Evaluating 2025 NBA Draft Prospects Through a Playoff Lens
Who defends, who shoots, and who can stay on the court when the game slows down.
As I dig deeper into my 2025 NBA Draft evaluations, I’ve started filtering prospects through a playoff lens more than ever. The postseason has a way of spotlighting what truly translates—where physicality ramps up, mismatches are hunted relentlessly, and only the most versatile survive. It’s not just about who shines in a free-flowing regular season setting. It’s about who can stay on the floor when the game slows down, defenses lock in, and every possession is a chess match.
That shift in focus has put the wing position front and center in my evaluations. In today’s playoff basketball, wings who can credibly defend multiple positions, hold up in switches, and knock down open threes without stalling your offense are incredibly valuable. Non-shooters get ignored. Weak defenders get hunted. And if a player lacks two-way functionality, they risk becoming unplayable—unless they're such a dynamic offensive force that you build around them.
That’s why the 3-and-D label doesn’t go far enough anymore. It’s not just about checking boxes—it’s about being trusted when the lights are brightest.
Can this player defend across matchups?
Will he be targeted by opposing offenses?
Can he space the floor and provide real offensive value without the ball?
Those are the three questions I’ve used to sort this class of wings. And in the context of playoff basketball, they’ve helped clarify whose game scales up—and whose doesn't.
The Wings That Check Every Box
These are the guys I trust to defend, not get hunted, and provide real value offensively.