The first round of the NBA Draft 2025 is behind us, and there were some obvious winners, losers, and surprises. While there were no surprises at the top, with the Dallas Mavericks having the No.1 pick, Cooper Flagg, and the San Antonio Spurs drafting the No.2 pick, Dylan Harper. However, the rest of the night delivered plenty of surprises.
Ace Bailey, who was poised to be the No. 3 draft prospect, fell to No. 5. He ended up landing with the Utah Jazz, but he’s reportedly reluctant to join. The biggest surprise of the NBA Draft 2025 was Portland trading Hansen Yang as the No.16 pick, well above his expected second-round projection. Analysts do believe that Yang’s unique skill set and international experience might make him an ideal pick for Portland.
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Biggest Winners of the NBA Draft 2025
The biggest winner of the NBA Draft 2025 was definitely the Mavericks. They only had a 1.8% chance to land the No. 1 overall pick, and they bagged Cooper Flagg from Duke. Flagg is considered one of the most polished prospects and an elite two-way player who can immediately impact the team and serve as a franchise cornerstone. The Mavericks needed this trade after trading away Luka Doncic.
The Atlanta Hawks also surprised everyone with smart moves by trading down 10 spots to the Pelicans in exchange for an unprotected 2026 first-round pick. This future asset could be very valuable in a deep draft class. Paired with their acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis, they ended up being one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
The San Antonio Spurs landed Dylan Harper at No. 2, giving the Spurs a promising lead guard with playmaking skills to build around Victor Wembanyama. The Portland Trail Blazers took a high-risk, high-reward gambit by selecting Yang Hansen at No. 16. Yang is a 7-foot-2 center from China known for exceptional passing and dubbed the “Chinese Jokic.” Many analysts view Portland’s NBA Draft 2025 decision as a long-term investment rather than an immediate upgrade, especially given their existing depth at center with DeAndre Ayton, last year’s lottery pick Donovan Clingan, and veteran Robert Williams.
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