10 NBA Draft Risers to Watch in 2025

The 2024-25 men's college basketball season is in conference play and the 2025 NBA draft is five months away. Let's take a closer look at some of the underrated prospects rising up the ranks.

Change is inevitable when it comes to forecasting the draft. With half the college regular season already done, strong performances from lesser-heralded players are being rewarded with attention from NBA scouts and an improved outlook with draft prognostications.

The following 10 players, divided by backcourt and frontcourt and then ranked based on their projected draft order, have caught NBA teams' eyes thus far, despite entering this season without significant draft buzz. Continuing to produce ahead of the NCAA tournament will cause players to see their draft stock climb as June draws near.

We've also asked NBA scouts to share their insights on these players and why they might not be flying under the draft radar for much longer.

Come back to ESPN.com and ESPN the App on Saturday for our updated list of ESPN's Top 100 Rankings, which was last posted on Dec. 10, 2024.

Let's dive in.

Jump to a section:

Backcourt | Frontcourt

Backcourt

Danny Wolf, PG/PF, Michigan

Age: 20.6 | Height: 7-0 | Weight: 255

Projected draft range: 12-25

Why there's intrigue: The Yale transfer who represents Israel in FIBA competition has made the transition from the Ivy League to the Big Ten look seamless, helping No. 20 Michigan to a 5-0 conference record and top-10 KenPom ranking, while improbably seeing significant minutes at point guard despite standing 7-feet.

There isn't another player in college basketball like him with his ability to push off the defensive glass, creativity operating out of pick-and-roll handling, passing and finishing skillfully with both hands, and finding teammates off a live dribble. College bigs often have no idea how to defend his ball-screen actions with 7-foot-1 center Vlad Goldin, with Wolf's ability to play off crossovers and hesitation moves, reject screens, dish on the move and throw in 3-pointers pulling up against unders or ducking behind handoffs. He has improved his rebounding, finishing and defensive versatility from last season, showing a strong motor and sharp instincts recovering for blocks and steals while being in the right spots off the ball and generally holding his own.

What scouts are saying: "I can't remember the last time I saw a college big play that loose and free as a ball handler and passer. Some of the s--- he's doing; right hand, left hand. He's highly, highly skilled.... He has a skill set that everyone is trying to find. My question is, when the lights get super super bright as the season moves on, can he maintain that swagger and confidence?"

Outlook: Wolf still has things to prove with his outside shooting (35% 3-pointers, 59% free throws) and high turnover rate, leading all prospects with a 28% turnover percentage.Michigan has some major tests the next two months in the Big Ten where defenses will be singularly focused on slowing him down, which will tell us more about the viability of his unique style of play against elite-level opponents. -- Givony

Jase Richardson, SG, Michigan State

Age: 19.2 | Height: 6-3 | Weight: 185

Projected draft range: 25-45

Why there's intrigue: The son of longtime NBA standout Jason Richardson came in 38th in last year's RSCI index and received less national fanfare than other recent NBA sons emerging from the high school ranks. He has been a positive contributor for No. 12 Michigan State (14-2), who is leaning heavily on three-guard lineups, with Richardson rotating off the bench behind more experienced teammates.

While not gifted with great size for a guard working primarily off the ball, Richardson has been efficient scoring (70% True Shooting through 16 games), albeit on somewhat limited volume. He's a quick processor and decision-maker who is comfortable moving the ball and cutting without it, allowing him to make the most of his physical limitations. The small offensive sample size will have to bear out over the rest of the season, but falls in line with Richardson's play in the Nike EYBL.

Defensively, Richardson also makes the most of what he has, with length to contest shots effectively and good instincts as a team defender. He has good feet and lateral quickness. The advanced numbers have backed up his play quality, and he leads the team with a 9.9 box plus-minus score (per Bart Torvik), indicative of a strong positive impact in his minutes.

The biggest concern is what type of role Richardson can carve out in the NBA without developing more on-ball skills at his size (he's slender, and his listed 6-foot-3 might be a tad generous). His ideal long-term role would likely be as a connective combo guard who can pinch-hit in different lineups, with high enough basketball IQ to fill in the gaps and make teammates better. But he's not getting a ton of on-ball playmaking reps at Michigan State with Jeremy Fears entrenched at point guard, and would greatly benefit from developing further as a secondary handler in screen actions.

What scouts are saying: "I like Jase. Combo guard that has a good feel for the game and a trustworthy jumper. It's impressive [Tom] Izzo is trusting him as a freshman. He's getting more [playmaking opportunities] than he started with this year at least, but [I] want to see more.... He should probably take another year in school to refine his game and get stronger, but has a real chance."

