The inaugural season for the rookies of the NBA Draft Class of 2025 hasn’t started off as expected, and nowhere near the excitement that came with the drafting of Victor Wembanyama a year ago.
So what gives? How are they faring? And how are they stacking up to the reputations that preceded them, based on their college numbers?
Let’s take a quick look:
| COOPER FLAGG | PPG | RPG | APG | FG PCT | 3P PCT |
| Duke Blue Devils (37 games | 19.2 | 7.5 | 4.2 | 48.1 | 38.5 |
| Dallas Mavericks (12 games) | 15.1 | 6.8 | 3.3 | 42.1 | 28.6 |
Flagg was the consensus No. 1 pick long before the ping pong ball bounced in the Dallas Mavericks’ favor in May, even while he was still at Duke University.
After Nico Harrison pulled the final lynch pin in blowing up a team that, just one season before, was in the NBA Finals, he trades a reportedly ‘out-of-shape’ Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis (see pictures of Davis this week – I rest my case).
(Lest we forget how many other people have been traded or moved on from in the Harrison era).
Flagg was supposed to be the pick that helped Harrison put the crap back in the Maverick, or however that saying goes. Harrison is now fired after the Mavericks have started 3-9, with Davis injured once again (anyone surprised?), Klay Thompson not even averaging nine points a game, shooting like horse puckey at 32 percent from the field and 29.9 from downtown, and Flagg flying at half mast at best, at least compared to expectations out of the gate.
The Mavs are so bad that even Dirk Nowitzki is publicly apologetic. And Mark Cuban has a role and say in things again.
While none of that is Flagg’s fault per se, and while we should remember that being the best (i.e. No. 1) is certainly not without its challenges, it is filled with opportunities for growth and personal development. He’s certainly not been scoring the most points of the top five picks, but has held his own in rebounding – third on the Mavs, and his 15.1 points per game is second on the team, behind Davis. And the Mavericks, post-Harrison, may already be shopping Davis to make this Flagg’s team.
| DYLAN HARPER | PPG | RPG | APG | FG PCT | 3P PCT |
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights (29 games) | 19.4 | 4.6 | 4.0 | 48.4 | 33.3 |
| San Antonio Spurs (6 games) | 14.0 | 4.0 | 3.8 | 50.0 | 35.7 |
If we’re looking at draft picks with DNA in their blood, look no further than the basketball pedigrees of Ron Harper and Maria Harper, and it’s no surprise that young Dylan may be the steal of the 2025 Draft.
Factor in that he has Wembanyama as the focal point of San Antonio’s offense (and defense), and he’s probably the rookie with the least amount of pressure on him amongst the top five. Lest we forget, he’s also playing alongside Stephon Castle and has De’Aaron Fox as a facilitator, plus Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, and Jeremy Sochan as veteran voices not only in the locker room, but in a Spurs locker room, guided by a legendary coaching program with its own impressive lineage.
Sitting after six games due to a calf strain that he injured on a defensive maneuver, Harper has been in double digits in every game he’s played in this season, his highest being 20 against the Brooklyn Nets in 29 minutes of action for a Spurs win.
| V.J. EDGECOMBE | PPG | RPG | APG | FG PCT | 3P PCT |
| Baylor Bears (33 games) | 15.0 | 5.6 | 3.2 | 43.6 | 34.0 |
| Philadelphia 76ers (11 games) | 15.4 | 5.5 | 4.3 | 40.9 | 36.2 |
The biggest surprise of the new season may be Tyrese Maxey’s new backcourt teammate from the Baylor Bears. The play of this rookie, and that duo, is certainly a breath of fresh air after the inconsistencies and load management of relics like Paul George and Joel Embiid.
Does anyone remember who Paul George is anymore? I’m not certain half of the Sixers base even knows who he is, much less that he once had Hall of Fame potential.
But they certainly know Edgecombe, who has busted out with a 34 point debut performance against the Boston Celtics in a Sixers opening night victory, and 26 points two games later versus the visiting Orlando Magic in another win. With Edgecombe and Maxey gelling so quickly and effectively, the 76ers jumped out to a 4-0 first week, before falling to those same Celtics at Wells Fargo Center in a payback game.
