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Winners
The tanking teams
After a season that featured multiple teams participating in the most egregious display of tanking in NBA history, Adam Silver responded by implementing new rules that will supposedly stop the tactic. However, those rules will not go into effect until next season, which means the biggest losers were the biggest winners on draft night.
The Washington Wizards (AJ Dybantsa), Utah Jazz (Darryn Peterson), Memphis Grizzlies (Cameron Boozer), and Chicago Bulls (Caleb Wilson) picked up generational players in what is considered the deepest draft in years. Among the teams who won by tanking, the Wizards stand out – they are poised to improve significantly after drafting Dybantsa No 1 overall. Adding Dybantsa as the centerpiece on a team that features two former All-NBA picks, Trae Young and Anthony Davis, could lead to the Wizards making the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
The Jalen Brunson Effect
After leading the New York Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973, Brunson proved that shifty guards with a knack for scoring can anchor title-contending teams. In an era where 3-and-D wings were previously considered the gold standard, Brunson’s feats may have reshaped the NBA: six guards were selected in the top 10 of this year’s draft.
Peterson, Keaton Wagler, Mikel Brown Jr, Darius Acuff Jr, Kingston Flemings, and Brayden Burries are all aggressive guards who, like Brunson, can take over in the fourth quarter and dictate the outcome of games in critical moments.
Peterson will battle Dybantsa for rookie of the year honors and garner more attention for the often-forgotten Jazz. Brown (Brooklyn Nets) and Acuff (Sacramento Kings) will have multiple explosive scoring nights. And Wagler (LA Clippers) and Flemings (Atlanta Hawks) will be essential lead guards as their teams fight for playoff positions.
The new big men of the Thunder and Spurs
Big men Aday Mara, Jayden Quaintance, and Tarris Reed Jr are set to play key roles as the Thunder and Spurs aim for a title run. Mara (7ft 3in) will attempt to solve the Thunder’s glaring inability to stop Victor Wembanyama.
On the Spurs’ end, Wembanyama appeared fatigued at times while battling the physicality of Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson in the NBA finals. The Spurs’ backup center, Luke Kornet, failed to stabilize the team during the non-Wemby minutes.
Quaintance (6ft 10in) and Reed (6ft 11in) will allow Wembanyama to play more minutes at power forward, freeing the Frenchman to utilize his overall skillset. And the Thunder will hope that Mara’s pairing with Chet Holmgren becomes Wembanyama’s kryptonite.
Losers
Labaron Philon Jr
In some cases, a player can lose by entering the draft a year too early or too late. If Philon had entered the 2025 draft, he probably would have been selected as a late lottery pick or mid-first rounder.
The highly-skilled guard from Alabama averaged 22 points a game and erupted for 35 points against Michigan in the NCAA Tournament. However, Philon fell to the Philadelphia 76ers at No 22 because an abundance of elite guards were present in this year’s draft.
Philon would be a starter on most NBA lottery teams. Instead, he will begin his career behind Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for the Sixers.
Dusty May’s first draft
In 24 hours, Dusty May was announced as the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, and his former Michigan player Morez Johnson Jr was drafted by the Mavs. Johnson is an enforcer who will do the dirty work in the paint next to the versatile Cooper Flagg.
Although there’s a feelgood story here somewhere, drafting Johnson at No 9 appears to be an overreach.
Johnson was projected to be a mid-first round selection, with the ceiling of a high-value role player. With Kyrie Irving returning from injury, the Mavs should have drafted a high-scoring guard such as Burries or Dailyn Swain.
Blockbuster moments
One of the most intriguing aspects of past NBA drafts was the drama of the unexpected. At any moment, a shocking blockbuster trade could change the landscape of the league while becoming fodder for a desperate news cycle.
This year’s draft lacked the suspense and intensity of moments such as Kobe Bryant being traded from the Charlotte Hornets to the Los Angeles Lakers; the Philadelphia 76ers trading Jayson Tatum to the Boston Celtics for Markelle Fultz; and the Atlanta Hawks trading Luka Dončić to the Dallas Mavericks for Trae Young.
But while this year’s draft lacked intrigue and controversy, the overall talent will be analyzed for years to come.
