The 2025 NBA draft has wrapped up, with the rookie class debuting at summer leagues and teams looking ahead to next season.
In the wake of the annual Las Vegas showcase, where No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and others turned in standout performances, we polled early opinions on the draft and what NBA teams are expecting from their new faces.
ESPN's Jeremy Woo surveyed 20 anonymous NBA executives and scouts, asking for their thoughts on the incoming rookie class for the 2025-26 NBA season. Based on their evaluations and preliminary observations from this offseason, participants cast their votes on five questions.
Can anyone challenge Flagg for Rookie of the Year? Which players were viewed as potential draft steals? And which player do teams view as the front-runner for the No. 1 pick in 2026? Our panelists weighed in.
Jump to:
Rookie of the Year | Best pick | Best steal
Biggest reach | No. 1 pick in 2026
Who's your NBA Rookie of the Year pick?
1. Cooper Flagg (Dallas Mavericks, No. 1): 17 votes
2. Dylan Harper (San Antonio Spurs, No. 2): 2 votes
Also receiving votes: Tre Johnson (Washington Wizards)
The early Rookie of the Year front-runner isn't exactly a surprise: Flagg was the No. 1 pick for good reason and is considered not only the top prospect but perhaps the most NBA-ready player in the class. He joins a Mavericks team expected to lean on him, with Kyrie Irving recovering from tearing an ACL in March. Flagg's playmaking skills, positional size and defensive impact project to be immediately useful.
The caveat, as mentioned by a few of our voters, is that Flagg might not wind up leading the rookie class in scoring. He's still developing as a shot creator, and the Mavericks shouldn't need him to carry an outsized load in that respect. His 31-point summer league showing (before Dallas shut him down) helped to underscore Flagg's ability, but on a team with plenty of veterans, he might not be needed to take over games. Other rookies, including Ace Bailey and Johnson, landed on rebuilding teams where they'll likely have more freedom to operate but aren't expected to win as many games. In the end, voters widely predict Flagg's star power and winning impact will drive the award voting.
"I assume someone like Bailey or Johnson may outscore Cooper as a rookie," one Eastern Conference executive said, "but Cooper will make more meaningful contributions that push Dallas into play-in range."
Which rookie -- other than Flagg -- will prove to be the draft's best pick?
1. VJ Edgecombe (Philadelphia 76ers, No. 3): 10 votes
2. Dylan Harper (Spurs, No. 2): 6 votes
Also receiving votes: Carter Bryant (Spurs), Yang Hansen (Portland Trail Blazers), Tre Johnson (Wizards), Nique Clifford (Sacramento Kings)/Asa Newell (Atlanta Hawks)
With Flagg the overwhelming headliner of the 2025 draft class, we geared this question toward the rest of the group. "Best pick" was left open for interpretation intentionally: The goal was simply to find out which selection(s) rival teams liked most.
The big winner here was Edgecombe, who came off the board third to the 76ers and underscored his talent earlier this month with an outstanding 28-point performance in his lone game at the Utah summer league event. The Baylor product is turning into a dynamic downhill slasher in the backcourt, and many execs and scouts believe he has significant untapped upside operating with the ball in his hands after playing mostly away from it in college.
While there were some reasonable questions about fit in Philadelphia, where the 76ers also have Tyrese Maxey and 2024 draft pick Jared McCain at guard, Edgecombe's potential to be a standout on both sides of the ball ultimately overrode those concerns. There's plenty of optimism around the league surrounding his future.
"VJ might be Philly's second-best player by the end of the season, factoring in [Joel] Embiid's uncertain health," an Eastern Conference GM said. "He's that good and will thrive playing in Nick Nurse's system. "
San Antonio's Harper, the No. 2 pick, out of Rutgers, garnered six votes, with some viewing the Spurs as a strong landing spot despite a crowded backcourt situation, with Harper joining 2024-25 Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle and recently acquired De'Aaron Fox in the mix. Harper's pick-and-roll prowess and crafty, powerful style of play made him the choice for the Spurs, who have been optimizing for additional playmaking around Victor Wembanyama moving forward. Even if he winds up coming off the bench as a rookie, Harper projects as a foundational long-term player.
