Best 2025 NBA Draft prospects in March Madness without Cooper Flagg

The 2025 NBA Draft features more elite college prospects than most recent classes. The vast majority of the best players in the draft will appear in March Madness, which will provide an excellent environment for them to showcase their talents and compete with other high-level players and prospects.

Let’s rank the five best prospects in the NCAA Tournament field, excluding the consensus top three. There’s only so much more to say about Cooper Flagg’s greatness and Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey’s Rutgers squad didn’t make the tournament. Still, there are plenty of marquee names to know here.

5. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor

Edgecombe bounced back from a slow start to his season and began to play like a star during conference play. He’s an overwhelming athlete who lives in the paint, winning with exceptional burst, explosion and power. As the season progressed, Edgecombe became more comfortable handling the ball to attack the basket.

He progressed massively as a shooter throughout the season, ending at 34.1% on 8.6 attempts per 100 possessions from deep by the end of the season. Edgecombe sprints off screens to hit shots off movement and has also mixed in some off-dribble shooting. He’s also flashed more passing chops, making plays off of his drives.

If Baylor can beat Mississippi State in the Round of 64, they’ll most likely match up with Duke and Cooper Flagg. That would be one of the season’s marquee prospect matchups and a major opportunity for Edgecombe to cement himself among the class’s elite players.

4. Kasparas Jakucionis, Illinois

Jakucionis has slowed down after an excellent start to the season, scoring 15 or fewer points in six of his last seven games. For Illinois to return to form and escape the first few rounds, it’ll need Jakucionis to return to form. He’s a phenomenal shotmaker for a 6-foot-5 guard, attempting high-difficulty shots off of the dribble.

We know Jakucionis will set his teammates up to score, as he comfortably leads his team in assist rate (25.8%). Opposing teams will challenge Jakucionis’ handle, which hasn’t been consistent throughout the season. His ball control often falters on drives, especially against strong, physical defenders.

Still, Jakucionis’ body of work is that of a high-level NBA prospect. If he gets hot from deep and cuts down on turnovers, we could see his stock rise even further. Illinois will need him to score and pass like a future star guard if it hopes to make another deep run in the NCAA tournament this season.

3. Khaman Maluach, Duke

Cooper Flagg will likely play at some point in the tournament, but even if he suits up in the Round of 64, Duke’s other players must step up. Freshman Khaman Maluach has grown throughout the season and contributes strongly to Duke’s excellent defense. But teenage bigs often struggle in the tournament, and Maluach will face older, experienced players throughout.

If Flagg isn’t defending at his full potential due to injury, Maluach will have to anchor his team’s defense. He’s a phenomenal mover for a 7-2 center, comfortable hedging out and even switching on the perimeter at times. Teams will test Maluach in space, especially if Flagg isn’t protecting the basket as a helper like he usually does.

Maluach only averages 8.3 points per game but he’ll need to score a bit more. Smaller teams shouldn’t be able to handle Maluach down low, who wins with his size and excellent touch around the basket. If Duke makes a deep tournament run as many expect, Maluach will likely be a major contributing factor.

2. Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma

After a mid-season lull, Jeremiah Fears has played some of his best ball at the right time. The 18-year-old floor general will look to follow two monster performances in the SEC tournament in Oklahoma’s first-round game against UConn. Fears leads all freshmen in usage rate (32.1%) despite his age and his Sooners will need his offensive spark.

Fears lived at the basket and scored efficiently during the SEC tournament, making 10-14 shots at the rim against Georgia and Kentucky. He hasn’t finished efficiently at the rim throughout the season (54.3%), but his sheer volume and rim pressure grant quite a bit of value.

His excellent touch, skill and physicality provide some hope that his interior scoring improves with age and experience.

The Huskies aren’t the same team as the past two seasons, but we can’t count out a Dan Hurley team in the tournament. He’ll make life tough for Fears, challenging him to overcome an experienced team. He’s talented enough to make it happen and advance Oklahoma past the first round for a possible bout with Florida in the second round.

1. Derik Queen, Maryland

Potential primary creators are often the most valuable commodities a draft holds. Queen has the ceiling to become this after leading his Terrapins to a top-four seed as their primary offensive engine. He’s dominated as a driver all season, scoring efficiently at the basket (67.4%) and spraying passes out to his teammates.

Queen is peaking at the right time, notching his first 30-point game of the season against Michigan in the SEC tournament. He eviscerated a defense led by two excellent big men, living in the paint. The Wolverines dared him to shoot and Queen sank two of his four 3-point attempts, which will be key for his NBA projections.

Maryland lands in a scary spot in the bracket, having to face a talented Grand Canyon team in Round 1 with possible matchups against Memphis, Colorado State and Florida early in the tournament.

These teams will sag off Queen and dare him to win from the outside, but Maryland will need his scoring excellence. A dominant tournament performance could help Queen cement himself as a top-five prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Honorable Mentions: Tre Johnson, Labaron Philon, Kon Knueppel, Jase Richardson

All Stats via Bart Torvik