HOW NIL MONEY IS RESHAPING THE NBA DRAFT: FEWER EARLY ENTRANTS, MORE COLLEGE STARS STAYING PUT
Will Wade’s work building N.C. State into an immediate winner included the pursuit of an entrant in the NBA draft, just in case he returned to college.
It wasn’t a huge risk: With all the cash flowing in college, the number of early entrants to the NBA draft has continued to shrink. This year’s draft starts Wednesday night with its lowest total of those prospects in at least 10 years.
“Now you can play the long game a little bit more,” Wade told The Associated Press, referring to how college players can look at their futures. “Look, I can get paid the same I would get paid in the G League, the same I would get paid on a two-way (contract), some guys are getting first-round money.”
And more money is on the way.
It’s been four years since college athletes were permitted to profit off the use of their name, image and likeness (NIL), opening the door for athlete compensation that was once forbidden by NCAA rules. Next week, on July 1, marks the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement.
For Wade, that led to signing Texas Tech’s Darrion Williams after 247sports’ fifth-ranked transfer withdrew from the draft.
“Basically now if you’re an early entry and you’re not a top-20, top-22 pick — where the money slots — you can pretty much make that in college,” the new Wolfpack coach said.
It’s all part of a seismic change that has rippled through college athletics since the pandemic, its impact touching the NBA. Players willing to “test the waters” in the draft before returning to school now have a lucrative option to consider against uncertain pro prospects.
And it shows in the numbers.
“With all the money that’s being thrown around in NIL, you’re having a lot less players put their names in,” Detroit Pistons president of basketball operations Trajan Langdon said. “You’re having pretty good players pulling their names out.”
Declining number of early entrants
This year’s drop is significant when compared to the years before anyone had heard of COVID-19. There was a spike of college players jumping into the draft in the pandemic’s aftermath, when they were granted a free eligibility year to temporarily make even a fourth-year senior an “early” entrant.
But those numbers had fallen as those five-year players cycled out of college basketball, and they’re now below pre-pandemic levels. That decline coincides with NIL’s July 2021 arrival, from athletes doing paid appearances or social-media endorsements to boosters forming collectives offering NIL packages amounting to de facto salaries.
As a result:
— Eighty-two players appeared on the NBA’s list of early entrants primarily from American colleges with a smattering of other teams, down 49% from 2024 (162) and nearly 47% compared to the four-year average from 2016-19 (153.5);
— Thirty-two remained after withdrawal deadlines, down from 62 last year and 72.0 from 2016-19;
— Adding international prospects, 109 players declared for the draft, down from 201 last year and 205.0 from 2016-19;
— And only 46 remained, down from 77 in 2024 and 83.8 from 2016-19.
More college players weighing options
Duke coach Jon Scheyer understands draft dynamics, both for no-doubt headliners and prospects facing less clarity. He sees college athlete compensation as a “legitimate gamechanger.”
“Hopefully it allows players to decide what’s truly best for their game,” Scheyer told the AP. “It allows them to analyze: ‘Am I actually ready for this or not?’ Where money doesn’t have to be the deciding factor. Because if money’s the deciding factor, that’s why you see kids not stick. The NBA’s cutthroat. It just is.”
The Blue Devils are expected to have three players selected in the first-round Wednesday, including presumptive No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg alongside top-10 prospects Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach. They also had players sorting through draft decisions.
Freshman Isaiah Evans — a slender wing with explosive scoring potential — withdrew instead of chasing first-round status through the draft process. Incoming transfer Cedric Coward from Washington State rapidly rose draft boards after the combine and remained in the draft.
“There’s no substituting the money you’re going to make if you’re a top-15, top-20 pick,” said Scheyer, entering Year 4 as successor to retired Hall of Famer Mike Krzyzewski. “But if you’re not solidified as a first-round pick, why risk it when you can have a solid year and a chance to go up or be in the same position the following season?”
College compensation is re-shaping the draft pool
Langdon, himself a former Duke first-rounder, sees that evolution, too.
