for every big man the Hawks have, which explains why the likes of Johnson, Okongwu, and Collins thrive alongside him. Young is a pick-and-roll connoisseur who works his magic with any highflying big man, which explains a lot of why this archetype of player seem to develop well in the Hawks ecosystem since 2018. To that end, targeting Asa Newell with the 22nd pick could end up being a major win for the Hawks. According to the latest ClutchPoints mock draft, Newell is still projected to be available when the Hawks make their second selection, and he could be another developmental win for the team considering how athletically-gifted he is. Newell projects as a major two-way force who has the size, speed, and leaping ability to be a nuisance in lob actions as well as be a major disruptor at the point of attack. He also seems to have the motor necessary to function in a high-paced environment, and the Hawks, a team that loves to run and score in bunches, would love to have someone who can keep up with their breakneck pace. Advertisement The Georgia product cannot space the floor reliably at the moment, but neither could Johnson coming out of Duke. But at just 19 years of age, there is plenty of time for him to polish his offensive game. It took Johnson until his third season to break out; a similar thing could happen to Newell. Drafting a point guard could be the way for the Hawks, especially with Bufkin not developing as they had hoped. But they might be best served using the 13th pick for that instead. The 22nd pick is something they can reserve to select someone projected to have a high ceiling, and Newell fits that bill to a T. Related: RUMOR: Hawks' Trae Young trade rumblings put to bed Related: Hawks' Larry Nance Jr. reveals Top 5 NBA moments on Father's Day
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Intriguing Details Emerge from Cooper Flagg's Private Workout with Mavericks
Intriguing Details Emerge from Cooper Flagg's Private Workout with Mavericks originally appeared on Athlon Sports. While there's little to no doubt that Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg will be selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks next week in Brooklyn at the NBA Draft, the projected top pick still traveled to Dallas this week for a private meeting and workout with the organization. Advertisement Though everything appeared to go according to plan, some intriguing details have since emerged from the workout—as Flagg prepares to become the new face of the franchise, just months after the Mavericks made the stunning decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midseason. According to Mavericks reporter Noah Weber, Flagg was reportedly 'unreal' during Wednesday's workout. One league source told Weber that Flagg shot the ball 'insanely well' and added, 'He was even better than I expected him to be.' If everything continues to fall into place and Cooper Flagg is selected by the Dallas Mavericks, he would be joining a star-studded roster featuring three potential future Hall of Famers in Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson, and former Duke standout Kyrie Irving. He'd also reunite with another former Blue Devil in Dereck Lively II, who was drafted by the Mavericks two seasons ago. Advertisement During his freshman season at Duke, Flagg led the team to 35 wins, capturing both the ACC regular season and conference tournament titles. He also helped guide the Blue Devils to the Final Four before they were upset by the Houston Cougars following a late second-half collapse. Former Duke forward Cooper Flagg at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.© David Banks-Imagn Images Flagg finished the season averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, while shooting an impressive 38.5% from three-point range. He led the entire Duke roster in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and minutes played. The Newport, Maine native capped off his dominant season by winning the Wooden Award, Naismith College Player of the Year, and earning both ACC Player and Rookie of the Year honors. Advertisement Related: Cooper Flagg Reveals Basketball Moment That Left Him 'Shell-Shocked' Ahead of NBA Draft This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Ace Bailey labeled the 'NBA's Shedeur Sanders' as he cancels workouts and fans predict worrying draft slide
Former college basketball standout and current draft prospect Ace Bailey has been labeled the ' NBA 's Shedeur Sanders' after he canceled a workout, with fans predicting a similar slide for where he will be selected. Bailey was expected to have a private workout and a visit with the Philadelphia 76ers this weekend. However, according to multiple reports, that visit has now been cancelled. The 76ers have the No 3 overall pick in this month's NBA Draft, with picks Nos 1 and 2, belonging to the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs respectively, likely choosing Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. Bailey had long been considered the third best prospect in the draft, with his cancelation of meeting with a high-drafting team showing a red flag to fans. Bailey is now being branded as the most polarizing prospect in the draft, as he is the only US-based prospect in this year's pool who has not visited a team in the pre-draft process. It's a little bit of deja vu to reported dissatisfaction from NFL teams that led Sanders from being a top prospect to his selection in the fifth round of the draft and No 144 overall. I think Ace Bailey might be the NBA's Shedeur Sanders… At one point, projected as a top 3 pick maybe even 2 Seen as arrogant and cocky during the pre draft process Canceled meetings and tried to direct where he landed How far could he slide? 10? He's definitely going to lose some high draft pick money. Apparently he didn't watch the NFL draft. Never been more right on any prospect. Dude is a walking red flag. Gives bizarre interviews, keep rejecting workouts, came in 3 inches shorter than expected, shot diet and decision making is a concern. Good luck to anyone who drafts him top 4 Bro 100% has a promise from Charlotte, Utah or Washington A collection of social-media messages about Bailey possibly being the NBA's Sanders According to CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones, Sanders' unenthusiastic approach to certain interviews 'rubbed some teams the wrong way' beforehand. 'At some of those [combine] meetings with certain teams that maybe Shedeur Sanders didn't really want to go to, I was told that he more or less sandbagged in those interviews,' Jones said in April. 'I don't know if he didn't take them seriously, what it was, but he did not give it his all in some of those interviews.' According to ABC 6's Jason Dumas, Bailey was 'seeking a promise from the Sixers' before committing to attend a meeting. That follows on from ESPN's Jonathan Givony projecting the Sixers would draft Baylor shooting guard VJ Edgecombe third overall. Meanwhile, he projected Bailey would fall to the sixth overall pick with the Washington Wizards. 'Bailey's predraft workout strategy has perplexed some observers, as he has yet to conduct a single known workout to date, having declined invitations from several teams within his draft range,' Givony wrote. 'Sources say Bailey's camp has informed interested teams that they believe he is a top-3 player in the draft, but also seeks a clear pathway to stardom, perhaps feeling comfortable that a team will trade up to get him at Nos. 3 or 4, should he drop. 'Some teams question whether Bailey has received assurances of being selected by a team currently outside the top five, to a situation deemed more advantageous from a geographic and playing time perspective.'
