The men’s NCAA Tournament is finally here, and just in time. The Philadelphia 76ers have limped to a 23-45 record, and most fans are focused on the team retaining their top-six protected pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. As is the case every year, the NCAA Tournament is an opportunity for prospects to make their claim to climb draft boards, as it is for Sixers fans to get a bit more familiar with some of the names to watch.
This year’s draft class is, to this point, controlled by three players, two of whom will not be discussed here. Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, the consensus second and third top prospects in this year’s draft, did not make the tournament, unfortunately, as their season with Rutgers came to an end in the first round of the Big 10 tournament.
Cooper Flagg
Discussion of the 2025 NBA Draft’s top selection starts and ends with Duke’s Cooper Flagg. The consensus top pick is the projected star of the tournament for a reason. While currently nursing a sprained ankle, Flagg is expected to be ready for the first round of the tournament.
Few players are as well-rounded as Flagg, especially at this point in their careers. A true two-way threat, Flagg is a high-quality scorer, defender, rebounder, and facilitator. Looking at how he projects at the NBA level, Flag has received multiple comparisons to Scottie Pippen and Kevin Garnett if he is able to continue to develop as an offensive engine.
There is some discussion over how great Flagg can truly become due to concerns around his ball-handling skills and isolation-scoring ability, but there’s enough potential to predict a future multi-time All-Star with enough of a floor to expect a well-rounded starter who can thrive in any environment.
VJ Edgecombe
Much has been made of the potential of both Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey, but Baylor’s CJ Edgecombe may have the most realistic pathway to realizing his potential. A 6’5″ freak athlete with a feel for the game on both sides that reminds many of Victor Oladipo, Edgecombe has the opportunity to make a name for himself and potentially overtake one or both of Rutgers’ star prospects with a quality tournament performance.
Playing nearly strictly off-ball, there are concerns about Edgecombe’s ceiling. He’ll need to drastically improve his ball-handling but has already shown signs of improvement as the season has gone on.
While the Sixers would love to land a bonafide superstar, a quality two-way, off-ball threat would be a fantastic complement to all of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Paul George, Jared McCain, and Quentin Grimes. Whatever combination of those players is still in Philadelphia come next season.
Kon Knueppel
Duke’s 2024-2025 recruiting class was absolutely stacked. Kon Knueppel was one of three recruits in the top 20 and one of five in the top 31, ranking behind only Cooper Flagg and Isaiah Evans. It didn’t take long for Knueppel to overtake Evans in the Blue Devil hierarchy, doing so by showcasing his premier skills as a support wing.
A stellar shooter and capable defender, Knueppel draws comparisons to Kevin Huerter and Corey Kispert, long sharpshooters who can hold their own defensively, at least in Kispert’s case. This is where the Knueppel comparison is more accurate. While his lateral quickness will leave some with concerns, his strong lower body and capable footwork will make him a serviceable defender, even at the next level.
Tre Johnson
An electric scorer with incredible shotmaking ability and impressive footwork, Tre Johnson is a certified bucket, and there are no questions that will translate to the next level. The questions surrounding Johnson are more about his struggles to generate pressure at the rim.
Johnson has a pathway to becoming an impressive offensive weapon, but there is also an equal, if not a much greater, chance that he will become a Tim Hardaway Jr. or Cam Thomas bench microwave scorer.
Philadelphia needs young athletic shooters, which certainly describes Johnson. However, they also need players capable of working within a system as opposed to simply finding their own shot, which is where they may deem Johnson unfit.
Khaman Maluach
Cooper Flagg is the top prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft, but if the Sixers are not selecting atop the draft, or if they remain uncertain about Joel Embiid‘s future—or worse, negatively certain—then Flagg’s teammate Khaman Maluach could become Philadelphia’s top target.
Standing at 7’2″ with a 7’6″ wingspan and an incredible 9’8″ standing reach, Maluach boasts near Victor Wembayama-level measurables. He’s not just a tall drink of water, though. Maluach is also a stellar and versatile defender, especially considering he began playing in 2019.
An intimidating shot blocker, Maluach is also an impressive perimeter defender who overcomes his shortcomings in lateral quickness and processing time with impressive footwork and ridiculous measurables.
Depending on the level of clarity or lack thereof around Joel Embiid’s future, landing a player with multi-time Defensive Player of the Year upside in his place could prove the wisest route.