His Pistons had their first playoff appearance since 2019, but lack a first-round selection and own a single pick in Thursday’s second round. Fewer candidates could make the already imperfect science of drafting even trickier in this new reality.
According to the NBA’s 2024-25 rookie scale, a player going midway through the first round would make roughly $3.5 million in first-year salary. That figure would drop to about $2.8 million at pick No. 20, $2.3 million at No. 25 and $2.1 million with the 30th and final first-round draftee.
A minimum first-year NBA salary? Roughly $1.2 million.
“These NIL packages are starting to get up to $3 to $4 to $5 to $6 million dollars,” Langdon said. “These guys are not going to put their name in to be the 25th pick, or even the 18th pick. They are going to go back to school in hopes of being a lottery pick next year. With that pool of players decreasing, it kind of decreases the odds of the level of player we get at No. 37, just the pure mathematics.”
Current NBA players offer insight
Indiana Pacers big man Thomas Bryant and Oklahoma City Thunder counterpart Isaiah Hartenstein, who both played in the seven-game NBA Finals that ended Sunday, illustrate Langdon’s point.
They were back-to-back second-rounders in 2017 (Bryant at 42, Hartenstein at 43), pushed down a draft board featuring early-entry college players in 33 of the 41 picks before them.
Bryant played two college seasons at Indiana before stints with five NBA teams, including Denver’s 2023 championship squad. Would the ability to make college money have changed his journey?
“To be honest, I see it from both sides,” Bryant said. “If you’re not going to get drafted, you understand that a kid needs money to live in college and everything. So, I understand where they’re coming from on that end.
“But for me, I took the chance. I bet on myself, and I believed in myself, and I worked to the very end. And the thing about me is that if I went down, I was going down swinging. I hang my hat on that. For some, it might not be the same case.”
The American-born Hartenstein moved to Germany at 11 and played in Lithuania before being drafted. As he put it: “I think everyone’s journey is different.”
“I think you should have the right people around you to kind of guide you,” said Hartenstein, a newly minted NBA champion. “I mean, I was lucky that my dad, who was a professional before, kind of guided me. Depending on your circumstances, it’s hard to turn down guaranteed money. If there’s an opportunity to get in a good situation in the NBA, you do that. But it’s a hard decision.”
College now can be more of an allure
At N.C. State, Wade’s pitch to Williams included a leading role and a shot at boosting his draft stock.
The 6-foot-6 junior averaged 15.1 points with multiple big NCAA Tournament performances as the Red Raiders reached the Elite Eight, nearly beating eventual champion Florida.
“He was most likely going to be a second-round draft pick, and his package here is better than probably he would’ve gotten as a second-round pick,” Wade said, adding: “We certainly talked about that. We went over that. We went over the math of everything. We went over the plan on how to accomplish that.”
That’s not to say it’s easy at the college level in this new landscape. Roster management is tricky, including a balancing act of maintaining financial resources to potentially land one player while risking missing out on others.
“It’s the way life works, it’s the way it should work,” Wade said. “If there’s no risk, there’s no reward. The riskiest players, in terms of waiting on the money and waiting them out, are the best players. That’s why they’re in the draft process. We’re not going to be scared of that.”
Nor should he, not with the allure of campus life these days.
2025 NBA DRAFT MAKES SINGLE-FILE LINE BEHIND NO. 1 COOPER FLAGG
A whirlwind four months for the Dallas Mavericks begins anew Wednesday with the launch of the Cooper Flagg era.
The draft lottery in May turned into an unexpected gift for the Mavericks when they jumped the line of teams with the NBA’s worst records. Against the odds, they went from the playoff play-in tournament to the top of the 2025 draft.
Embattled Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison, and a fan base miffed by the decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midseason, found immediate optimism.
