2025 NBA Draft Thread

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1      

Dan

Dan
Admin
Dan
Update
Kasparas Jakucionis drafted by the Miami Heat (1st Round, 20th Pick)
Will Riley drafted by the Washington Wizards (1st Round, 21st Pick)


-------------------------------------------------------
2025 NBA Draft (Barclays Center - Brooklyn, NY)

Wednesday, June 25th
First Round
7:00pm CT - ABC & ESPN

Thursday, June 26th
Second Round
7:00pm CT - ESPN

IL players who received NBA Draft green room invites
Kasparas Jakucionis
Will Riley
 
Last edited:
#4      
NarrowJ
re: KJ turnovers from last thread

Tomi short rolled all the time, in PnR you expect/embrace a double team of the ballhandler (especially if you have a good one) because the whole point of PnR is to force the defense into decisions on who to guard

KJ played with hand/wrist/forearm discomfort for about 2 months, it really messes with you (shooting mostly, but passing as well), although there were also certainly instances of lazy passes and questionable decisions- I’m thinking of a few SLOB plays for sure, but also he tended to jump in the air to make passes when doubled out top, and also at times just trying to force passes that aren’t there.

I never really saw many of the Coleman Hawkins variety turnovers where he’s just trying to rifle a cross court pass every other possession or throwing it to an imaginary person because he didn’t know where the player was supposed to move to on a particular action.

I think KJs issues were partly the injury but also mental, which both are perfectly fixable.
 
#5      
nonsenseone
im really high on these two guys even compared to ayo. probably better nba pro than collegiate bc they have elite size for their position and shooting is premium skill and their playmaking is also superb. for riley, I see current MPJ as realistic outcome he never reached KD ceiling due to injuries. KJ is more of high risk/reward in that he is a doncic archetype if everything goes right he could command 40% usg and become a player between giddey and luka. Their defense will be projected to be average bc they are plus athletes and size.

Even though bulls have giddey who is on ball, he is smart enough and unselfish to make KJ the lead guard while he does more of spot up shooter which he has become elite at. Riley would be match made in heaven bc half the roster cant really shoot. nba scouts were dumb enough to let matas fall but highly doubt this happens again. AK should at least trade down for riley instead of settling for two way role players.
 
Last edited:
#6      
aveseaboy
responding to the claim that the celtics may be looking to jump up and grab kj, i saw this a couple different times since last evening
 
#7      
Fly Illini Fly!
#8      
Boskydell
nonsenseone said:
im really high on these two guys even compared to ayo. probably better nba pro than collegiate bc they have elite size for their position and shooting is premium skill and their playmaking is also superb. for riley, I see current MPJ as realistic outcome he never reached KD ceiling due to injuries. KJ is more of high risk/reward in that he is a doncic archetype if everything goes right he could command 40% usg and become a player between giddey and luka. Their defense will be projected to be average bc they are plus athletes and size.

Even though bulls have giddey who is on ball, he is smart enough and unselfish to make KJ the lead guard while he does more of spot up shooter which he has become elite at. Riley would be match made in heaven bc half the roster cant really shoot. nba scouts were dumb enough to let matas fall but highly doubt this happens again. AK should at least trade down for riley instead of settling for two way role players.
Click to expand...
Or failing to find a trade partner, just take Riley at 12. I don't think that would be a reach in this draft.
 
#12      
the juiceman cometh
Givony and Woo dropped a new mock draft this afternoon and have KJ going #11 to Portland, Riley going #24 to OKC

www.espn.com

2025 NBA mock draft: Pick predictions off trades, new intel

Round 1 of the NBA draft is tonight (8 ET on ABC and ESPN), and we have the intel on trade talks and picks.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Vecinie updated his mock ($) and has KJ at #13 to ATL, and Riley at #22 to the Nets .

www.nytimes.com

NBA mock draft 2025: What will the 76ers do at No. 3?

Here's everything Sam Vecenie is hearing ahead of Wednesday's first round.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
#13      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
It'll suck to see Fears end up in the top 5-10 and know we basically turned him aside. It's a help you sleep better narrative to retreat to the "we took too many guards and he just left." I can pull up the threads right now it's pretty eminent Illinois backed off because we thought he wasn't reclass ready (there were even talks about how we'd take Jasper Johnson and what not). Of course having a full roster was a factor, but it definitely sucks knowing hindsight. He's a very good player and will no doubt be so at the next level.
 
Last edited:
#14      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
the juiceman cometh said:
Givony and Woo dropped a new mock draft this afternoon and have KJ going #11 to Portland, Riley going #24 to OKC

www.espn.com

2025 NBA mock draft: Pick predictions off trades, new intel

Round 1 of the NBA draft is tonight (8 ET on ABC and ESPN), and we have the intel on trade talks and picks.
www.espn.com www.espn.com

Vecinie updated his mock ($) and has KJ at #13 to ATL, and Riley at #22 to the Nets .

www.nytimes.com

NBA mock draft 2025: What will the 76ers do at No. 3?

Here's everything Sam Vecenie is hearing ahead of Wednesday's first round.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
Click to expand...
Ace Bailey's fallen quite a bit. Was consensus No. 3 pick not too long ago.

It'll suck to see Fears end up in the top 5-10 and know we basically turned him aside. It's a help you sleep better narrative to retreat to the "we took too many guards and he just left." I can pull up the threads right now it's very eminent Illinois backed off because we thought he wasn't reclass ready (there were even talks about how we'd take Jasper Johnson and what not). Of course having a full roster was a factor, and granted at the time he wasn't the most polarizing prospect, but it definitely sucks knowing hindsight. He's a very good player and will no doubt be so at the next level.

And with KJ, I've said it before I don't think the second-half of the season will show what he becomes at the next level. 1) I the hand injury was a factor and 2) playing around as bad a shooting team we were this past year is just not the best situation for a player to succeed. Did he play well? Absolutely not, but I think he's one that could've benefited from the talent around him better (especially shooting). Just more guys who'd take some off the plate. He's not good when he has to do too much and/or when he thinks he has to do too much. The NBA system be may better for him.
 
Last edited:
#15      
the juiceman cometh
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Ace Bailey's fallen quite a bit. Was consensus No. 3 pick not too long ago.
Click to expand...
If you read the writeups in those mocks, it appears to be a mix of personality concerns (not great interviews at the Combine, reports of immaturity) , and some speculation that he specifically does not want to be drafted by the teams drafting 3-5. He's apparently declined workouts with all three of those teams.
 
#17      
Fly Illini Fly!
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
It'll suck to see Fears end up in the top 5-10 and know we basically turned him aside. It's a help you sleep better narrative to retreat to the "we took too many guards and he just left." I can pull up the threads right now it's pretty eminent Illinois backed off because we thought he wasn't reclass ready (there were even talks about how we'd take Jasper Johnson and what not). Of course having a full roster was a factor, but it definitely sucks knowing hindsight. He's a very good player and will no doubt be so at the next level.
Click to expand...
This is true, but I doubt there's more of an opportunity to have the ball in his hands here vs that Oklahoma team where he pretty much walked in as the best player.

The chances for his breakout ever happening were much, much higher in a situation like that than here. Plus, truth be told, under Brad we are not historically a program that will give PT/shots at a high volume to guys that don't walk in (preseason) as the best players that coming season. Situation matters.
 
Last edited:
#20      
illinifan1987
NarrowJ said:
Ace was also found to be ~3 inches shorter than everyone thought (measured 6'7 was listed 6'10), so that didn't help him out either
Click to expand...
wiz khalifa conan obrien GIF by Team Coco
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back