Outlook: Richardson's statistical profile is a natural hook for analytics models. Couple that with his demonstrable feel and NBA bloodlines, and he's a clear person of draft interest. Teams will track him the rest of the season, but with Michigan State currently tied for first in the Big Ten, there might not be much of a reason for his role to expand between now and March.

Considering him a first-rounder is more of a calculated developmental bet than a surefire addition to a team's core. Whether he can show enough to earn guaranteed money this year, or is best off returning for his sophomore season remains to be seen, but he has helped himself quite a bit so far. -- Woo

Darrion Williams, SG/SF, Texas Tech

Age: 21.7 | Height: 6-6 | Weight: 225

Projected draft range: 25-45

Why there's intrigue: Williams has jumped from role player to go-to guy for a Texas Tech team that is elite offensively and a top-20 KenPom team, emerging as one of the best players in the Big 12 and a potential first-round pick this year or next.

There aren't many players demonstrating the versatility and feel for the game Williams does, sliding between the point guard and power forward spots for the Red Raiders. He makes the game easy for teammates with the way he moves the ball in a variety of situations, operating out of ball screens patiently, finding cutters on the move, making skip passes, playing out of the post, and attacking closeouts, showing a nice blend between scoring and facilitating with clutch plays down the stretch.

He's a career 40% 3-point shooter despite a low volume of makes (98 in 80 games) and is 84% from the free throw line, but funky mechanics raise questions about just how good a shooter he is. Not blessed with elite explosiveness, length, or the most appealing frame, NBA teams will want to get a better feel for this part of his game to better project his role, as he is also not a lockdown defender. The fact that he's intelligent, competitive and instinctual helps, but his team struggles to get stops -- and he's no exception.

What scouts are saying: "He's polarizing in our group. Some of our scouts love his feel, passing, and character, as well as the way he takes over games and does a little bit of everything. Others worry about the body, the jumper, who he is going to guard, how does it translate, etc. He's grown on me, but he might need another year to trim up and improve his 3-and-D outlook, and become like a Royce O'Neal-type."

Outlook: After a somewhat soft non-conference schedule, we'll find out just how good of a team Texas Tech is over the next two months with Williams leading the way, something that will tell us more about whether he's a first-round candidate in 2025, or perhaps better suited maximizing his draft standing with another year of seasoning. -- Givony

Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee

Age: 23.0 | Height: 6-5 | Weight: 195

Projected draft range: 31-50

Why the intrigue: Lanier has taken an unusual path to NBA prospect status, joining the Vols after four years at North Florida, where he redshirted as a freshman and bloomed late. He raised his scoring average from 4.5 as a sophomore to 19.7 points per game as a senior, a surprising breakout that made him a top transfer portal target. At Tennessee, he has stepped into much of the role vacated by 2024 first-round pick Dalton Knecht and has been one of the better transfers nationally.

Lanier has paced No. 6 Tennessee with 19.0 points per game, shooting a blistering 43.7% from 3 on 8.4 attempts. He's a confident catch-and-shoot player with a quick release and has taken advantage of growth opportunities playing off of screens. Also a solid pull-up shooter, his scoring profile gives him a chance to be a specialist, playing off of NBA guards who will consistently find him and play off the space he generates. Lanier's combination of elite shooting and volume -- in keeping with his play last season -- portends well for his immediate translation as a bench player.

However, the rest of Lanier's game is limited, and he has ground to make up developmentally to carve out a pro role. While his role requires him to get shots up, he has never been much of a playmaker, averaging 1.2 assists per game for his college career and sometimes showing tunnel vision while hunting jumpers. His finishing is also a concern, shooting 42% on 2-point attempts entering the week, and he tends to settle for shots rather than attack downhill, likely as a result of those limitations. It's hard to see him creating consistently off the bounce in a winning context.

While not overly tall for a wing by NBA standards, Lanier has plus length on the perimeter, measuring with a 6-foot-9 wingspan at last year's G League Elite Camp. He's still an adventure at times defensively, with questionable habits and tendencies both as a team defender and guarding the ball. It's feasible some of these things change in the pros, where Lanier won't have to be the No. 1 option and the game might come more easily on both ends, but his overall profile falls somewhat short of the 3-and-D designation.

What scouts are saying: "A bit undersized for a wing, but good strength and long arms....Very good shooter, and can get it off quick with range. Don't think he's a plus defender at the next level.... I think he's more of a wing than a combo. I'm lower on him than some -- I view him as an undersized shooter/scorer."

Outlook: There's little question Lanier is a good enough shooter to warrant draft consideration. Scouts will be working to determine whether the rest of his game can get up to speed at his age, considering the context of his limited high-level college experience and unusual trajectory as a prospect.

If he can show improvement over the next two months, with Tennessee in position to make a strong run in March, it would strengthen his case for a guaranteed second-round deal. -- Woo