NBA Draft early entry tracker: Rutgers freshman Ace Bailey becomes latest entry

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As the excitement builds for the NBA Draft, which will take place on June 25-26 in Brooklyn, a host of top underclassmen will declare their intention to leave college early for the pros.

Who’s in, and who’s out? The Athletic is here to help. We’re tracking the top draft-eligible underclassmen as they declare their intentions to enter the draft or to stay in school. From standout freshmen to breakout sophomores, our team is watching the announcements, analyzing performances, and projecting draft stock as the road to the draft heats up.

The deadline to apply for early entry is April 26, but players have until June 15 to withdraw from the draft and maintain their college eligibility.

Here are the prospects who have already declared so far, as well as an analysis of the top players yet to decide:

NBA Draft early entry tracker

Ace Bailey, forward, Rutgers

Bailey is arguably the most talented player in this class and might also possess the highest upside. The 6-foot-10, 200-pound forward has a variety of moves offensively and can score from anywhere on the floor. Just 18, Bailey averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He has the tools to be a multi-time All-Star and a primary option for his team at the next level. He’s raw in some areas, but the talent is undeniable.

Vecenie projects Bailey as a top-five pick due to his pure talent. “Some see real star upside, while some see a good, Michael Porter Jr.-like role player, and yet others worry significantly about his decision-making. The pre-draft process will be incredibly important,” Vecenie wrote.

Cooper Flagg, forward, Duke

Flagg had one of the greatest freshman years in college basketball history, bringing home awards for AP Player of the Year, ACC POY and ACC Rookie of the Year while averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

Flagg is the most versatile prospect in the draft. With his length, athleticism and motor, he can impact the game defensively. He may not be his team’s best player at the next level, but he could be its most impactful. The 6-foot-9, 205-pounder led the Blue Devils in every statistical category this season.

Like most analysts, Vecenie has Flagg going No. 1 overall in his mock draft, writing: “More than anything, what stands out is his elite level of competitiveness. There is not a second in which he’s on the court that he’s not playing hard or totally locked into what he’s doing.”

Kon Knueppel, forward, Duke

Knueppel looked like a future NBA player when he led the Nike EYBL regular season in scoring two years ago. This season, he was one of the best 3-point shooters in the country and may have improved his stock more than any other player. His 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.7 assists — and 47.9/40.6/91.4 shooting splits — earned him ACC Tournament MVP and All-ACC second-team honors.

Prospects like Knueppel will always have value at the next level as a floor spacer (47 percent on spot-up 3s). He also has the IQ to match, able to operate in the pick-and-roll and make good decisions as a secondary ball-handler.

Vecenie projects Knueppel as a top-10 pick, writing that in addition to his shooting, he is competitive on defense. “There are some real issues with his foot speed that will become exacerbated as he moves up to the NBA, and teams are intrigued to see how he’ll defend perimeter players effectively in the increased space. But his ability to play both on and off the ball is extremely interesting,” he wrote.

Collin Murray-Boyles, forward, South Carolina

Murray-Boyles is a unique prospect — a jack of all trades and a master of none — yet one who is wildly productive. The 6-foot-7, 231-pounder averaged 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. What he lacks in athleticism and 3-point shooting, he makes up for with his instincts, footwork and IQ.

NBA teams love to play small but keep the versatility. Well, here comes Murray-Boyles, a player who can either overpower defenders or use his skill and ability to change speeds going downhill.

Notes Vecenie: “His stock is all over the map, with some scouts seeing him as high as a top-six player in the class and others seeing him as more of a top-20 guy.”

Kasparas Jakucionis, guard, Illinois

The 6-foot-6, 200-pounder from Lithuania is one of the most creative passers in this class, averaging 4.7 assists per game while adding 15.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per contest. Jakucionis fits the mold of a cerebral player who might not be the fastest or the most athletic but who has a feel for the game and knows how to make the right plays.

That’s Jakucionis in a nutshell. He also has excellent size for his position and craftiness that allows him to score at the rim.

In his mock draft, The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie notes that scouts would love to have seen Illinois make a run in the NCAA Tournament to get a better look at him outside of Big Ten play. Where will he be picked? “I would say it’s anywhere from No. 5 to No. 10.”

