Countdown to College Hoops: In-Depth Scouting Reports on 2025 NBA Draft Prospects
From potential lottery picks to under-the-radar breakout candidates, find out who’s poised to shine this season.
With college basketball season just 54 days away, I’m excited to kick off in-depth scouting reports on the top prospects for the 2025 NBA Draft. Every week, I’ll be diving deep into player evaluations, covering everything from strengths and weaknesses to statistical breakdowns, key attributes, and more. These exclusive reports will only be accessible to paying subscribers—if you haven’t signed up yet, take advantage of the limited-time offer of an annual subscription for just $30 this week, or $8 a month for a monthly membership.
Today, I’ll be spotlighting 10 prospects from a wide range of draft projections, spanning potential lottery picks to former McDonald’s All-Americans looking to reboot their draft stock at new schools, as well as under-the-radar juniors who I believe are primed for breakout seasons. This week’s featured prospects include Aaron Bradshaw, Dillon Mitchell, Nique Clifford, William Kyle, Collin Murray-Boyles, Jarin Stevenson, Tyrese Proctor, Tyon Grant-Foster, Kylan Boswell, and JT Toppin.
From lottery hopefuls to hidden gems, each report offers comprehensive insights that will help you stay ahead of the curve as we inch closer to the 2024-25 college basketball season. Stay tuned!
Aaron Bradshaw
Aaron Bradshaw arrived in college basketball as a consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2023 class, with many projecting him as a potential top-10 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. However, his freshman season at Kentucky didn’t unfold as expected. A broken foot and subsequent surgery sidelined him for all of preseason and the early part of the season. Bradshaw eventually appeared in 26 games, averaging 4.9 points and 3.3 rebounds per game. With the departure of head coach John Calipari, Bradshaw entered the NCAA transfer portal, seeking a fresh start to fully display his potential.
Kylan Boswell
Champaign native and former 5-star recruit Kylan Boswell has returned home to play for Illinois after spending two seasons at Arizona, where he became a reliable backcourt contributor. During his time with the Wildcats, Boswell started all but one game last season, posting averages of 9.6 points and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 39.6% from the field and an impressive 37.6% from three-point range.
Nique Clifford
Nique Clifford became one of the most talked-about names in draft circles by the end of last season, and for good reason. A former four-star prospect and top 100 recruit, he began his college career at Colorado, where he put up modest numbers, averaging 5.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game. However, after transferring to Colorado State, Clifford found his stride and broke out in a big way. Following a stint testing the NBA Draft waters this spring, he opted to return for his final year of eligibility, looking to cement his status as a versatile, all-around wing. Last season, he averaged 12.2 points, a team-high 7.6 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, making an impact on both ends of the floor.
Tyon Grant-Foster
Tyson Grant-Foster, last season's WAC Player of the Year, is back at Grand Canyon University following a stellar campaign where he averaged 20.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.5 blocks per game. His impressive offensive output, coupled with his defensive numbers, places him in elite company; since 2000, only Zion Williamson and Kevin Durant have recorded similar averages in points, rebounds, steals, and blocks while playing at least 20 games.
William Kyle III
William Kyle III has steadily emerged as a promising frontcourt prospect during his two seasons at South Dakota State and now has the chance to showcase his athleticism and rim protection on a bigger stage at UCLA, where he's expected to fill the shoes of Adem Bona. A late bloomer, Kyle has appeared in 67 games, averaging 11.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game, demonstrating consistent growth on both ends of the court.
Dillon Mitchell
Mitchell came to Texas with sky-high expectations, ranked as the No. 8 prospect nationally and the No. 2 small forward by the 247Sports Composite rankings. The Montverde Academy standout was even projected as a potential lottery pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, thanks to his elite athleticism, energy, and defensive upside. After two seasons in Austin, Mitchell is hoping to revitalize his draft stock with a change of scenery, transferring to Cincinnati for a fresh start within the same conference.
Collin Murray-Boyles
Collin Murray-Boyles emerged as one of the most intriguing prospects in college basketball last season and chose to return for another year, positioning himself as arguably the top returning NBA prospect in the country. As an 18-year-old freshman, he averaged 10.4 points and led his team with 5.7 rebounds per game. Though he wasn't initially expected to be a one-and-done, his impressive play had him looking like a potential first-round pick had he declared for the 2024 NBA Draft, which is widely considered weaker compared to the 2025 class.
Tyrese Proctor
Tyrese Proctor was one of my top returning players for the 2023-24 college basketball season, and I expected him to emerge as a lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. While his numbers improved across the board, he didn’t have the breakout season I had anticipated. Ultimately, he made the right call by returning to school, as he wasn’t a guaranteed draft pick. Heading into his junior year, Proctor will need a strong campaign to address his shortcomings and solidify himself as a first-round selection, with the potential to climb back into the lottery conversation. Unlike freshmen and sophomores, who often get drafted based on potential, juniors and seniors are expected to dominate at a higher level—similar to what Zach Edey, Dalton Knecht, Devin Carter, Jaylon Tyson, and Daron Holmes II accomplished in 2023-24. For Proctor to boost his stock, he'll need to make a similar leap.
Jarin Stevenson
Jarin Stevenson has the potential to be a breakout candidate in the 2024-25 season, with all the tools to emerge as a lottery pick in what’s shaping up to be a deep and loaded draft class. He flashed his upside during Alabama's Elite Eight win over Clemson, scoring 19 points and hitting five three-pointers. Now entering his sophomore season, Stevenson is poised for a larger role. One of the youngest players in college basketball last year, he began his freshman season at just 17 years old and played the entire year at 18. He won’t even turn 19 until the start of NBA training camp ahead of the 2025-26 season.
JT Toppin
JT Toppin caught the attention of NBA scouts during his freshman year at New Mexico, earning Mountain West Freshman of the Year and All-Mountain West Second Team honors in 2023-24. After an impressive debut season, where he averaged 12.4 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game, Toppin declared for the 2024 NBA Draft and participated in the NBA Draft Combine. However, he ultimately chose to transfer to Texas Tech, where he enters the upcoming season as a projected first-round pick.
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