The list of NBA legends who slid to the second round is extensive: Nikola Jokic, Jalen Brunson, Draymond Green, Khris Middleton make up some of the recent names, and if you want to go back there's Manu Ginobili, Lou Williams, Marc Gasol and many more.
The 2025 NBA Draft will feature some breakout names in the second round — or, at least, solid rotation players — as well as some fan favorites and two-way guys trying to make the cut. Let's grade these picks (and note, my grading in this round is more gentle and on a curve compared to the first round; expectations are relatively low and with that the misses are not painful like missing in the lottery).
(Check out the grades for the first round picks here.)
Boston Celtics: B-
Amari Williams (46), Max Shulga (57 via trade with Orlando)
Williams is big — literally at 6'11" and 255 pounds — and is physically strong. However, what catches scouts' eyes is his high-level passing, especially from the high post. The challenge is he's on the lower end of the NBA athleticism scale, meaning he's not a great shot blocker and defensively would get dragged into pick-and-rolls and hunted. He also doesn't stretch the floor with his shooting. He likely ends up on a two-way contract or in the G-League and will have to prove he has more than just his passing.
Taking a chance on a shooter is always a good thing. Shulga is a Ukrainian-born 6'4" guard who played in Spain and then spent five years in college, most recently at VCU. Last season, he shot 38.7% from 3 and was at 41.5% two seasons ago. The question with Shulga is if he can defend well enough to stick in the league (scouts were split on his defense and how big an impediment it is). He's reportedly going to be on a two-way contract as he tries to prove he can defend his position.
Charlotte Hornets: B+
Sion James (33), Ryan Kalkbrenner (34)
James is a 6'5" senior guard who was part of Duke's run to the Final Four last season, and he played four seasons at Tulane before that. He's a quality defender and makes good decisions, things that should translate to the next level. The question is his offense and specifically his jumper (which improved every year and he shot 41.3% from 3 at Duke last season). Those numbers look good, but he was a low usage player, not just on a stacked Duke team, but relatively at Tulane before that. He has to prove he can be enough of a scoring threat at the next level to stay on the court.
Kalkbrenner is another senior the Hornets hope can help give them minutes starting this season. The 7'2" center was a defensive force at Creighton and averaged 19.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks a game. He's a drop-coverage rim protector who, by NBA standards, is not athletic, which means he could struggle in space. Plus there are questions about his shooting outside 10 feet. Still, for a team that just traded away Mark Williams yesterday, there are backup center minutes to be had.
Chicago Bulls: C
Lachlan Olbrich (55, via trade with Lakers)
He's a 6'9 center who played one season at UC Riverside before returning to his native Australia to play for the Illawarra Hawks. He has an excellent feel for the game and plays with a high IQ. Scouts like his game but question his NBA fit. Olbrich is undersized and would struggle to play as a center in the NBA — he couldn't defend other fives — but he doesn't have much shooting range, so he would struggle to play the four. Likely a draft-and-stash guy who keeps playing in the NBL, and the Bulls see if he can develop a respectable outside shot.
Cleveland Cavaliers: B+
Tyrese Proctor (49), Saliou Niang (58)
Proctor is a potential steal of a pick at 49. He became a high-level shooter in his three years at Duke, last season knocking down 40.5% of his 3-pointers. The 6'4" guard isn't an explosive athlete and doesn't have the game to be an NBA point guard, but he could be a 3&D combo guard if he can put on some muscle — he's skinny and that hurts him on defense. Still, a lot to like with this pick, especially in this spot.
Niang is an Italian wing with physical gifts who had some big moments for Trento in his native country. However, his shooting and ball handling are not NBA-ready yet. Niang is likely to be a draft-and-stash player who will remain in Europe.
Detroit Pistons: B+
Chaz Lanier (37)
Detroit needs more shooting (who doesn't?) and that's what makes Lanier a good pick in the second round. He shot 39.5% from 3 last season for Tennessee, and the 6'4" guard is a good movement shooter. The challenge is everything else, he's not a great defender or playmaker. He has to prove he can round out his game a little, but at this point in the second round taking a shooter is a good call, that's always a skill in demand.
