The only one-and-done NBA Draft picks still around after the first weekend of the 2024 NCAA Tournament were UConn’s Stephon Castle and Duke’s Jared McCain. In total, just eight eventual freshman draftees reached the Big Dance in what turned out to be a down season for high-end freshman talent.
But after that paltry freshman showing, the 2025 Big Dance is shaping up to be an NBA scout’s dream. Based on Jerry Palm’s latest Bracketology and Kyle Boone’s 2025 NBA Draft Prospect Rankings, 15 of the projected top-40 draft prospects are one-and-done freshmen in line to make the NCAA Tournament.
If the projections hold, it will be the largest contingent of freshman draftees to ever play in the same NCAA Tournament. And that’s in a world where Rutgers’ star freshmen Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper are on the outside looking in at the tournament along with potential North Carolina one-and-done freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell.
Research by David Cobb, CBS Sports
The uptick in high-end freshmen contributing to tournament-caliber teams stands in contrast to a big-picture reality: there have never been fewer freshmen averaging 25+ minutes per game in Division 1 men’s college basketball this century.
However, those who have found their way into the lineups at major conference programs are part of an immensely talented upper tier that may set a record in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The previous high-water mark for number of freshmen selected in an NBA Draft is 20, set in both 2022 and 2023. Currently, there are 20 freshmen ranked among just the top 37 players in the CBS Sports NBA Draft Prospect Rankings.
As the Big Board is built out in the weeks ahead, there are more freshmen are in line to fill some of the remaining slots. Depending on how it shakes out, it’s conceivable that up to 25 freshmen could be selected in the 2025 NBA Draft.
For now, here’s a sneak peak at the potential freshman draftees projected to be on display at the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
Duke
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: No. 1
Cooper Flagg
Big Board: 1
Flagg is meeting the hype and then some, averaging 23.2 points in ACC play while leading the Blue Devils on a nation-best 15-game winning streak. A rare combination of size, athleticism and deft ball-handling make Flagg a matchup nightmare. And he rounds out his impeccable game with a high degree of competitiveness and I.Q.
Kon Knueppel
Big Board: 10
Flagg’s sidekick would be the star for many teams. While perimeter sharpshooting is Knueppel’s forte, he can also facilitate offense and attack the basket. Knueppel has elevated his game against conference opposition and is proving he can hold his own defensively.
Duke’s strength in numbers: More than just the Cooper Flagg Show — and way too much for North Carolina
Trey Scott
Khaman Maluach
Big Board: 26
The towering seven-footer is a physical finisher and rebounder who brings rim protection and energy to the defensive side. There will be few opponents in the NCAA Tournament with an answer for his length.
Auburn
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 1
Tahaad Pettiford
Big Board: N/A
Pettiford scored 21 points on 7 of 12 shooting against Houston in November and 20 points on 8 of 15 shooting in just 18 minutes at Duke in December. Any player capable of that production against elite defenses in their first six weeks as a college basketball player is clearly teeming with potential. He’s not yet a projected first-rounder, but Pettiford is a player to watch over the next two months.
Alabama
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 1
Labaron Philon
Big Board: 16
Philon stepped into a deep roster for a Crimson Tide team coming off a Final Four run and immediately carved out a significant role. Though his contributions have tapered off in league play amid subpar perimeter shooting, Philon remains a tantalizing two-way prospect.
Derrion Reid
Big Board: N/A
Injuries have stunted Reid’s freshman season a bit. But the former McDonald’s All-American is a springy forward who could be a long-term developmental play for an NBA franchise. He’s probably more of a 2026 option.
Michigan State
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 3
Jase Richardson
Big Board: 28
Jase’s father, Jason, won a national championship at Michigan State in 2000 and was the No. 5 overall selection in the 2002 NBA Draft. Over two decades later, the next Richardson is helping the Spartans enjoy a renaissance season. Jase is a playmaking combo guard who would be putting up huge numbers for a lesser team.
Illinois
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 5
Kasparas Jakucionis
Big Board: 5
Jakucionis is a crafty European guard who has taken college basketball by storm. The Lithuanian phenom controls the game’s pace with the basketball in his hands and is on track to be the Illini’s earliest draft pick since Deron Williams went No. 3 overall in 2005.