Tre Johnson, guard, Texas

Some people are born to score, and Tre Johnson fits that category. The 6-foot-6, 190-pounder averaged 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.7 assists while shooting 39.7 percent from 3. Johnson is the most talented scorer in the class, and he can do it from all three levels with consistency. Johnson gets a lot of his points off the dribble, as he made 95 dribble pull-up 2s and 99 dribble pull-up 3s. The 19-year-old led the SEC in scoring and finished second in 3-point percentage. He was named SEC Freshman of the Year and was a second-team All-SEC selection.

Vecenie projects Johnson as a top-10 pick, primarily because “there are evaluators who truly believe there are some star upside outcomes for him.” He does offer a word of warning, writing that Johnson “does not create easy shots for himself. He’s a big-time contested shot-maker.”

Asa Newell, forward, Georgia

The NBA loves plug-and-play players, and Newell is a guy who can fit into most systems. The 6-foot-10, 220-pounder averaged 15.4 points and 6.9 rebounds, along with a steal per game. Newell has an elite motor and has shown that he can guard multiple positions. As for offense, he uses his IQ, length and athleticism to create scoring opportunities. Newell, 19, has the potential to be a high-end two-way player at the next level.

Vecenie projects Newell as a late first-rounder: “There’s just a lot to work with and develop, although scouts do wonder if he’s a bit of a tweener positionally.”

Jase Richardson, guard, Michigan State

Richardson was one of the biggest breakout players in college basketball this season. The 6-foot-3, 185-pounder averaged 12 points while shooting 49 percent from the field, 41 percent from 3 and 84 percent from the line. Richardson excels as a playmaker and a connector with a well-rounded offensive game.

Richardson lacks size and doesn’t do anything in particular that will wow you. But his poise and IQ are impressive, as are his shot-making, pace, efficiency and overall skill set. These things make him productive and can help win games.

In Vecenie’s mock draft, Richardson was projected as a lottery pick. Vecenie called the guard “one of the true breakout risers of this draft class. … Few players navigate tight spaces quite like Richardson, as he has a Jalen Brunson-like ability to find creases in the defense with his pristine footwork.”

Egor Demin, guard, BYU

Demin is the best all-around passer in this class, chipping in 5.5 assists while scoring 10.6 points and grabbing 3.9 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-9, 190-pound prospect from Russia isn’t the most athletic player, nor is he a polished shooter, but he distributes the ball well and can see the play before it happens. He also can use his size to get to the middle of the floor and finish over defenders.

Demin showed flashes as a capable shotmaker, starting the season by making 13 of 23 3s, but his percentages later dipped. He could thrive in a role as a secondary ball-handler with his ability to consistently put his teammates in scoring position.

In his mock draft, Vecenie projects Demin as a late first-rounder. “He looks like a player who would be helped by returning to college for another year,” he wrote. “However, some scouts still genuinely adore his game because of his vision and playmaking. If he goes in the lottery, it won’t stun me, because the people who really buy the upside tend to really buy into it.”

Derik Queen, center, Maryland

Queen brings a unique combination of size, skill and IQ. The 6-foot-10, 245-pound Baltimore native averaged 16.2 points and 9.1 rebounds per game. He shot 55.8 percent inside the arc and 68.4 percent at the rim. Basketball has evolved significantly over the last half-decade, particularly at center. Bigs like Nikola Jokić, Domantas Sabonis and Alperen Şengün have taken the game by storm, and Queen possesses similar traits. He has elite passing tools and fires precision passes with either hand, which leads to assists.

Vecenie tabs Queen as a late lottery pick, writing that he is the “exact kind of offensive playmaking center whom teams would love to have, especially if you believe he has the potential to shoot from distance.” His defense, though, could be a problem.

Jeremiah Fears, guard, Oklahoma

Jeremiah Fears is an anomaly; very few players in college basketball history have reclassified to enter college early and had the success he has. The Joilet, Ill., native averaged 17.1 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while leading his team to the NCAA Tournament.

Fears, who does not turn 19 until October, is one of the youngest prospects in this class and has several traits NBA teams desire, such as his ability to get paint touches. At 6-foot-4 and 182 pounds, he has good size, speed and burst to be a productive NBA player. As electrifying as he is with the ball in his hand, Fears will need to clean up his 3-point shooting at the next level.

Vecenie writes of Fears in his mock draft: “There are scouts who see him as an end-of-the-first-round gamble. There are others who see him as a clear lottery pick who could end up in the top half. His pre-draft process will be fascinating to track as it could lead to a real rise, or he might end up going a bit lower than this.”

