With training camp now two weeks away and 2024 rookies set to embark on their debut seasons, Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN are taking a look at the next chapter of NBA rookies. The duo unpacks some top players and storylines to watch ahead of the NBA’s 2025 draft.
Although rising stars Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, and Dylan Harper are expected to be the top three picks next year, Givony and Woo note that sleeper prospects have been carving out a niche for themselves over the summer in various competitions. According to the ESPN tandem, Baylor freshman shooting guard V.J. Edgecombe would probably be the top selection in a less loaded draft.
There’s more from around the basketball world:
- Heading into the season, HoopsHype’s Mark Deeks breaks down the relative value of the draft and player assets on each NBA squad. For the third straight season, the Thunder top the list, as a club with both an incredibly talented, young present-day roster and a deep portfolio of future equity.
- Ahead of the forthcoming 2024/25 NBA season, Frank Urbina and Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype revealed their rankings of the top 100 best players in the league. The top five is pretty predictable, though the order may surprise some. MVP Nuggets center Nikola Jokic ranks first, followed by (in order) Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Sixers center Joel Embiid.
- In case you missed it, former two-time All-Star point guard Isaiah Thomas, now 35, continues to seek his next NBA opportunity.