10 Best NBA Prospects in the 2025 NCAA Tournament

The NBA Draft is three months away as potential lottery teams are looking for their future star. Many of those players will be on display during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, seeking to improve their draft stock.

We’ll give you the 10 best NBA prospects in the 2025 NCAA Tournament below — including many expected lottery picks set to compete for the National Championship. Getting insight into teams’ best players can also help you fill out your 2025 NCAA Tournament bracket.

You’ll also find all of these players on the PrizePicks CBB board throughout the NCAA Tournament. PrizePicks is the easiest way to cash in on college basketball DFS. Just pick More or Less on player stat projections across college basketball, lock in your Lineups, and win up to 1000x on 6-Pick Lineups!

Let’s take a glance at 10 of the top prospects that will be showcasing their skills in the NCAA Tournament.

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10 Best NBA Prospects in the NCAA Tournament

With several NCAA Draft lottery picks playing in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, here are the top 10 to watch for in this year’s tournament as they compete for a National Championship.

• Duke G/F Cooper Flagg
• Baylor SG/SF VJ Edgecombe
• Texas SG Tre Johnson
• Duke SG Kon Knueppel
• Illinois SG Kasparas Jakucionis
• Maryland C Derik Queen
• Michigan State G Jase Richardson
• UConn F Liam McNeeley
• Oklahoma PG Jeremiah Fears
• Georgia PF Asa Newell

Duke G/F Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg entered his freshman season in Durham, N.C., as a player that would likely be the top pick in the NBA Draft. He has lived up to the billing, averaging nearly 19 points per game for the Blue Devils, along with 7.5 rebounds a contest.

Flagg owns incredible athleticism, but also has great touch with his 83% shooting from the foul line. He looks to become the third Duke freshman since 2019 to be the top draft pick, alongside Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero.

Flagg was just named as a First Team All-American, but he is dealing with a sprained ankle suffered during the ACC Tournament. He’s currently expected to play in the Blue Devils’ Round of 64 game on Friday.

Projected NBA Draft Position: No. 1 Overall — Lottery Pick

Baylor SG/SF VJ Edgecombe

Another freshman star is projected to be drafted high in next year’s NBA Draft is Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe. Edgecombe is coming off a solid season for the Bears, who are a 9-seed in the tournament. Edgecombe posted 15 points per game, although the guard struggled down the stretch.

In his final nine games, Edgecombe shot 42-of-109 (38.5%) from the floor and scored 11 points or fewer four times. The guard managed two or more steals in 23 games, including six straight games to close out the season.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 5 — Lottery Pick

Texas SG Tre Johnson

Texas SG Tre Johnson posted nearly 20 points per game in his initial campaign with the Longhorns. The guard knocked down 114-of-128 free throw attempts for a remarkable 89.1% clip. In 14 games, Johnson amassed 20 points or more, but also posted an 0-of-14 performance in a loss to South Carolina.

Johnson can light it up on any given night, but in other stat categories, he wasn’t impressive. He averaged three rebounds and nearly three assists a contest, as he didn’t pick up a single double-digit rebounding game. However, teams are always looking for a player who can create his own shot.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 5 — Lottery Pick

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Duke SG Kon Knueppel

Kon Knueppel — Flagg’s freshman running mate with the Blue Devils — averaged 14.4 points per game for the ACC champions. Knueppel may not receive the national acclaim like Flagg, but the guard shot 39.2% on 3-pointers with his quick release and 91.4% at the foul line.

Knueppel posted 18 points per game in the final nine contests, including a 28-point effort against Georgia Tech in the ACC tournament. He can light it up as a spot-up 3-point shooter, but he may not have the biggest upside.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 10 — Lottery Pick

Illinois SG Kasparas Jakucionis

Lithuanian-guard Kasparas Jakucionis led the Fighting Illini in scoring at 15 points per game, which ranked 15th in the Big Ten. The freshman guard from Lithuania pulled down 5.6 rebounds and 4.6 assists per contest, while shooting 84.1% from the foul line.

Jakucionis had his ups and downs during Big Ten play, including five games of single-digit scoring. However, he had several impressive performances as he put together consecutive 24-point efforts against Minnesota and UCLA.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 10 — Lottery Pick

Maryland C Derik Queen

The Baltimore native Derik Queen led the Terrapins in scoring (16.3 points per game) and rebounding (9.0 rebounds per game) in his freshman campaign. Maryland finished tied for second in the Big Ten with Michigan, as Queen pulled double-digit rebounds eight times in the final 10 contests.

Queen is the most sought after big man in June’s draft after putting up 11 double-doubles in conference games this season, showing off his versatility at the center position.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 8 — Lottery Pick

Michigan State G Jase Richardson

Jason Richardson put together a fantastic career with the Spartans and eventually with the Golden State Warriors. His son, Jase, looks to follow in his footsteps after averaging 12 points per game at Michigan State.

Richardson started only 11-of-32 games at MSU, but was fantastic down the stretch. The guard scored more than 17 points in each of the final four games of the season heading into the tournament, capped off by a 21-point effort in the Big Ten semifinals against Wisconsin.

His biggest limitation is his size, standing at just 6-foot-3. But his ability on pull-ups, drives, and off the ball should land him as a borderline lottery pick.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 10 — Lottery Pick

UConn F Liam McNeeley

Liam McNeeley joined the Huskies after the team won its back-to-back National Championships. He finished second on the team in scoring this season, including a dominating 38-point performance at Creighton in January.

McNeeley’s field goal percentage is subpar at 39.1%, but he shot 86.1% from the foul line. The freshman wasn’t afraid to fire away, as he finished 11-of-44 from 3-point range in the final nine games.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 15 — Mid-First Round

Oklahoma PG Jeremiah Fears

Jeremiah Fears finished seventh in the SEC in scoring this season at 17.0 points per game. The freshman stepped up down the stretch to help lead Oklahoma to the NCAA Tournament as a 9-seed, drawing a tough Round of 64 opponent in UConn.

In the final four games, Fears topped the 28-point mark three times, including 31 points in an upset of Missouri. The Sooners guard didn’t shoot the ball well from the floor — just 43.6% on the season, 27.5% from 3-point range — which is a cause for concern, but he converted 84.5% of his free throw attempts. 

He’s also an effective ball-handler who brings solid defense. If an NBA team can get Fears’ to shoot more consistently, he could be a good find, likely outside of the top 10. 

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 12 — Borderline Lottery Pick

Georgia PF Asa Newell

Asa Newell was the model of consistency for the Bulldogs, averaging 15.3 points per game. The freshman posted double-figure scoring in 29-of-32 games, including five double-doubles in SEC play.

Newell’s top performance came in an SEC Tournament loss to Oklahoma, as he scored 21 points and pulled down 17 rebounds. On 2-point attempts this season, Newell shot 62%, but had his struggles from downtown by hitting 29.9% of his 3-point tries.

Projected NBA Draft Position: Top 12 — Borderline Lottery Pick

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Get College Basketball Action on PrizePicks

The NCAA Tournament is here, and the future stars of the NBA will be putting on a show throughout America’s favorite tournament. Now’s your chance to turn your knowledge into real money wins on PrizePicks. 

There are tons of CBB DFS picks to consider for your PrizePicks Lineups as we start the NCAA Tournament. PrizePicks is the best way to get in on the real money CBB action. 

Just pick More or Less at least two CBB player stat projections to build your Lineup on PrizePicks. Whether you’re riding with a potential lottery pick, or finding that college star, you can win up to 1000x on PrizePicks during the NCAA Tournament. 

Check out the Playbook for more college basketball picks all the way through the NCAA Tournament and cash in on the real-money action.