The NBA Finals just finished up this week and in the blink of an eye, we have already finished the 2025 NBA Draft. The NBA Draft is always special due to how tough it is to estimate how good prospects will become. That is part of the reason why the NBA Draft is usually one of the more fun drafts in sports. This year was no different.
With a ton of moving parts and plenty of trades, we break down the players who are the 2025 NBA Draft’s biggest winners.
2025 NBA Draft Winners
VJ Edgecombe, G, 76ers
It is very rare for a top pick like VJ Edgecombe to find himself in the perfect spot, but here we are. The Philadelphia 76ers were awful last year, but that was due to multiple injuries sustained by Joel Embiid, Jared McCain and Paul George.
When their starting lineup is healthy, Edgecombe will slide into a starting backcourt alongside Tyrese Maxey. With Philly having multiple scorers on their team, Edgecombe should not only be able to gain valuable playing experience, but also be able to learn the ropes and catch up to the NBA level at his own pace. As Luke Reimer said in the most recent episode of the FlurrySports podcast, Edgecombe has the potential to be molded into an even better version of the current Paul George as a replacement.
While it will be interesting to see how Philadelphia splits playing time around their backcourt, VJ Edgecombe finds himself in a great position to thrive.
RELATED: 2025 NBA Draft Mock Draft and Updated Draft Order
Jeremiah Fears, G, Pelicans
To be quite honest, Jeremiah Fears probably would be on this list no matter where he ended up. Even at a young age, he is one of the most complete and dynamic guards we’ve seen out of the SEC in quite some time.
New Orleans came into this draft needing backcourt help in a bad way, especially with starting point guard Dejounte Murray likely out for most of next season with a ruptured achilles tendon. Fears may not be the franchise cornerstone right away, but he should get plenty of playing time and experience until Murray gets back. Even when Murray does return, the Pelicans’ tendency to dump their roster year after year puts him in a prime position to be the face of the franchise sooner rather than later.
Adou Thiero, F, Lakers
To say the 2025 NBA season was a disaster in eyes of fans of the Los Angeles Lakers would be an understatement. The Lakers picked up a generational talent in Luka Doncic in one of the all-time lopsided trades with the Dallas Mavericks. Even with the acquisition, the team never really gelled and lost in the first round in just five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Lakers made a splash, trading up to select junior Adou Thiero from Arkansas. Thiero is an incredibly gifted defender and athlete whose main concern has been injuries. Now, he is added to a team that needs defense, with one of the greatest athletes of all time in LeBron James. While he still needs to improve offensively, he has the ability to gain valuable experience, work with some of the best, and be utilized in a defensive role that he specializes in. While he may not win Rookie of the Year, Thiero could easily be one of the most impactful rookies next season.
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