5. Utah Jazz - Kon Knueppel, F, Duke
Heading into the offseason, there's no question that the Utah Jazz will be looking for at least one other star player to help Lauri Markkanen. While this is certainly considered a potential star-studded NBA Draft class, I'm not sure if the Jazz is going to find one of those players selecting outside the top 3. It's going to be much harder for Utah to pull that off. However, one intriguing prospect that could make some sense for the Jazz at this point in the first round is Duke forward Kon Knueppel.
To be perfectly honest, this could be viewed as a somewhat underwhelming selection for a team that is trying to find star talent to surround Markkanen with. But every team in the league could have use for a player like Knueppel. As the Blue Devils have a strong history of winning players, Knueppel fits that exact type of role. He makes so many winning plays when he's on the floor that even if he doesn't carry a ton of star potential with him, his value on so many other levels makes him a worthy lottery selection in this draft.
6. Brooklyn Nets - VJ Edgecombe, G, Baylor
With the way the projected draft order looks now, there's a chance that the Brooklyn Nets will end up having upwards of four selections in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. Considering it's one of the deepest classes in recent history, that's exactly what the Nets may need in order to jump-start their rebuild. With this first selection, look for the Nets to take a high-risk, high-reward type of flyer on a player like Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe. As a highly-touted prospect, Edgecombe could get some top-5 love but I ultimately believe he could be available later in the top 10.
For a team like the Nets, this could be a great selection for a franchise that is in the market for a lead star. I'm not sure if Edgecombe is a lock to develop into that level of a player but he has the skill set to be a really good developmental project for the Nets. During his freshman season, Edgecombe is averaging 12 points, six rebounds, and three assists per game on 41 percent shooting from the floor. If he can have a strong second half of the season for the Bears, he's certainly a player who can zoom up draft boards.