Golden State Warriors: B
Alex Toohey (52, via trade with Phoenix), Will Richard (56, via trade with Memphis)
Toohey is a native Australian who played last season with Sydney and proved to be an impressive wing defender at 6'8", and he has a good feel for the game. The question for him (like many in the second round) is, can he shoot well enough to stay on the floor? He hit just 30.2% of his 3-pointers last season in Sydney. Taking him deep in the second round, it's a good bet to see if he can develop that skill (possibly as a draft-and-stash who stays in the NBL another year or more).
Richard is a 6'3" guard who is good at a lot of things but doesn't have an NBA-level skill at one thing. Those guys tend not to make the cut, but the Warriors might give him a two-way and see if something pans out, which is a solid use of the 56th pick.
Indiana Pacers: B
Kam Jones (38, trade with Spurs), Taelon Peter (54)
Jones is a perfect example of what second-round picks can be. Jones is older, 23, and is an experienced high-level playmaker who averaged 19.2 points and 5.9 assists a game last season at Marquette. He's in the second round for a reason; he's not an explosive athlete, and he shot just 31.1% from three-point range last season. However, he's a steady lead ball handler and floor general, which makes him a solid pickup in the second round, especially for a team looking to fill some point guard minutes next season.
Taelon Peter, a 6'4" guard who shot the ball well for Liberty, but he came off the bench for the Flames in all but two games. He was not highly regarded on many draft boards, but the Pacers liked his shooting ability enough to take a chance on him at the end of the second round.
LA Clippers: B
Kobe Sanders (50)
The 6'7" wing averaged 15.8 points a game at Nevada last season, shooting 34.2% from beyond the arc, and he is especially impressive on pull-up jumpers. Sanders earned his way here, playing well enough at the Portsmouth Invitational to get an NBA Draft Combine invite, where he impressed the Clippers enough to take a chance on him. There are questions about whether his athleticism is at an NBA level, but he is likely to receive a two-way contract and have the opportunity to prove himself.
Los Angeles Lakers: A-
Adou Thiero (36, trade from Minnesota)
The Lakers want to get deeper and more athletic on the wing and Thiero checks those boxes, so LA moved up from 55 to get him. Thiero might be the best athlete in the draft (either round) and has good size at 6'6" with a 7-foot wingspan, he's an excellent defender and he plays hard. Lakers fans are going to like him. He can attack the rim, but if he's really going to make an impact in the NBA he has to improve his jumper (25.6% last season at Auburn).
Memphis Grizzlies B
Javon Small (48), Jahmai Mashack (59 via trade with Rockets, others)
Small, a West Virginia guard, had the potential to be a backup playmaking guard in the NBA. At 6'1", he is undersized for his role (insert your own play off his name joke here), but he's the kind of hard-working, scrappy player that coaches and fans love. It's a good roll of the dice here by Memphis in the back half of the second round.
Mashack, a 6'5" guard from Tennessee, becomes Mr. Irrelevant as the last pick in the draft (but so was Isaiah Thomas and he had a quality NBA career). Mashack's strength lies in being an elite defender, one of the best in the draft (period, both days). If he can develop enough of a shot and some handles, he will have a role in the NBA, but right now he's got work to do on the offensive end.
Milwaukee Bucks: B+
Bogoljub Markovic (47)
Tell me if this sounds familiar: A Serbian big man who has some interesting offensive skills but serious questions about his defense. The 6'11" big averaged 13.9 points and 6.9 rebounds a game, and was both a shooter and a quality playmaker for Mega in the Adriatic League. If he's going to stick with the Bucks, he needs him to play better defense, but this is a quality pickup at 47.
Minnesota Timberwolves: B
Rocco Zikarsky (45)
The Australian is 7'3" and would be the third-tallest player in the NBA next season (behind Wemby and Edey). Zikarsky moves well for a man his size and it's easy to project him as a rim-running, paint-protecting big man at the NBA level. He's also 18 and still a project at this point. This is a long-play by the Timberwolves and don't be surprised if he stays in Australia and the NBL for another year or two before coming over.
New Orleans Pelicans: B
Micah Peavy (40, trade with Wizards)
Peavy is a high-level defender as a 6'6" wing who had a breakout offensive season at Georgetown, averaging 17.2 points a game and shooting 40% last season. Scouts tend to be skeptical of guys making big offensive leaps, but as a fifth-year senior, this one seems real enough, and if it is, he can be an NBA-level rotation player. Solid pickup here by the Pelicans.