Will Riley
Big Board: 37
Riley is a towering, lanky wing with oodles of offensive upside. He can rise above defenders for jumpers or attack the basket. He goes quiet sometimes on a talented Illinois roster. But he’s also taken over games against quality opponents, even while typically coming off the bench.
Tomislav Ivišić
Big Board: N/A
Ivisic is listed as a sophomore after playing professionally in Europe. But this is the first season of college basketball for the seven-footer. A bout with mononucleosis has slowed Ivisic recently. But he’s a skilled offensive player and knockdown 3-point shooter who is also not afraid to fight for rebounds and use his size on the block.
Arizona
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 6
Carter Bryant
Big Board: N/A
Bryant struggled for a place in the rotation early in the season but has come on strong lately. There are a few players ahead of him in Arizona’s offensive pecking order, but the 6-8 wing is doing all the little things well and has all the makings of a prototypical two-way NBA wing.
Oklahoma
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 7
Jeremiah Fears
Big Board: No. 8
Conference play has cramped Fears’ style a bit, as the grind of SEC competition has chiseled his 3-point shooting mark down to 27.6% for the season. But the 6-4 guard is an electric playmaker who has outperformed his four-star prospect rating. Seeing a player with Fears’ takeover potential on the NCAA Tournament stage could be electric.
Maryland
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 8
Derik Queen
Big Board: 18
Queen has been hit-or-miss in Big Ten play with 25+ point outbursts against Purdue, Minnesota and Illinois. He’s a skilled interior scorer but is comfortable putting the ball on the deck from the high post or beyond to attack the basket. Once he gets there, he can finish with either hand — or he’ll just throw down a dunk. Queen has plenty of room to grow as a 3-point shooter and defender, but the upside is clear.
UConn
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 8
Liam McNeeley
Big Board: 12
An ankle injury has slowed McNeeley during Big East play. But the 6-7 wing is a perimeter marksman and above-average facilitator for his size. He’s also rated as UConn’s top defender this season in evanmiya.com‘s DBPR metric. It’s no surprise that the Huskies’ three conference losses have all come during McNeeley’s absence.
Baylor
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 9
V.J. Edgecombe
Big Board: 6
Edgecombe’s productivity is skyrocketing in Big 12 play, highlighted by outbursts of 30 and 28 points in victories over Kansas State and BYU. The 6-5 former McDonald’s All-American is supremely athletic — as evidenced by multiple highlight-reel dunks — and that shows up on both ends of the floor. He’s a multi-level scorer and defensive pest who is second in the Big 12 in steals at 2.3 per game.
Robert Wright
Big Board: N/A
Wright brings NBA-caliber upside offensively but hasn’t crept into the one-and-done draft conversation yet because of his size at 6-1 and related defensive shortcomings. With a couple more performances like his 24-point showing in a comeback win over Kansas, that might change. Ultimately, Wright is probably a poster child for the NIL era; he can benefit financially off his immense college talent without having to stress too much over whether it translates to the NBA.
Texas
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 10
Tre Johnson
Big Board: 11
Johnson is an electric scorer who has never met a shot he doesn’t like, which includes a steady diet of contested mid-range jumpers. There is ample refining to be done here, but the 6-6 guard has the upside to justify a lottery pick. If the Longhorns get into the dance, he’s one to circle as a potential March Madness star.
Georgia
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 11
Asa Newell
Big Board: 21
At 6-11, Newell plays the five for Georgia. Don’t put him in a box, though. Newell is more than athletic enough to flex out onto the perimeter. His 3-point shot is a work in progress, but it’s got promise. Players with Newell’s combination of size, athleticism and versatility are rare finds. If he lands with the right franchise — one that doesn’t need him to bruise under the basket from day one — Newell can be a steal.
BYU
Projected NCAA Tournament seed: 12
Egor Demin
Big Board: 3
Demin has quickly established himself as one of the premier passers in college basketball. The 6-9 guard is an inconsistent 3-point shooter but is one of the sport’s truly elite facilitators. At his size and with one skill that’s already NBA-ready, Demin is a high-floor prospect who should only improve as he hits his 19th birthday next month.
Kanon Catchings
Big Board: 36
Catchings is a long-striding and lanky 6-9 wing with the size to get shots off above the defense. He’s a threat in the pick-and-pop but can also attack close-outs. At this stage in his development, Catchings doesn’t bring a ton defensively or on the boards. But the upside for a March rise up draft boards is here, especially if BYU finds its way on to the NCAA Tournament stage.