Our NBA mock drafts lean heavily on intel to make projections for the players and the 30 teams. This mock draft, with Cooper Flagg as the projected No. 1 pick, isn't like the others. Instead, ESPN draft analysts Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo explored the first round of the 2025 NBA draft from two differing perspectives: selecting for team need versus drafting for best available.

The San Antonio Spurs own the second pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, and one mock has them picking a Duke star not name Cooper Flagg.

The Dallas Mavericks have a no-brainer choice with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, which they landed despite entering the lottery with minuscule odds of winning it. Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs were poised to be awesome for the next half-decade or more even before they ended up with the No.