2025 NBA Draft winners and losers: The Rasheer Fleming Sweepstakes, second-round silliness and cash

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Our own Dan Devine flawlessly analyzed the winners and losers of the first round of the NBA draft on Wednesday, and I am here to clean up the rest, presenting the inarguable winners and losers of the draft’s second round …

WINNER: Rasheer Fleming, St. Joseph’s

Fleming waited all night to hear his name in the first round and did not. Yet, by having to wait, he became the primary focus of the draft’s second night. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Boston Celtics — slated to select second on Thursday and No. 32 overall — intended to take Fleming, but the Phoenix Suns had other plans, trading three second-round picks for the right to draft the St. Joseph’s junior.

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In other words, the opening moments of Night 2 of the draft became The Rasheer Fleming Sweepstakes:

Fleming is a long and athletic forward known for his spot-up shooting ability and defensive energy. Sounds like a 3-and-D wing to me. He was the only player in the country last season to convert at least 40 dunks and 50 made 3-pointers, according to ESPN’s Jay Bilas. He also does not lack for confidence.

When asked what he planned to bring to the Suns, Fleming told ESPN’s Monica McNutt, “Regardless if anything goes wrong, if I’m not making shots, which I don’t, you’re going to get a lot of effort out of me.”

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Which I don’t. Tell ’em, Rasheer.

LOSER: The Minnesota Timberwolves

Sounds like Wolves executive Tim Connelly was not pleased with how those sweepstakes shook out:

LOSER: ‘On the clock’

Nobody knows who is on the clock, unless you are a certified genius.

As the NBA’s deputy commissioner, Mark Tatum, proclaimed that the Minnesota Timberwolves were taking Fleming with the first pick of the draft’s second night, the ESPN hosts had to repeatedly remind us that the Wolves were not actually taking Fleming. It was the Suns, who had just traded up to select him.

And then ESPN had to conduct its interview with Fleming in a Timberwolves hat. It makes no sense.

And this was the case all night. It seemed everybody but the viewer knew ahead of time that one team was selecting in place of another, so why can’t Tatum just tell us the actual team that is taking a player?

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And why can’t they wear the right hat? Do they even need a hat? It only makes it more confusing.

WINNER: Cash

Over the course of a couple hours, the Los Angeles Lakers traded the No. 55 pick and cash to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 45 pick, and then the Lakers traded the No. 45 pick and cash to the Timberwolves for No. 36.

In other words, all it took was a little cash to move up from the bottom of the second round to the top.

(And, of course, Tatum told us that it was the Brooklyn Nets who were taking the pick when in actuality it had changed hands twice — from the Nets to the Timberwolves to the Lakers — before he announced it.)

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The Lakers selected Arkansas junior Adou Thiero, who our own Kevin O’Connor described as “a slasher with a jacked frame and an explosive first step,” and an A pick, which is a pretty good haul for some cash.

LOSER: Ryan Kalkbrenner’s assessment of himself

After Creighton big man Ryan Kalkbrenner described himself as a much-improved shooter in a draft-day media package about his potential impact on the NBA, the 34th overall pick by the Hornets informed us, “My favorite player growing up was Dirk [Nowitzki], and I couldn’t be more different than him. That fadeaway jumper in the post is just iconic. He was so good at that, and I think I hit that shot twice over five years in my college career.”

Do not set limits on yourself, Ryan.

WINNER: Alijah Martin’s jeweler

Florida senior wing Alijah Martin arrived to the draft in a smooth-looking all-white suit and a chain the size of his head, which is a pretty good sign that the NIL checks from Gators boosters probably cleared.

“Just something that me and my jeweler put together,” Martin told ESPN.

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That’s right: Second-round draft picks have their own jewelers, apparently.

Unfortunately, Martin’s chain was of the number 15, and he was selected 39th by the Toronto Raptors, who recently retired Vince Carter’s No. 15, so I guess Martin will have to commission another chain.

WINNER: Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane Bullets

What a name. Do not fight this man, just based on the name alone.

Also: Do not fight this man, because he is a mulleted 7-foot-4 Australian “who can practically dunk without jumping,” according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony. Good on ya, Timberwolves, for taking him 45th.

[SHRUG]: Milwaukee Bucks GM Jon Horst

Prior to the Bucks’ selection of Bogoljub Marković (not a “Star Wars” character) with the No. 47 pick, Charania informed us that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is “closely monitoring” Milwaukee’s process on Thursday, as he is still deciding his future with the team. Talk about pressure for Horst.

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Antetokounmpo wants to see how the Bucks improve their team for next season, according to Charania.

It probably is not the best sign that, soon after the Bucks selected Marković, Givony revealed, “I expect him to be stashed in Belgrade next year,” as Bogoljub is likely planning to arrive in Milwaukee in 2026.

For his part, Marković all but said his international experience has made him the draft’s best player: “Certainly from a physical side and a mental side I think it has prepared me the most out of anyone here.”

LOSER: The Denver Nuggets

If ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is suggesting what I think ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is suggesting here, hoo boy:

That, combined with Nuggets owner Josh Kroenke’s recent comments — in which he randomly brought up “a scenario … I never want to have to contemplate, and that’s trading No. 15,” Nikola Jokić — is cause for serious concern in Denver. What happens if he does not sign his impending contract extension offer?

LOSER: Lachlan Olbrich’s mustache

What happened to Lachlan Olbrich’s mustache? Bring it back, Lachlan.

WINNER: Tyrese Proctor, Duke University

Because the Cleveland Cavaliers will spend into the second apron next season (and possibly beyond), they are all but guaranteed to retain their affordable second-round draft pick with an actual roster spot.

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As Givony said, “This is a spot that every agent was fighting for, because it’s going to be a roster spot.”

They scored Tyrese Proctor, the fifth Duke player taken in the draft, with the No. 49 pick. He could serve as a roster replacement for either Ty Jerome or Sam Merrill, both of whom are unrestricted free agents.

Afterwards, Givony told us that “every other pick here is either going to be a two-way or a stash,” which is a good way to inform the viewing audience that the rest of the draft is not much worth monitoring.

LOSER: Night 2

Why is there a second night of the NBA draft again? I think we managed with two rounds in one night.

This news was originally published on this post .

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