June 26th, 2025
By William Armstead
BROOKLYN, NY- The 2025 NBA Draft took place on June 25th at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Round 1 aired at 8 p.m. ET on ABC/ESPN, with Round 2 following the next day on ESPN.
New England’s own Cooper Flagg, the 6-foot-9 star from Newport, Maine, was selected No. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft out of Duke University. Flagg has now become the first player from Maine and the first New England native to ever earn the top spot. Flagg now joins Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving in Dallas, a trio that Dallas fans hope can take them to a championship.
“This is just the beginning. I’m proud to represent where I’m from, and I hope this inspires kids from small places like Maine to chase big dreams,” Flagg said in his post-selection interview.
The Boston Celtics held the 28th pick in the draft and selected Hugo González. González is a 6-foot-6, 19-year-old guard from Spain who played for Real Madrid. Despite not having the best stats, the Celtics believe González can help them most on the defensive side of the ball, as he is most known for his hustle and perimeter defense. A day before the draft, the Celtics traded Jrue Holiday to the Trail Blazers in exchange for Anfernee Simons and two second-round picks. They also traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Hawks for Georges Niang and another second-round pick. The Celtics still hold pick number 32 in the draft and will make that selection later today.
As for the Nets, they held a whopping five first-round picks. Their selections included No. 8 (own), No. 19 (Milwaukee), No. 22 (Atlanta), No. 26 and No. 27 (both from the Bridges trade with New York), and finally a second-rounder at No. 36. With those picks, the Nets drafted Egor Demin (No. 8), Nolan Traoré (No. 19), Jaylen Wells (No. 22), Isaiah Evans (No. 26), and Pacôme Dadiet (No. 27). The Nets will make their selection with the 36th pick later today. The most impactful addition for the Nets is their No. 8 pick, Egor Demin, out of BYU. Demin is 6’9 and plays like a guard on the floor, making him extremely versatile. He will become a key piece in the future success of the Nets.
The Knicks did not hold any picks in this year’s draft. Last summer, the Knicks gave up five first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets to acquire two-way star Mikal Bridges. Also, the Knicks lost their second-round pick this year after committing a tampering violation regarding Jalen Brunson’s 2022 free agency. Despite having no picks, the Knicks still have plenty of star power, including Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mitchell Robinson. The Knicks will look to make another deep run in the playoffs this upcoming season.
Sports Insider Daily 