New York Knicks B-
Mohamed Diawara (51)
Spike Lee hung out in the Barclays Center to watch this pick, a player the Knicks almost certainly stash overseas for a year or two more. Diawara is a 20-year-old wing with impressive athleticism and a 7'4" wingspan but still finding his way playing for Cholet Basket in France. Late in the second round, the Knicks rolled the dice on a long-term play that may not have thrilled Spike Lee, but was the respectable pick.
Oklahoma City Thunder: B
Brooks Barnhizer (44)
The Northwestern graduate is 6'5" with a 6'11" wingspan who plays a very high IQ game. While he's impressive and disruptive defensively, he has work to do on the offensive end to be NBA-ready, especially with his catch-and-shoot jumper. The Thunder are not exactly flush with open roster spots, so Barnhizer may have to earn his way to OKC through a two-way contract. That said, he fits the mold of a Thunder player.
Orlando Magic: A-
Noah Penda (32, via trade with Boston)
Penda is going to fit right in with the Magic's style of play: He's a 6'8" forward who is an outstanding defender who has shown some playmaking skills. He's a glue guy. Penda showed a lot of promise at the age of 20, playing for Le Mans in his native France. Like many second-rounders, there are questions about his shot, but this is a strong second-round pick.
Philadelphia 76ers: B
Johni Broome (35)
Broome was the SEC Player of the Year, the 6'9" big man from Auburn was one of the best players in college basketball last season. He also might fit into the long line of very good college players whose games don't transfer to the NBA. He's a 6'9" center who is good at a lot of things but may not have that one elite NBA skill. There are a lot of questions, but this is a good bet in the second round.
Phoenix Suns: A-
Rasheer Fleming (31, via Minnesota trade), Koby Brea (41, via Golden State trade)
Phoenix wanted Fleming and made a series of trades through the day Thursday to secure the No. 31 pick from Minnesota, giving them the chance to draft the 6'8" 3&D forward from St. Joseph's. He's athletic, has a 7'5" wingspan, can defend, and shot 39% from 3 this past season. It feels like there's a very good chance he'll play minutes for the Suns next season.
Brea might be the best catch-and-shoot player in this draft, and at 6'5" he has good size to be an NBA wing. However, his defense and pretty much every part of his game other than shooting needs a lot of work. Still, at 41, this is not a bad spot to take a risk.
Sacramento Kings: B
Maxime Raynaud (42)
This is a steal of a pick this deep in the second round, some scouts made the case that the 7-foot stretch five could/should have been taken on the first night of the draft. He brings offensive skills to the table as a center, averaging 20.2 points and 10.6 rebounds per game last season for Stanford, while shooting 34.7% from 3-point range. The question is, can he be good enough defensively to stay on the floor, even as a backup? If he can hold his own on that end, this is a quality pick.
Toronto Raptors: B
Alijah Martin (39)
Martin is a fifth-year senior who transferred to Florida and helped the Gators win a national title last season. The 6'1" guard is one of the best defenders in the class, is a high-level athlete, and on offense he averaged 14.4 points a game. If he were a couple of inches taller, he likely would be a first-round pick, but as it is, he could be a solid backup for Toronto.
Utah Jazz: B
John Tonje (53)
After playing at Colorado State and Missouri, in his senior year at Wisconsin Tonje became the Badgers' Mr. Everything and a fan favorite. He plays with a lot of force, does not shy away from contact, and averaged 19.6 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. He shot 38.8% from beyond the arc last season. The concerns are at the other end of the floor and his ability to defend. He played six years of college and will be 24 next season, so what the Jazz see is what they get, but at No. 53 Tonje is a good gamble.
Washington Wizards: B
Jamir Watkins (43)
Another older player — Watkins will be 24 by the time Summer League tips off — taken in the second round in hopes he can step in and help now. He's a strong defender who stood out at the NBA Draft Combine on that end, he could contribute defensively right now to the Wizards. Is his offense good enough to keep him on the court? He averaged 18.4 points a game for Florida State last season, but teams aren't sold. The Wizards made their bet and at 43 it's not a bad one.