It may be time to turn the page in Philly and build around Edgecombe and Maxey, and their youthful exuberance and athleticism.
| KON KNUEPPEL | PPG | RPG | APG | FG PCT | 3P PCT |
| Duke Blue Devils (39 games) | 14.4 | 4.0 | 2.7 | 47.9 | 40.6 |
| Charlotte Hornets (11 games) | 16.6 | 6.4 | 2.8 | 44.6 | 39.8 |
Flagg’s college teammate has also been a pleasant surprise in a city where the fans of the Charlotte Hornets could use some good juju. Knueppel is the only one of the top five who has bested their collegiate numbers, with a run of three breakout games against the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, and Miami Heat where the former Blue Devil dropped 24, 20, and 30 points respectively.
Granted, the Hornets lost two of those three games (only beating the Jazz), but his play should be very complementary and reliable alongside LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges. In fact, after 11 games, the boys are 1, 2, and 3 in the team’s scoring at 23.3 points (Ball), 21.8 points (Bridges), and 16.6 for Knueppel.
Kon’s field goal and three-point numbers are slightly below his college days, but with a ball-dominant p;layer like Ball running the show, that’s to be expected.
Knueppel is also getting to the free throw line in his 32.4 minutes a night, and shooting 88.9 percent from the stripe. He has started 10 of his 11 games. He also has set an NBA record for 16 three-pointers, the most for any player through four career games in NBA history.
| ACE BAILEY | PPG | RPG | APG | FG PCT | 3P PCT |
| Rutgers Scarlet Knights (30 games) | 17.6 | 7.2 | 1.3 | 46.0 | 34.6 |
| Utah Jazz (11 games) | 7.5 | 3.7 | 1.5 | 38.3 | 26.7 |
You may recall that Airious ‘Ace’ Bailey wasn’t that Jazz-ed about being selected by Utah, but eventually made his way to the valley. And as of Monday night, finally got to start in his first game – a loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he scored 10 points and had seven rebounds.
Bailey would start again Tuesday night when the Indiana Pacers came to town, and the Jazz would enjoy the sweet, sweet music of a 24 point win, with Ace dropping a season- and career-high 20 points on 53.8 percent from the field and 50 percent from downtown.
It may be a process for Bailey, but as they say, good things come to those who wait. In Bailey’s case, for those who keep the right attitude, stay positive, pepper in patience, perseverance, and perspiration, you can even cook a stone.
If he needs further examples of persistence changing things like stones, he’s in the right city. Head up to Donut Falls, Gloria Falls, or Stewart Falls and see what the perseverance of water has done for the beauty of the Wasatch Front and it has shaped it for the better.
The NBA is a process for everyone, despite their draft position or expectation(s). Ask Yang Hansen (16th pick), who’s been extremely popular in Portland but has to battle and earn his way with Donovan Clingen already on the roster ahead of him.
Ask Asa Newell (23rd pick), a player who’s so exciting that Atlanta Hawks fans have all but anointed him as the team’s next signature athlete.
Or Will Richard, who’s gone from being a national champion, to being on a team that is stacked with talent and grandfathered-in roster spots (right, Draymond Green?) – he’s either stacked behind all that championship-caliber talent or has the opportunity to take their place and bring his championship mentality to a team that – given its collective age and roster of talent – is trying to get through a window that may be rapidly closing in Golden State.
It’s all a journey. Nothing is guaranteed. None of it is given.
But by embracing these challenges, it can be that these young men – and many more – can find strength from and depend on their individual resilience to produce bigger, better numbers, have bigger roles in their teams’ success, own the failures and move forward, and have a fulfilling career.
In other words, how well will they bounce?
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Tracy ‘T-Money’ Graven is the Senior NBA Analyst for BackSportsPage.com owner of TMoneyMedia.com and also has his posts on SubStack at allballs.substack.com
He has written the NBA, appeared as a guest on NBA Radio, and the last 25+ years for HoopsWorld, Swish Magazine, HoopsHype, the Coach Scott Fields Show, NBARadioShow.com, and also tackles the NFL and NCAA. He’s spent 25+ years in locker rooms in Orlando, Boise (CBA, G League), San Antonio, Phoenix, Denver, Oklahoma City, and Atlanta.
He has raised five kids, and now currently resides in the heart of SEC Country near Knoxville, Tennessee – home of the 2024 Men’s Baseball World Series Champion Tennessee Volunteers.
Reach him on Twitter at @RealTMoneyMedia
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