Not only was there a direct path to land Flagg, his arrival would make him a team centerpiece along with center Anthony Davis, who was acquired from the Lakers in the Doncic deal. Point guard and former Duke product Kyrie Irving is on the mend from a torn ACL, giving Dallas three No. 1 overall selections at the core of its roster.
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward with franchise-altering skill and qualities, is only 18 but often looked like a man among boys in guiding Duke to the Final Four. A combo-forward with ball skills, positional size and boundless versatility, Flagg slots in to a menacing frontline next to Davis and Dereck Lively II, another Duke product.
Flagg was the Wooden Player of the Year in his only college season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game for the Blue Devils.
“Cooper has the kind of talent that can elevate a franchise,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said of Flagg’s NBA potential.
Flagg left Davis and other U.S. Olympic team members with a strong impression during scrimmages with the team last summer. One of the players raving about Flagg was LeBron James, who said this week on the “Mind the Game” podcast that Flagg couldn’t have picked a better situation to start his NBA career.
“A guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump,” James said. “And also, he has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that’s established with Hall of Fame guys — Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving — right off the bat. Hall of Fame coach, Jason Kidd.
“You know, these guys … can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be. And I think that will be an incredible thing to have that type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces. So, I think he’s going to be amazing.”
San Antonio had only a 6.3 percent chance of a top two selection when the draft lottery took place but the Spurs also beat the odds. San Antonio has lived in the draft lottery for several years and have hit more often than they’ve missed with Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle and Jeremy Sochan selected in the top 10 since 2022.
Rutgers guard Dylan Harper is a favorite to wind up as the next piece of the puzzle in the San Antonio rebuild over in-state option V.J. Edgecombe, who starred in his only season at Baylor and appears destined to play for the Philadelphia 76ers.
“His length is crazy, and I don’t think you can undervalue how important length and athleticism are in the NBA. He’s strong, really has a great court sense,” ESPN analyst Jay Bilas said of Harper. “In my view, he’s the second-best prospect in this draft. He’s a clear choice after Cooper Flagg for the Spurs.”
Either team could be prepared to pull a surprise and commit to another Rutgers product in Ace Bailey, who has raised criticism and concern by refusing to work out in traditional pre-draft sessions.
76ers forward Paul George said this week Bailey is putting his future on the line and taking a senseless risk in trying to dictate his landing spot in the draft.
“You’re not in a position to be making those commands. Make it to the league first,” George said of Bailey’s decision not to work out for teams.
Flagg’s college teammates and fellow freshmen at Duke, sharpshooter Kon Knueppel and 7-footer Khaman Maluach, are likely to find homes in the lottery with two freshman point guards and Texas wildcard Tre Johnson figuring prominently in the top-10 conversation.
Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears are natural scorers with playmaking skills attractive to the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz and Washington Wizards, who select Nos. 4, 5 and 6, respectively .
New Orleans has the seventh pick with the Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Phoenix Suns rounding out the top 10.
Portland (11th), the Chicago Bulls, Atlanta Hawks and a second pick for the Spurs complete the lottery (non-playoff) picks.
MOCK DRAFT
Cooper Flagg (Duke)
Position: Forward
Height: 6-foot-8
Age: 18
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
37 48.1 38.5 84 7.5 4.2 19.2
Thanks to his incredible versatility at both ends, expect the Mavericks to deploy Flagg in several roles as a rookie. His steady ball-handling, self-creation, and playmaking packaged in a 6-foot-8 frame suggest the bulk of his minutes will come at the wing, though he’s more than capable of holding his own at the four when Anthony Davis rests. It would be asinine to call Flagg a better overall player than Luka Doncic today; however, when Kyrie Irving’s back to 100%, the Duke product may end up being the better fit for Dallas’ contention window.
Dylan Harper (Rutgers)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-foot-4
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
29 48.4 33.3 75 4.6 4 19.4
Harper may be the most polished scoring guard to enter the league in recent years. He has a massive frame that he uses to great effect, carving out space to create driving angles. Once he gets to the cup, the former five-star recruit can deploy numerous fakes and step-throughs to finish at an elite clip (62%). Pairing Harper with Victor Wembanyama should open up his passing game – the lefty’s playmaking statistics don’t match his ability because Rutgers’ talent was questionable at best. Harper has All-NBA potential if he unlocks his off-the-dribble shooting.
