Who Are the Best Upperclassmen in the 2025 NBA Draft?

With the NBA Playoffs in full swing, the teams' whose seasons ended early are already planning for the 2025 NBA Draft, which takes place on June 25. Though the draft lottery order hasn't been established yet, many teams have a general idea of where they will be picking.

There are the obvious names at the top, like Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey, and VJ Edgecombe, all of whom are freshmen – but what about the upperclassmen in this crop of players? There are a few that will hear their names called in the lottery. Here are some of those prospects.

One of the most highly touted players regardless of class designation is South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles, a defensive menace and powerful paint presence on offense that can anchor a team guarding players both on the perimeter and in the paint despite standing at just 6-foot-7. His instincts are so advanced that he will immediately be able to make an impact, and his physicality will allow him to get on the floor early. He averaged 16.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game last season while being one of the best players on both ends of the floor in the best conference in college basketball.

Nique Clifford is another player who may find himself in or near the lottery, a multi-positional player that has spent time at guard, wing, and forward over his career at Colorado State. Another elite defensive player, Clifford is extremely versatile and, like Murray-Boyles, should be able to contribute early on. His senior season saw him lead the team in points (18.9), rebounds (9.6), assists (4.4), and steals (1.2). His multi-pronged abilities will allow him to contribute for a good team as soon as his rookie season.

A third excellent upperclassman is Michigan seven-footer Danny Wolf, who, like Clifford, can play multiple spots. Despite his height, Wolf can initiate offense as a solid passer out of the pick-and-roll as a ball handler, but also as out of the short roll when playing off of the ball in such sets. This season, he put up 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists while shooting 50% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc. He will be highly sought after in the late lottery, and can serve a role similar to that of Lauri Markkanen.