The 2025 NBA Draft is one NBA teams have been excited about for a few years now. Cooper Flagg has driven the vast majority of that buzz, supported by the likes of Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, and VJ Edgecombe there’s a top four here that are all worth the tank if your team is going that route. In the summer of 2024, a handful of international prospects were on the outside looking in on this group but some felt they had a chance to round out the top five and maybe even break into that top four. 

Nolan Traore, Rocco Zikarsky, and Hugo Gonzalez were the three big names. Traore was coming off impressive performances in the French LNB playoffs for Saint Quentin, a runner-up finish at the Adidas Next Generation Tournament Finals in Berlin, and a dominant performance at the U18 Euros. Gonzales had grabbed ANGT MVP with Real Madrid lifting the championship, and also impressed at the U18 Euro’s. Zikarsky, at 7-foot-3, had made a name for himself with commanding youth tournament performances as well. Ben Saraf stood out at the U18 Euro’s for Israel as well and was named the starting point guard for EuroCup club Ratiopharm Ulm. All four of these players were capable of competing for the top five with a breakout season. None of them have managed to pull that off, and have actually seen their stock go in the opposite direction. 

Traore and Gonzalez are still very likely to hear their names called in the first round but probably post-lottery. Traore has struggled with efficiency all season, and his pick-and-roll film has been average all season. Traore is skilled, but little pops. He’s starting to look more comparable to Spencer Dinwiddie than he is to say, Cade Cunningham. 

Gonzalez opted to stay with Real Madrid, one of the best basketball teams in the world outside of the NBA, and thus, playing time was always going to be hard to come by. His role has grown in the last few weeks, but this progress has been slow, especially given Real Madrid’s EuroLeague struggles and depth issues this season. Gonzales probably sticks in the NBA, but his star upside is looking doubtful. Zikarsky has simply struggled to stay on the court in the Australian NBL for the second season coming. Anything in the first round would be a notable swing and a heavy bet on the upside. Saraf’s season has been similar to Traore’s. 

While the core four has fallen, others have risen. Noa Essengue, a teammate of Saraf’s, continues to post quality numbers in EuroCup play at only 17 years old. French center Joan Beringer is arguably the best rim protector in Europe’s second-tier continental competition and is looking more and more like a lottery pick with each game. 

There is no clear-cut NBA star in this international class. That is what seems abundantly clear currently, but it could still change between now and June. Essengue, Beringer, and Bogoljub Markovic look like worthwhile upside swings that could potentially pay off big time a few years from now, or flop. Noah Penda, Alex Toohey, Gonzalez, Traore, Saraf, and Johan Grunloh all seem like they’ll have safe enough floors that post-lottery could be fine for all of them value-wise. 

Neoklis Avdalas, Hansen Yang, and Sergio de Larrea are the next group of upside wings, with Avdalas likely not entering the 2025 NBA Draft. Mouhamed Faye and Michael Ruzic could have safe floors, the latter has battled injuries for most of the season. Anywhere in the second round is probably fine for them and then there’s the final group. 

Ben Henshall, Izan Almansa, Malique Lewis, Eli N’Diaye, Mario Saint-Supery, Owen Foxwell, and Lachlan Olbrich. All of them are likely late second-round picks or pursuing undrafted Summer League opportunities. The 2025 NBA Draft class is strong, but the future of its international contingent is murky. Draft wisely, and don’t expect star upside or immediate rotation player value from pretty much any international prospect in this class.

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