Draft Expert Projects High-Upside Wing to Mavericks in 2025 NBA Draft

No Ceilings writer Rich Stayman, also known as MavsDraft on X, is a draft expert and scout. He posted his Mavericks Big Board recently, and has some interesting thoughts about the directions in which Dallas could go in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. Amongst his list of preferred players, the top option in his eyes is Connecticut freshman forward Liam McNeeley, a big-bodied wing who is actually native to the DFW area.

Playing high-school basketball for JJ Pearce (Richardson) and John Paul II (Plano) before ultimately transferring to Montverde Academy for his senior season of prep basketball, McNeeley has all of the pedigree in the world after playing alongside five-star prospects like Cooper Flagg and Asa Newell at the Florida powerhouse. His intelligence on both ends of the ball lends itself to immediate capability and production potential in the NBA, even as a rookie.

McNeeley is projected anywhere from pick 10 to pick 20 and would require a lucky slide in order for Dallas to be in range to grab the one-and-done from Dan Hurley's Huskies. He's an excellent off-ball defender and connective playmaker with elite shooting upside off of the catch and could provide a lot for Dallas in multiple facets by fortifying their depth at the wing spot.

Other players that Stayman mentions as possible targets for the Mavericks in the 2025 Draft are South Carolina forward Collin Murray-Boyles, Saint Joseph's forward Rasheer Fleming, another UConn combo forward Alex Karaban, and San Diego State wing Miles Byrd. The common thread between these players is that they are big-bodied wings or combo forwards that put an emphasis on defense.

Murray-Boyles is a top-notch defender who can handle guards, forwards, and even some centers; Fleming is a defensive menace at the power forward spot who can also shoot the ball and finish plays in the paint. Karaban and Byrd fit the mold as well as high-IQ, high-feel players who can make an impact defending the perimeter and the paint, both on or off the ball.

These projections are under the assumption that Dallas picks around 20th, so a few picks after the lottery ends. While they would ideally pick later in the draft due to a better season outcome, allowing them to get a young player who can step in and contribute off the bat is how championship rosters are built. Hopefully, Dallas does not pick any higher than this range, but if they do, this is a stacked draft as far as depth goes, especially in the late lottery and beyond.

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