Scouting Struggles: The Hardest Players to Project in the 2025 NBA Draft
The Five Prospects That Have Me Second-Guessing: Jakucionis, Murray-Boyles, Demin, Queen, and Traore
As I put the finishing touches on my Big Board 3.0, which will be dropping in the next few days, I wanted to take a step back and be fully transparent about a few prospects that have been particularly tough evaluations for me. These are players who are undeniably productive at the college level, but when it comes to projecting their NBA translation, I find myself stuck with more questions than answers.
Now, to be clear, every prospect comes with concerns—there’s no such thing as a perfect player—but these five have me genuinely torn. Whether it’s questions about role scalability, athletic limitations, skill development, or how their strengths and weaknesses will interact at the next level, these are the players I’ve wrestled with the most in this draft cycle.
I’ve spoken with NBA scouts who have expressed similar struggles in evaluating these prospects, and I’ve even gone back and reviewed my old notes, analyzing how my thoughts on them have fluctuated over time. Some players have exceeded my initial expectations, while others have raised new concerns, making them some of the most complex evaluations in the 2025 draft class.
Kasparas Jakucionis
Illinois
Freshman
Combo Guard
6’6” | 205
Age on draft night: 19.06
Kasparas Jakucionis is, without a doubt, the most difficult evaluation for me in this draft class. Coming into the season, I had him ranked No. 15 on my Big Board 1.0, largely based on having the chance to see him live.
Here is what I wrote back in November:
The biggest questions I have for Jakucionis in 2024-25
How will his game translate to the Big Ten?
My main question is how Jakucionis’s style will translate to college basketball, especially against Big Ten athletes. I’m curious if Illinois coach Brad Underwood will give him the freedom to play his high-risk, high-reward style, which thrives on confidence and creativity. Jakucionis tends to throw risky passes, and his game could be limited if he’s forced into a more conservative role. I’m also eager to see if his shooting translates effectively—he has potential as a shooter but could benefit from more consistency.