Liam McNeeley, forward, UConn

This draft has several polarizing prospects and McNeeley is one of them. A versatile player who played some point forward for the Huskies, he can read defenses and make good decisions with the ball in his hands. He’s another cerebral prospect who won’t ‘wow you’ with his athleticism but is a better athlete than some might think.

The 6-foot-7, 210-pounder averaged 14.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. He didn’t shoot the 3 as well as many expected (31.7 percent), but he has excellent mechanics and did make 38 percent of his 3s off the catch.

Vecenie tabs McNeeley as a late lottery pick, though he noted that there are concerns about his offensive game. He also wrote that while McNeeley is very competitive on defense, there are worries there, too, that he is a bit slow-footed.

Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers

Harper has a very advanced offensive game that features step-backs, euro-steps and spin moves. But what stands out the most is his patience. Typically, younger guards look to make the home run play and won’t take what the defense gives them. But the 6-foot-6, 215-pounder has a mature game, similar to his father, five-time NBA champion Ron Harper Sr.

He operates well in the pick-and-roll, setting his teammates up for easy baskets while also being an offensive threat as a downhill driver. Harper averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game.

In his mock draft, Vecenie writes that Harper “is an elite player, and most NBA executives see him as the clear No. 2 pick in the class.”

Top prospects who have yet to declare

V.J. Edgecombe, guard, Baylor

You may not find a better athlete in this class than the 19-year-old Edgecombe — search his clips and you’ll find a healthy collection of furious dunks. He could be one of the best shot-blocking guards in the league.

Edgecombe started the year slow, but the 6-foot-4, 180-pounder ended up being the Big 12 Rookie of the Year with averages of 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.

Edgecombe also has great defensive instincts and puts a ton of pressure on ballhandlers. He played on the Bahamian national basketball team in the 2024 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament and was one of the best players on a roster that featured several current NBA players.

Vecenie has Edgecombe going No. 3 in his mock draft, primarily due to the perception that he is a safe pick. “Because he plays really hard and defends, the intel is quite positive; it’s hard to see how exactly he fails totally, and he maintains a degree of upside long-term if the ball skills continue to improve,” he wrote.

Mark Few got his son some closing minutes in Gonzaga’s blowout win over Baylor.

And then Joe found himself on the wrong end of a mammoth poster dunk from V.J. Edgecombe 😅

🎥 @SportsCenterpic.twitter.com/55QOibNdlq

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) November 5, 2024

Khaman Maluach, center, Duke

Maluach burst onto the scene last summer, playing in the 2024 Olympics for South Sudan as the youngest player by a wide margin. But made headlines a few years prior as he was the third youngest prospect to play in the FIBA World Cup. The 7-foot-2, 250-pound big man has the tools to be a defensive anchor and a lob threat at the next level. In 39 games for Duke, he averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds and led the ACC in total blocks, with 51 (1.3 per game).

Maluach has a 9-foot-8 standing reach, 1 inch longer than San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and 1 inch shorter than four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert.

Vecenie projects Maluach as a late lottery pick: “Everyone at least sees Maluach as sticking in the NBA as a backup center because players this big who can move like he can just don’t wash out of the league, especially when the league itself has a dearth of backup bigs. But others see real upside for him as a league-average starter with potential for more if his jumper comes around.”

Carter Bryant, forward, Arizona

You can’t have enough 3-and-D players on your roster in the NBA, and Bryant is an archetypal 3-and-D athlete.

He shot 37 percent from 3 on 2.8 attempts while scoring 6.5 points and grabbing 4.1 rebounds per game. His numbers aren’t flashy, but he has the tools to be a key piece in the NBA. During conference play, he shot 38.6 percent from 3 and averaged 7.5 points per game.

His best skill, though, is what he does defensively. Bryant makes plays with his quick-twitch athleticism and instincts, and he has a knack for blocking shots and jumping passing lanes. Bryant can offer a winning team valuable minutes as a role player.

Vecenie projects Bryant as a late first-rounder. “He looks like the exact kind of big wing NBA teams are constantly searching for,” he wrote. “Yes, it would probably behoove him to return to school. However, scouts are excited by his tools and are intrigued to see if he can be a serious defensive playmaker as a 3-and-D style weapon.”

(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

This news was originally published on this post .

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