Mock Drafts Highlight Uncertainty For Jazz After Lottery Drop
May 16, 2025, 2:57 PM
Jeremiah Fears #0 of the Oklahoma Sooners (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY—The Utah Jazz, who fell to the fifth pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, will have a variety of names to pick from, according to the post-lottery mock drafts.
Whereas the Jazz would have welcomed the easy choice of Cooper Flagg had they won Monday’s draft lottery, Danny Ainge, Justin Zanik, and the rest of the Utah front office will have to do their due diligence to find the best player available with the fifth pick.
Related: What’s Next For Jazz After Falling In Lottery?
Utah Jazz Mock Draft Round-Up – Post Lottery
ESPN – Jeremiah Fears – PG – Oklahoma
After an up-and-down freshman season, Fears closed the year on a tear, averaging 21.6 points, 4.6 assists, and 4.9 rebounds while helping Oklahoma qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
Related: Utah Jazz Draft Prospects Page
However, the guard measured it at 6-foot-2.5 at the NBA Combine, and shot just 28 percent from the three-point line in college, casting doubt over his true upside in the NBA as a two-way player.
Fears reclassified out of high school, making him one of the younger players in this year’s draft, and likely one of the top point guards taken off the board.
Fox Sports – VJ Edgecombe – SG – Baylor
Edgcombe was one of the winners of the NBA Combine, measuring in at a full 6-foot-4 without shoes on, while showing off a 38.5-inch vertical leap.
Related: How Would VJ Edgecombe Fit With The Utah Jazz?
The Baylor guard is one of the safer two-way players in the draft and is a true talent in the open floor, but may not have the natural scoring instincts of a future All-Star.
Regardless, Edgecombe is a near lock to be selected in the top five after averaging 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists as a freshman.
The Ringer – Kon Knueppel – SG/SF – Duke
While most fans had their eyes on Flagg, NBA scouts were also monitoring the growth of Duke teammate Kon Knueppel, who had one of the best shooting seasons in college history.
Kon Knueppel played an essential role for Duke, shouldering significant shot-creation duties while spacing the floor and holding his own defensively. He’s an outstanding passer, especially out of pick and roll, with a unique combination of competitiveness, feel and versatility. pic.twitter.com/Z5R7Mg1kye
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 16, 2025
The guard knocked down 48 percent of his field goals, 40 percent of his three-pointers, and 91 percent of his free-throw attempts while averaging 14.4 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
Knueppel didn’t take part in the NBA Combine due to an ankle injury, but figures to be a lock in the top half of the lottery.
Tankathon – Tre Johnson – SG – Texas
Tre Johnson has become an early favorite among Jazz fans due to his gaudy scoring numbers and three-point percentage.
Related: How Would Tre Johnson Fit With The Utah Jazz?
As a freshman at Texas, Johnson led the SEC, averaging 19.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 39 percent from three and 87 percent from the free-throw line.
The guard tested exceptionally well at the combine, but his athleticism wasn’t always apparent on the floor for the Longhorns.
SB Nation – Khaman Maluach – C – Duke
Maluach would be overtly duplicative of Walker Kessler, meaning if the Jazz were to select him with the fifth pick, a trade would likely be in order.
To his credit, Maluach had a productive freshman season at Duke as a behemoth rim-runner capable of deterring opposing offenses at the rim, while catching lobs in the pick and roll.
This pick seems highly unlikely unless the Jazz had a secondary move up their sleeves.
What Will Jazz Do On Draft Night?
As made clear by the mocks, there is no obvious choice for the Jazz on draft night, and until teams have completed their individual workouts, names will continue to slide up and down the board.
For Jazz fans hoping to have a clearer indication of who the team will select, it likely won’t become obvious until Adam Silver walks to the podium on June 25th.
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Ben Anderson is the Utah Jazz insider for KSL Sports and the co-host of Jake and Ben from 10-12p with Jake Scott on 97.5 The KSL Sports Zone. Find Ben on Twitter at @BensHoops, on Instagram @BensHoops, or on BlueSky.