"[Harper] has some [Manu] Ginobili to his offensive game," one Western Conference scout said. "If the 3-point shot ever becomes a true weapon [for him], he makes Fox expendable and gives San Antonio a nice trade asset."
Which rookie will be the biggest draft steal?
1. Carter Bryant (Spurs, No. 14): 5 votes
2. Joan Beringer (Minnesota Timberwolves, No. 17): 4 votes
3. Kasparas Jakucionis (Miami Heat, No. 20): 2 votes
Also receiving votes: Walter Clayton Jr. (Utah Jazz), Tre Johnson (Wizards), Collin Murray-Boyles (Toronto Raptors), Asa Newell (Hawks), Noah Penda (Orlando Magic), Danny Wolf (Brooklyn Nets), Khaman Maluach (Phoenix Suns)/Cedric Coward (Memphis Grizzlies), Liam McNeeley (Charlotte Hornets)/Chaz Lanier (Detroit Pistons), Carter Bryant (Spurs)/Nique Clifford (Kings)
This question turned up the widest range of responses, with several voters offering dual answers. Spurs rookie Bryant garnered the most votes on the heels of his excellent defensive play at the Las Vegas summer league session. The Arizona forward was widely expected to come off the board earlier, with potential suitors in Portland and Atlanta trading out of their slots in the late lottery, which dropped him to San Antonio's spot.
"[Bryant] will turn into an impact wing defender that can make 3s and be a part of their core," one Eastern Conference scout said. "We'll look back in several years while the Spurs are winning big, and people will mention them drafting Castle at 4 [in 2024] and Bryant at 14 to pair defensively with Victor as [draft] steals."
There was also excitement around Beringer, another defensive-oriented prospect who played well in Las Vegas. The 18-year-old French center has been playing basketball competitively for only four years, but he has demonstrated strong instincts as a shot blocker and lob catcher and played his way into the first round of the draft after entering last season as a lesser-known talent. Beringer drew late lottery interest but ended up falling to the Timberwolves after three centers -- Derik Queen, Thomas Sorber and Yang -- were selected in the four picks preceding him at No. 17. He'll be an understudy to countryman and three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert next season.
"[Beringer] could turn out to be a top-five player in this draft," the Eastern Conference GM said. "Upside is through the roof, and he doesn't even know how to play yet. He is also in a perfect situation where he can learn and grow from all of their bigs."
Which pick was the draft's biggest reach?
1. Egor Demin (Nets, No. 8): 7 votes
2. Yang Hansen (Trail Blazers, No. 16): 4 votes
3. Cedric Coward (Grizzlies, No. 11): 3 votes
Also receiving votes: Thomas Sorber (Oklahoma City Thunder), Drake Powell (Nets), Collin Murray-Boyles (Raptors), Derik Queen (New Orleans Pelicans), Noa Essengue (Chicago Bulls) and one voter preferred not to answer
Three players drew multiple votes from the panel: Demin, Yang and Coward, with the Nets guard drawing the most scrutiny. Brooklyn held five first-round picks and ultimately made and rostered all five of them, enabling a strategy that led to several swings on playmaking prospects, including Demin. At 6-foot-9, Demin has excellent passing skills but was divisive for teams all season as he dealt with ups and downs adjusting to college basketball at BYU.
"Even if you believe in [Demin] as a starting NBA point guard -- and I don't -- it seems like he would've been gettable at the end of the lottery, or even later," one Eastern Conference executive said.
Yang was certainly the most surprising pick of the draft, with most teams expecting him to come off the board in the early second round before the Trail Blazers traded back with the Grizzlies from No. 11 to No. 16 and selected him much sooner. The 20-year-old center turned out to be a priority for the Blazers, who quietly coveted him after monitoring him over the past couple of years. Yang had a nice showing at summer league, continuing to flash excellent playmaking instincts and promising offensive skill (10.8 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.8 assists in four games). Still, there was some feeling that he was selected a bit too early relative to how some evaluated the board, with concerns about his foot speed and defensive projection key questions as his career progresses.
