Day 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft delivered a mix of predictability and intrigue. While top prospects Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper landed with the teams most expected, the night was far from boring. Surprising trades, bold picks, and last-minute decisions kept fans and analysts on their toes, making the first round anything but routine.

Let’s now discuss some of the top news from Round 1

Cooper Flagg is a Maverick

Pegged as a generational talent with his athleticism and two-way abilities, Cooper Flagg will now join a core that has a host of veterans and solid young players, and anytime that happens, things are pretty interesting. He’ll be alongside giants Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively, shooters Klay Thompson and Max Christie, and showman guard Kyrie Irving (once he comes back), among others. It’s a promising group that should bring the Mavericks back to serious playoff contention.

Pinoys have a new guy

Dylan Harper, son of former Chicago Bull Ron Harper, has Filipino blood from his mother, and went into an exciting position by going second overall to the San Antonio Spurs. The young team is steadily forming, and he’ll have pinoys’ eyes from here on out. 

Ace Bailey falls… to good ‘ol Utah

Top prospect Ace Bailey, teammate of Dylan Harper at Rutgers University, is a classic scorer who’s simply walking bucket. However, while he’s still trying to prove himself, he’ll likely be remembered as the guy who cancelled team workouts so he can fall outside of the top 5, and failed (for now, at least). You just know that a guy like him who craves the bright lights is sick of possibly playing in Utah, maybe the last team he wanted to play at.

The weird Pelicans trade

Yeah just what in the hell are the New Orleans Pelicans doing? First, they trade veteran CJ McCollum for the consistently inconsistent Jordan Poole. Now they gave up a first this year and unprotected first-round pick next season–as a very, very likely lottery team– to the Atlanta Hawks to move up 10 spots in this year’s draft… for a pick that was late in the lottery! 

They got their guy in University of Maryland standout Derik Queen, who’s a good prospect, but not good enough to make you forget that hefty price. This looks, feels, and smells like a Joe Dumars move.

Yang Hansen

This was the first surprise pick of the draft. Chinese prospect Yang Hansen was expected to be a second-round talent yet he got selected 16th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers (trade pending). He’s the first Chinese to be drafted since Yi JianLian in 2007.

Hansen is one of those low-ranked talents that somehow gets your attention. He stands at a towering 7’2, shoots efficiently, blocks shots like he’s supposed to, and, most intriguing of all, sees the court like a point guard.

There will be some challenge as the Blazers are loaded in big men (DeAndre Ayton, Robert Williams, Donovan Clingan), but we’ll see.