A 2025 mock draft was made public by ESPN’s Jonathan Givony on Monday morning. It’s obviously the way-too-early type. Which current college players will still be around to declare for the NBA Draft is a mystery, after all. Furthermore, Givony has not yet had any of his predicted lottery selections, including two future Duke basketball stars, play collegiate ball. Nevertheless, there are two reasons why Givony’s predictions are intriguing from a Blue Devil standpoint
First, take note that the names of the Duke basketball players start and finish his first round. Naturally, he has Cooper Flagg, a five-star forward from Montverde Academy (Fla.) and an early signee to the Blue Devils, going first overall. That is not unexpected. However, Tyrese Proctor, a Durham sophomore guard who is now ranked No. 30, is regarded by many as a potential 2024 draft pick.
Regarding the third Blue Devil in Givony’s first round, it’s interesting to note that Isaiah Evans, a five-star forward from North Meck (N.C.), who will be selected as a late lottery pick, matching his composite 2024 prep ranking at No. 13. Evans will join Flagg as Duke’s two representatives in the McDonald’s All-American Game in early March.
Perhaps Evans’s projected high NBA stock shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that he is a long-limbed bucket-getter who has long drawn comparisons to former Blue Devil one-and-done and current New Orleans Pelicans star Brandon Ingram while regularly posting 30-point performances in high school. The other three players on Duke’s top-ranked roster are five-star forward Kon Knueppel of Wisconsin Lutheran and two standout players from Paul VI Catholic (Va.): four-star forward Darren Harris and five-star centre Patrick Ngongba II. At No. 3 in Givony’s mock draft, Blue Devil head coach Jon Scheyer and his staff are still in the running for NBA Academy Africa five-star centre Khaman Maluach.
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