Sports

Ranking the top 10 Senior Prospects in College Basketball for the 2025 NBA Draft

benpfeifer Sports Editor

Published2 hours ago on October 21, 2024

Disclosure

We publish independently audited information that meets our strong editorial guidelines. Be aware we may earn a commission if you purchase anything via links on our pages.

In any given draft, the majority of discourse will center around freshmen. One-and-done prospects tend to develop into stars more than older prospects. We shouldn’t forget about the seniors, though, as older NBA prospects can contribute to great teams early in their careers.

Let’s rank the top 10 seniors for the 2025 NBA draft class. It’s not a stacked senior class, but there are a few players who could push for a first-round draft selection next Summer.

Ben Humrichous, W/F, Illinois

Humrichous was one of the NCAA’s best tall shooters last season. At 6’9, Humrichous hit 42.1% of his 10.5 attempts per 100 possessions. The Illinois transfer can handle the ball and score a bit off of the dribble, adding to his diverse offensive skillset.

He’s not an overwhelming athlete, as Humrichous can struggle to guard quicker players and create separation off of the dribble. But prospects with great height, shooting and passing feel often turn out, making him an intriguing senior prospect to watch.

Ryan Kalkbrenner, C, Creighton

As a true seven-footer, Kalkbrenner’s size and touch at the basket (career 76% at the rim) should make him a capable NBA play-finisher. He’s improved his mobility every year, moving further from the rim to defend in space. Kalkbrenner plays his best in the paint where he can contest and block shots with his length and skill as one of the best seniors in the country.

Kalkbrenner increased his three-point volume last season, taking 54 triples at just under 30%. Continued expansion of his perimeter game would boost his stock as a possible rare three-and-D center prospect. Even if that doesn’t happen, his two-way interior play should earn him an NBA slot.

Hunter Sallis, G, Wake Forest

Sallis broke out last year for the Demon Deacons, proving himself one of the country’s best-scoring guards. He’s a confident on and off-ball shooter, especially effective in creating space for mid-range jumpers off of the bounce.

He’s not much of a creator, but Sallis’s shooting and defensive chops will have teams interested in his services. Role-playing three-and-D guards will always carry value and Sallis could find himself as a rotation piece if his jumper continues to fall at a high clip.

Koby Brea, W, Kentucky

Last season at Dayton, Koby Brea burned down the nets from three. He shot a ridiculous 49.8% on a huge 12.9 attempts per 100 possessions while maintaining a high degree of shot difficulty. He’ll likely be the best shooter in all of college basketball this season.

That shooting alone provides Brea a floor as a prospect. What else can he bring to the table at Kentucky? How well Brea makes decisions, attacks the basket and defends could determine his ultimate fate in the 2025 draft.

Saint Thomas, G/W, USC

Thomas will hope to follow in fellow Northern Colorado transfer Dalton Knecht’s footsteps, transferring to a power conference and lighting up the scoreboard. He’s a confident, versatile pull-up shooter who loves to power through defenders with his excellent strength.

He’s a solid decision-maker with the ball in his hands, capable of running second-side pick-and-roll actions. If Thomas can maintain his efficient volume scoring in the Big 10 this season, he could sneak his way into first-round conversations as a three-and-D wing senior sleeper.

Jamir Watkins, W/F, Florida State

Watkins is a menacing defender, capable of sliding his feet with all sorts of players and generating turnovers at an elite level (3.2% block rate, 3.8% steal rate). The 6’7 wing should step into the NBA as an impact defender.

He must improve as a three-point shooter to thrive as a two-way wing; Watkins converted 34.4% of his 5.7 attempts per 100 last season. Watkins’s live dribble passing chops and brutish driving are offensive strengths, though, building the foundation for a productive rotation player down the line.

Kam Jones, G, Marquette

For my money, Kam Jones was the best prospect on a Marquette team that featured two eventual top 40 picks. Jones handles the ball like an NBA guard, navigating to whichever spot he chooses to score or pass.

Jones’s efficiency from three and at the rim is remarkable, especially for a guard who lacks the vertical explosion to rise up quickly. Jones’s ability to dribble, pass and shoot the basketball at 6’5 profiles him as a possible NBA rotation guard.

Tucker DeVries, W, West Virginia

DeVries followed his dad to West Virginia this season, hoping to continue his offensive excellence in the stacked Big 12. He’s one of the best wing shooters in the class, creating jumpers off of the dribble from mid-range and beyond the arc. DeVries sprints off of movement to hit off-ball threes at an NBA level.

Who will DeVries defend at the NBA level? How will he scale down from primary usage to an off-ball role in the pros? If DeVries can answer those questions, it’s easy to imagine as a shooting specialist in an NBA rotation.

Nique Clifford, W/F, Colorado State

A unique weapon on the wing, Nique Clifford passes the ball with the manipulation and timing of a point guard. He’s a crafty driver at 6’6 with the movement skills to get downhill and finish. He’s an excellent defender, especially on the ball, weaponizing those same physical tools to shut down drives and create turnovers.

Clifford’s shooting will be the main swing skill for his success. He shot 37.5% from deep on a respectable 6.0 attempts per 100 possessions last season, boding well for his shooting development. Another strong shooting season could help Clifford enter the first-round conversation.

Mark Sears, G, Alabama

Mark Sears might be the best player in college basketball this season for an Alabama team with championship hopes. His elite shooting will translate immediately to the NBA — Mark Sears shot a scorching 43.6% on 9.5 threes per 100 possessions and 85.7% at the free-throw line.

Shorter guards will always struggle in the NBA, but Sears’s excellent strength and burst as a driver help mitigate that to some extent. He projects as a capable on and off-ball guard at the NBA level on bigger teams, Mark Sears will potentially be worthy of a top-20 pick if everything breaks right this season.