VJ Edgecombe (Baylor)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-foot-4
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
33 43.6 34 78.2 5.6 3.2 15
In the debate between Edgecombe and Ace Bailey, the 76ers opt for the safer Baylor guard over the volatile Rutgers wing. Philadelphia is reportedly doing its due diligence on Edgecombe and can envision him and Tyrese Maxey in the backcourt together. The 19-year-old could cover for some of Maxey’s defensive limitations while contributing an explosive brand of offense. Adding Edgecombe might be the better decision for the Sixers’ short- and long- term future.
Ace Bailey (Rutgers)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-7
Age: 18
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
30 46 34.6 69.2 7.2 1.3 17.6
Bailey continues to flirt with falling down draft boards following a subpar interview process and smaller measurements than anticipated at the draft combine. After a mercurial freshman season and reports that the Sixers are torn on whether to pick him at No. 3, it appears Bailey will fall one spot to the Hornets and team up with LaMelo Ball. Bailey should get plenty of touches in Charlotte, but that could be to his detriment if it exposes his inefficiency.
Tre Johnson (Texas)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
33 42.7 39.7 87.1 3.1 2.7 19.9
Johnson is arguably the best pure scorer in this year’s draft. The Texas standout led the SEC in scoring last season as a freshman and posted the conference’s second-best 3-point clip. He can pull up from downtown in transition, shoot over smaller guards, and create separation from defenders on step-backs. However, Johnson’s lack of explosiveness limits his rim pressure, and he often settled for pull-up jumpers instead of making simple passing reads.
Kon Knueppel (Duke)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
39 47.9 40.6 91.4 4 2.7 14.4
NBA teams are always looking for more shooting, so the Wizards use their pick here to take the best marksman in the class. Washington desperately needs an offensive boost as it ranked dead-last in efficiency last season. Knueppel’s ability to find himself in the right spots would help improve the Wizards’ ability to score the ball just with his potential presence from deep. The crafty wing could also see some on-ball creation reps, navigating pick-and-rolls with ease.
Derik Queen (Maryland)
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-9
Age: 20
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
36 52.6 20 76.6 9 1.9 16.5
Queen’s funky offensive game relentlessly pressures the rim. He won’t put together a highlight dribble package, but the ball is on a string at all times, much in the way it is for Nikola Jokic. Even though he’s slightly undersized, Queen’s tremendous balance and great strength make him a threat in the post, and he also possesses great passing instincts. If he can improve his pick-and-roll defense, Queen has All-Star upside, and the Pelicans could use all/any help they can get.
Jeremiah Fears (Oklahoma)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-foot-2
Age: 18
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
34 43.4 28.4 85.1 4.1 4.1 17.1
Fears’ ability to attack the basket at his size generates instant comparisons to Derrick Rose. He has a very high ceiling and elite ball-handling skills. His ability to create off the dribble makes him a constant threat to get down low, and his quick hands allow him to be a defensive disruptor. If he works on his shot, Fears will be dangerous from everywhere on the court. Plus the Nets could use a point guard with D’Angelo Russell set to enter free agency.
Khaman Maluach (Duke)
Position: Center
Height: 7-foot-1
Age: 18
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB BLK PTS
39 71.2 25 76.7 6.6 1.3 8.6
The Raptors showcased a great defense in the second half of last season, and they could build on that with Maluach, who’s arguably the best defensive center in the class. The big man boasts a ridiculous 9-foot-6 standing reach coupled with a 7-foot-6 wingspan. He’s an intimidating figure in the paint and an above-average rim-protector at his young age. Maluach does have below-average hands and slow feet, but he can improve in both areas.
Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
33 44 31.8 84.5 5.7 4.7 15
Jakucionis’ passing makes him an excellent swing for upside. The Lithuanian can throw every imaginable pass with either hand and is capable of deftly tossing lobs or whipping cross-court dimes directly into a shooter’s pocket. His size and outside shooting will allow him to play off the ball, giving him more versatility than other guards in this class. Jakucionis has high-level starter potential if he can tighten up his handle.
Carter Bryant (Arizona)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-7
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
37 46 37.1 69.5 4.1 1 6.5
Bryant’s got the shooting range and physical traits to be an effective 3-and-D player. His 215-pound frame, near-7-foot wingspan, and quickness allowed him to guard 2-4 last season. Bryant is only 19 years old, so there may also be some untapped elements of his skill set that didn’t show up on the stats page during his time with Arizona.
Collin Murray-Boyles (South Carolina)
Position: Power forward
Height: 6-foot-6
Age: 20
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
32 58.6 26.5 70.7 8.3 2.4 16.8
The Bulls have drafted their fair share of forwards since 2020, but Murray-Boyles is a worthy selection to bolster their underwhelming defense. The South Carolina forward used his frame well to defend both along the perimeter and in the paint, playing passing lanes to come away with steals and deflections. He’s also a capable offensive player with room to grow into a consistent threat.
Noa Essengue (Ratiopharm Ulm)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-9
Age: 18
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
58 52.1 27.2 70.6 5.1 1.2 10.9
Atlanta’s refreshed Trae Young’s supporting cast to lean younger, with perimeter menace Dyson Daniels expected to feature alongside two-way talents like Jalen Johnson and Zaccharie Risacher for years to come. What the team’s missing is depth. Essengue, a 6-foot-10 French forward who played professionally in Germany, boasts tremendous defensive upside and off-ball awareness. The Hawks would be spoiled having him support Johnson and Risacher off the bench.
Egor Demin (BYU)
Position: Guard
Height: 6-foot-8
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
33 41.2 27.3 69.5 3.9 5.5 10.6
Demin brings elite size at the point and tremendous court vision. He’s got all sorts of passes in his arsenal and set a new BYU single-season freshman record with 180 assists last season. The big knock on Demin is his jumper, which could limit his ceiling at the next level.
Danny Wolf (Michigan)
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-10
Age: 21
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
37 49.7 33.6 59.4 9.7 3.6 13.2
While the Thunder don’t necessarily need another big man with Chet Holmgren, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Jaylin Williams playing consistent minutes, teams don’t want to find themselves without one if a worst-case injury scenario strikes. Wolf’s ball-handling and creation skills would be perfect additions to Oklahoma City’s unique offensive scheme.
Asa Newell (Georgia)
Position: Power forward
Height: 6-foot-9
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB BLK PTS
33 54.3 29.2 74.8 6.9 1 15.4
Newell’s high motor became his identity in his lone collegiate season. The big man ran the floor in transition, consistently crashed the offensive glass, and used his lateral quickness to cut off drives when switched onto a guard or wing. Newell wasn’t a consistent 3-point threat, but his good touch provides reason for optimism.
Jase Richardson (Michigan State)
Position: Guard
Height: 6-feet
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
36 49.3 41.2 83.6 3.3 1.9 12.1
The T-Wolves need to freshen up their backcourt with Mike Conley turning 38 this offseason, and Richardson is the perfect choice for that. The guard has a great offensive game and is an elite shooter from all over the court. Getting to learn from Conley would be an ideal start to Richardson’s career.
Liam McNeeley (UConn)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-7
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
27 38.1 31.7 86.6 6 2.3 14.5
McNeeley is a better 3-point shooter than his numbers indicate. He’s got clean mechanics and can knock down jumpers coming off screens. He flashed his shot-making prowess in a 38-point road win over Creighton. McNeeley also has good size at the wing position and showed great feel for the game during his lone year at UConn.