"I like [Yang] -- just didn't see it coming, with him going right outside of the lottery," another Eastern Conference executive said.
Coward, the player ultimately selected No. 11 by Memphis in that trade deal, was a major riser in the predraft process. But after he played just six games at Washington State due to injury, some around the league viewed him as more unproven than what would be considered optimal for a typical late-lottery selection. The Grizzlies targeted him as part of their replacement plan for Desmond Bane, whom they traded last month to the Magic.
"He's a raw talent who needs to learn the game," one Western Conference scout said. "But if he can shoot and defend [and it translates], there's a chance with his physical intangibles."
One scout preferred not to answer, feeling that it's hard to critique picks without a full understanding of other teams' evaluation processes. "If [your] team believed in the guy," he said, "then take your guy."
Who will be the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft?
1. Darryn Peterson (Kansas): 12 votes
2. A.J. Dybantsa (BYU): 8 votes
Looking ahead to 2026, next season might bring a tight race for the No. 1 spot on boards, with Kansas guard Peterson (ESPN's current No. 1 prospect in 2026) and BYU wing Dybantsa (No. 2 on our Top 100) as the two leading candidates.
Peterson commanded more votes, with his unusual mix of positional size, skill and explosiveness profiling as one of the best lead guard prospects in recent memory. He has the physical talent and competitive makeup to excel as an offensive creator and standout defender. He will be heavily featured for the Jayhawks after a strong senior season at Prolific Prep put him at the forefront of the No. 1 conversation.
"Peterson stands out as the more complete and dependable option," said one Eastern Conference executive who voted for Peterson, viewing him as the more NBA-ready of the two players and harping on the maturity of his approach. "Each time I see him, he's sharper, more refined and continues to show growth, constantly raising his level of play. That hunger, consistency and drive to get better translates directly into winning impact."
Contrary to 2025, when Flagg held the mantle of No. 1 from start to finish, there should be quite a bit to play out on the court starting in the fall, with Dybantsa still very much in the picture. For a time, he was considered the strong favorite for the first selection, with NBA teams heavily keyed in on him since his freshman year of high school.
Jonathan Givony lays out the four main options who could be the first pick in next year's NBA draft.
"It's a total toss-up right now -- by no means is [there a] consensus yet," said one Western Conference executive who also cast a vote for Peterson. "Peterson feels a little more well-rounded offensively and can function on and off the ball, which drives a few more successful 'off-ramps' for him. I do think A.J. has more star quality because he's a better athlete. I like that Peterson's skill and maturity on the court already seem higher -- he's been forced to expand other parts of his game [already]."
While Dybantsa hasn't displayed the same level of polish, the long-term argument for his upside as best in his class remains: He has the typical skills for a star wing player, as an elite athlete capable of physically dominating matchups on both ends. After leading Team USA to a FIBA Under-19 World Cup title in Switzerland earlier this month, Dybantsa will be the most touted prospect ever to play for BYU, where he'll have a significant runway to make his case. His development as a 3-point shooter will be pivotal.
"They're a similar tier of prospect. ... A.J. is 6-foot-9, and in this league, size still does matter," said an Eastern Conference scout who cast a vote for Dybantsa. "I think [BYU coach] Kevin Young will put him in excellent positions to showcase and grow his game this year. Peterson will have to fight against the lack of spacing Kansas looks to have."
While only Peterson and Dybantsa drew votes and those two are driving the early discussion, a strong trio of freshman prospects rounds out our early top five: Duke big Cameron Boozer, Tennessee forward Nate Ament and Louisville guard Mikel Brown. As the 2026 draft cycle gets underway, we'll be closely monitoring how NBA teams view the top names.