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Round 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft tips off at 8 p.m. ET from Barclays Center.

Cooper Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 pick, but the rest of the top 10 could be wide open after that — especially with the mercurial Ace Bailey playing the role of wild card.

There have already been plenty of trades, with Kevin Durant going to the Rockets, Anfernee Simons heading to the Celtics for Jrue Holiday and the Pelicans sending CJ McCollum, Kelly Olynyk and a future second-round pick to the Wizards for Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and the No. 40 pick.

In another massive shake-up, Kristaps Porzingis was acquired by the Hawks.

Follow The Post’s live updates for the latest 2025 NBA Draft picks, trades and reactions.

2025 NBA Draft grades: How each team fared in the first round

By Zach Braziller

The Post’s Zach Braziller grades the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

1. Dallas Mavericks — Cooper Flagg, F, Duke 

Grade: A: Entering draft night, the bigger question for the Mavericks was whether Jason Kidd would still be their coach next year, rather than who they would take with the No. 1 pick. This was the lock the moment Dallas somehow won the draft lottery with only 1.8 percent odds of doing so. The do-it-all Flagg, the youngest player in the draft, is that transcendent of a draft prospect.

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30. Los Angeles Clippers -- Yanic Konan Niederhauser, Center (Penn State)

By Rob Reese

He had a breakout season at Penn State averaging 12.9 points-per-game with an ability to impact the game defensively.

Stephen A. Smith rants about the Knicks

By Andrew Battifarano

The Knicks didn't have a first-round pick this year, but that didn't mean Stephen A. Smith didn't have time to rant about his favorite team on ESPN's coverage Wednesday night. He specially called out the Tom Thibodeau firing and their head coaching search.

You didn't think the first round would end without a Stephen A. Smith Knicks rant, did you? pic.twitter.com/vuhpwXFd3a

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 26, 2025
By Camden Markel

The NBA draft doesn’t just see top prospects get welcomed to their new teams — it’s also a time when clubs get the ball rolling with offseason trades.

Many expected a draft-night trade from a team trading up to select Ace Bailey, who went No. 5 to the Jazz, but no deal was made.

Still, some major moves were made while commissioner Adam Silver made his way through announcing each pick.

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29. Charlotte Hornets -- Liam McNeely, Forward (Connecticut)

By Rob Reese

A former five-star recruit, McNeely averaged 14.5 points and six rebounds. His three pointers (31.7%) need some work, but there’s enough to like for Charlotte here.

28. Boston Celtics -- Hugo Gonzalez , Forward (Spain)

By Rob Reese

He's a high-energy player that didn't get a lot of playing time over seas. He is known as an elite defender that could develop into a well-rounded player if his offense grows.

NBA world completely stunned by Yang Hansen pick at No. 16: ‘What on earth is Portland doing?’

By Andrew Battifarano

The 2025 NBA Draft had its first real stunner just past the midway point of Wednesday’s proceedings.

As part of a trade with the Grizzlies, the Trail Blazers landed Yang Hansen from China with the No. 16 pick, completely shocking most of the basketball world.

Hansen was not seen by most draft experts as a first-round pick, so Portland using its spot to take the 7-foot-1 center surprised many.

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27. Brooklyn Nets -- Danny Wolf, Forward (Michigan)

By Rob Reese

An excellent passer and playmaker should complement Brooklyn’s offense. Wolf’s shooting needs some work but there’s enough here to warrant the selection at No. 27.

Michigan Danny's Wolf.
Michigan Danny's Wolf. Getty Images

26. Brooklyn Nets -- Ben Saraf, Guard (Israel)

By Rob Reese

Saraf is an elite passer and if he finds more scoring at the NBA level, he could prove to be nice value for the Nets, who went a bit off the board here.

Cooper Flagg reveals his talks with Jason Kidd as Knicks interest in coach persists

By Stefan Bondy

Cooper Flagg said Jason Kidd explained a “good vision” for a partnership in Dallas, but acknowledged the Knicks and their pursuit of the coach never came up.  

“I haven’t had those conversations yet at all,” Flagg said after being picked first overall Wednesday. “But I think talking with Coach Kidd, my workout and even after I got picked, I was on the phone with him for a minute, I think he’s just excited. He has a good vision for me and what I can do and how I can impact the game. So I’m excited to just talk to him more.”

The Knicks were denied permission by the Mavericks to interview Kidd for their vacant coaching position, but speculation persists about a potential union.

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Cooper Flagg asked about NBA conspiracy theory around Mavericks and No. 1 draft pick

By Christian Arnold

Basketball conspiracy theorists opined that the fix was in when the Mavericks landed the No. 1 overall pick in May’s draft lottery, but one person went a step further on Wednesday after Dallas drafted Duke product Cooper Flagg with the selection. 

During a press conference inside Barclays Center, someone asked Flagg about the conspiracy, which left the new Mavericks star a little shocked. 

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