Nolan Traore (Saint-Quentin)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-foot-3
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
44 41 31.4 71.1 1.9 4.7 12.2
Due to his lackluster efficiency playing overseas coupled with the recent track record of guards from France, Traore’s stock seems to be sliding. He possesses good qualities for a lead guard, but the right team will need to give him the chance to develop at the NBA level. Could it be the Nets?
Thomas Sorber (Georgetown)
Position: Center
Height: 6-foot-9
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB BLK PTS
24 53.2 16.2 72.4 8.5 2 14.5
Sorber is undersized for the center position, but he makes up for his height with a 9-foot-1 standing reach and terrific strength. A true play-finishing big, Sorber is elite around the rim while also possessing strong passing instincts. His shot creation is lacking, though, and he’s unlikely to develop into a consistent shooter.
Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida)
Position: Point guard
Height: 6-foot-2
Age: 22
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
39 44.8 38.6 87.5 3.7 4.2 18.3
An elite shot-creator, Clayton was outstanding in leading Florida to a national championship. He has the ability to score from all over the court, and once he catches from fire from three, it’s hard to make him miss. Clayton could be an immediate solution to the backcourt issues Utah had last season.
Nique Clifford (Colorado State)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Age: 23
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
36 49.6 37.7 77.7 9.6 4.4 18.9
Clifford’s versatile skill set and age make him an ideal plug-and-play candidate. The 23-year-old defends multiple positions, creates turnovers at a high rate, and is an elite defensive rebounder. He took the next step offensively as a fifth-year senior, flashing promise as a pick-and-roll scorer, isolation scorer, and post-up threat.
Ben Saraf (Ratiopharm Ulm)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-foot-5
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
56 44.8 29.2 76 2.8 4.2 12.2
Saraf would be well-suited as a late first-round find for New Orleans, which doesn’t have many dependable ball-handlers on its second unit. The Israeli combo guard’s size makes him an intriguing option to play next to the 6-foot Jose Alvarado, though their mutual lack of outside shooting may create another issue that needs addressed in the offseason.
Rasheer Fleming (St. Joseph’s)
Position: Power forward
Height: 6-foot-8
Age: 20
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB BLK PTS
35 53.1 39 74.3 8.5 1.5 14.7
The Thunder land another versatile big man in Fleming to pair with their previous selection, Danny Wolf. The Saint Joseph’s forward projects to be a high-level role player who brings bursts of energy, specifically on defense. Oklahoma City can also give the 20-year-old ample time to develop his offensive feel.
Joan Beringer (KK Cedevita Olimpija)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-8
Age: 18
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB BLK PTS
64 64.4 NA 56.6 4.9 1.4 5.4
Beringer’s soccer background stands out, as the forward’s fluidity and movement are elite. A solid screener and terrific lob threat, Beringer projects as a low-usage backup big man but with upside. The Frenchman only began playing basketball at 14, so he’s got lots of room for growth.
Noah Penda (Le Mans Sarthe)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-8
Age: 20
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
37 44.7 32.2 66.7 5.5 2.7 10.2
Penda will be a defensive asset no matter where he ends up. The Frenchman averaged 1.4 steals per game last season and boasts great size for his position. His absurd 7-foot wingspan and heavier frame will make him a tough matchup for most wings.
Will Riley (Illinois)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-8
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
35 43.2 32.6 72.4 4.1 2.2 12.6
Landing with the rebuilding Nets would be best for Riley’s professional development. His measurables lead scouts to believe that the 19-year-old could be a big scoring forward, but he needs time to develop a consistent jumper and add muscle.
Hugo Gonzalez (Real Madrid)
Position: Small forward
Height: 6-foot-6
Age: 19
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
67 41 28.7 75.8 1.8 0.6 3.5
With Jayson Tatum out long term and a mammoth tax bill looming, Gonzalez could be the Celtics’ answer at No. 28. The Spanish wing may need time to adjust after averaging the fourth-fewest minutes for Real Madrid in 2024-25, but he’s flashed promise across multiple youth levels, including back-to-back Euroleague Next Generation Tournament titles (and MVP honors in the second one). That suggests he’s a worthwhile project for Boston.
Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton)
Position: Center
Height: 7-foot-1
Age: 23
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB BLK PTS
35 65.3 34.4 68.1 8.7 2.7 19.2
Kalkbrenner enters the NBA with an immediate role: defense. The 23-year-old won four defensive player of the year awards at Creighton and can slot into any roster as a drop-coverage big, similar to Brook Lopez. A solid rim-runner who lacks elite burst, Kalkbrenner improved his outside shooting every year in college.
Cedric Coward (Washington State)
Position: Shooting guard
Height: 6-foot-6
Age: 21
GP FG% 3PT% FT% REB AST PTS
6 55.7 40 83.9 7 3.7 17.7
Coward flew up draft boards after posting outrageous measurements at the combine – a 7-foot-2 wingspan and 8-foot-10 standing reach – prompting the shooting guard to decommit from Duke. The Washington State standout was made in a lab to be a 3-and-D wing; he shot nearly 40% from deep across four seasons (including a stint in D-III).
REPORT: PELS, WIZARDS SWAP MCCOLLUM, POOLE IN 4-PLAYER DEAL
The New Orleans Pelicans are trading sharpshooter CJ McCollum to the Washington Wizards as part of a four-player trade, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
New Orleans is reportedly sending McCollum, big man Kelly Olynyk, and a future second-round pick to the Wizards in exchange for guard Jordan Poole, forward Saddiq Bey, and the 40th overall pick in Wednesday’s draft.
The trade won’t be made official until July 6 because Washington is $907,000 below the first apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
McCollum, 33, will earn a little over $30 million in 2025-26, the final season of his contract.
The former first-round pick brings some veteran shooting to the rebuilding Wizards. McCollum, who spent most of the last four campaigns in New Orleans, shot 37.3% from behind the arc in 56 games for the Pels last season while averaging a little over 21 points and four assists per game.
Olynyk averaged 8.7 points and 4.7 rebounds over 44 games last season split between the Pelicans and Toronto Raptors. The 34-year-old Canadian is also on an expiring contract that will pay him around $13.4 million next season.
Washington will be Olynyk’s eighth stop in his 12-year career.
Poole spent the last two seasons in Washington after the Wizards acquired him from the Golden State Warriors as part of the return for Chris Paul. The 26-year-old averaged 18.8 points per game over 146 contests with the Wizards.
The Milwaukee native is owed $65.8 million over the next two seasons.
Bey, 26, didn’t play a game for the Wizards after joining them on a three-year, $20-million deal last July. He spent the year rehabbing the torn ACL he sustained in March 2024 while with the Atlanta Hawks.
REPORT: KNICKS INTERVIEW WOLVES ASSISTANT MICAH NORI
Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori is the third candidate to formally interview for the New York Knicks’ vacant head coaching position, ESPN reported Tuesday.
Former NBA head coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins previously met with the team about replacing fired head coach Tom Thibodeau, dismissed earlier this month after the Knicks’ first Eastern Conference finals appearance in a quarter-century.
Nori, 51, has been on Chris Finch’s staff in Minnesota since 2021. The Timberwolves denied the Knicks’ request for an interview with Finch.
Nori previously worked as an assistant with the Detroit Pistons (2018-21), Denver Nuggets (2015-18), Sacramento Kings (2013-15) and Toronto Raptors (2009-13).
Brown, 55, was fired 31 games into his third season as the head coach in Sacramento, where he posted a 107-88 overall record. The two-time NBA Coach of the Year also led the Cleveland Cavaliers (2005-10, 2013-14) and Los Angeles Lakers (2011-12) and has a career record of 454-304 in the regular season.
The Memphis Grizzlies fired Jenkins, 40, in March with nine games left in the regular season and a 44-29 record. He compiled a 250-214 record in nearly six full seasons with the Grizzlies. They qualified for the playoffs three times.
