We kicked off our Way-Too-Early Mock Draft series with the first round last week, and Monday's devastating Achilles injury to Jayson Tatum, our fifth overall selection, serves as a stark reminder of how quickly player values can shift and the importance of preparedness.
We now turn our attention to the second round selections of our Way-Too-Early 2025 Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft that could make or break championship aspirations. (Statistics as of May 13, 2025)
11. LeBron James
(SF, Los Angeles Lakers)
2024-25 stats: 24.4 PPG, 7.8 RPG
8.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.6 BPG
51.3 FG%, 37.6 3P%, 78.2 FT%
After completing his 22nd NBA season and suffering a Grade 2 MCL sprain in a first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, LeBron James is generating the most serious retirement buzz of his career, but the expectation for now is that The King will be back for year 23.
Despite posting his lowest PPG since his rookie season, James’ overall production barely declined in 2024-25, as he continued to shoot the ball efficiently, rebound at a high rate, and dished out 8+ APG for the sixth time since turning 30. Wear and tear is inevitable, but James has missed just 23 regular season games the past two seasons and has plenty of time to recover for 2025-26 following an abbreviated playoff run.
With the consistency James has demonstrated entering his 40s and a full offseason to build chemistry with Luka Doncic, there is no reason to expect a substantial dropoff from what we have come to expect over the past two decades.
12. Anthony Davis
(PF, Dallas Mavericks)
2024-25 stats: 24.7 PPG, 11.6 RPG
3.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 2.2 BPG
51.6 FG%, 28.2 3P%, 77.5 FT%
As mentioned in last week’s edition, Anthony Davis was strongly considered for the final first-round slot, but fell to number 12 after Monday night’s draft lottery. The Mavericks miraculously landed the number one overall selection with 1.8% odds and indicated on Tuesday their intention to keep the pick and select a generational prospect in Cooper Flagg.
Davis’ efficiency could certainly rise with a creator like Flagg sharing the frontcourt and drawing attention from defenders, but he could also see a decline in shot attempts with the Duke star taking his fair share of opportunities.
That said, if he can stay healthy, Davis should remain the fantasy stud he has been his whole career, providing efficient scoring to complement elite rebounding and block totals.
13. Joel Embiid
(C, Philadelphia 76ers)
2024-25 stats: 23.8 PPG, 11.0 RPG
4.5 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.9 BPG
44.4 FG%, 29.9 3P%, 88.2 FT%
Joel Embiid has undoubtedly lost popularity in NBA and fantasy basketball circles in recent years due to his playstyle and nagging injury issues, which can make it easy to forget about his capabilities at full strength. Prior to another injury-riddled season in 2024-25, the 76ers’ big man led the NBA in PPG for three straight years (including 2023-24 when he played less than half the season).
Embiid also rebounds at a high rate, grabs a couple of stocks per game, makes his free throws, dished out a career-high 5.6 APG in 2023-24, and didn’t shoot below 30% from beyond the arc in a season until 2024-25 (when he shot 29.9%).
It is always a gamble drafting a player who has never played over 70 games in a season, but allowing the 2023 MVP to fall past the second round just feels wrong. This is likely the most high-risk/high-reward selection of the whole draft and deciding whether or not to draft Embiid comes down to your team management style as a fantasy player.
14. Kevin Durant
(PF, Phoenix Suns)
2024-25 stats: 26.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG
4.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.2 BPG
52.7 FG%, 43.0 3P%, 83.9 FT%
Despite a monumentally disappointing season for the Phoenix Suns, Kevin Durant managed to produce at his typical levels. In his 17th season, Durant recorded totals and efficiency in line with his career numbers across the board, including the second-highest three-point percentage of his illustrious career.
The Suns are considered highly likely to trade the 15-time All-Star this offseason, with Houston, Miami, and New York among the teams in the mix. Unlike some other players on the move, his production is unlikely to be drastically affected by where he ends up, as the forward has remained a consistently elite option regardless of his surroundings.
Despite subpar rebounding for a power forward, Durant is a particularly balanced fantasy player, providing a bit of everything you need out of an early-round pick, including a block or two per game, and could be a great pairing with a more specialist selection in the first round.
15. Karl-Anthony Towns
(C, New York Knicks)
2024-25 stats: 24.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG
3.1 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
52.6 FG%, 42.0 3P%, 82.9 FT%
After headlining the biggest transaction of last offseason, Karl-Anthony Towns had one of the best seasons of his career in his first year in New York. Having shared the frontcourt with Rudy Gobert his last two seasons in Minnesota, Towns owned the glass for the Knicks, grabbing a career-high 12.8 RPG, second-best in the league.
He also made 142 threes on his best efficiency since 2017-18, while continuing to dominate in the paint. Towns took his highest proportion of field goals within three feet since 2016-17 and more than doubled his dunks from last season.
A more balanced Knicks offense is possible next season with additional contributions from Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. And Towns’ volume may come down a bit after a lengthy playoff run and 35.0 MPG in the regular season, but the Knicks’ big man will still provide that exceptional combination of elite center production and top-notch shooting.
16. Trae Young
(PG, Atlanta Hawks)
2024-25 stats: 24.2 PPG, 3.1 RPG
11.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.2 BPG
41.1 FG%, 34.0 3P%, 87.5 FT%
Trae Young is as safe a selection as you can find in the second round. He averaged a double-double for the third-straight season, while leading the league in APG for the first time. He also provides high-volume/low-efficiency scoring, turns the ball over a bit too much, and grabs a steal per game.
That’s pretty much it. Young did shoot the lowest field goal percentage of his career this season, but it was not enough of a decline from his career average to warrant serious concern. Take Young with confidence in the second round and sit back comfortably with your point guard slot sorted for the season.
17. Domantas Sabonis
(C, Sacramento Kings)
2024-25 stats: 19.1 PPG, 13.9 RPG
6.0 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.4 BPG
59.0 FG%, 41.7 3P%, 75.4 FT%
Domantas Sabonis ran away with the rebounding crown for the third straight season, but saw a sharp decline of 2.2 APG to 6.0, still an elite rate for a big man. Interestingly, his assist rate continued to fall even after Sacramento moved on from star point guard De’Aaron Fox at the trade deadline.
The Kings are in a tough spot without a true point guard or a first-round pick in the upcoming draft, but Sabonis is this franchise’s cornerstone now more than ever. Individually, there is promise for Sabonis to post another All-NBA-level season, having shot the best free throw percentage and by far the best three-point percentage of his career in 2024-25.
It’s unclear what direction the Kings will take this offseason, but Sabonis can undoubtedly continue to hold down the interior for Sacramento and fantasy squads in 2025-26.
18. Tyrese Maxey
(PG, Philadelphia 76ers)
2024-25 stats: 26.3 PPG, 3.3 RPG
6.1 APG, 1.8 SPG, 0.4 BPG
43.7 FG%, 33.7 3P%, 87.9 FT%
Despite a slight reduction in efficiency in a lost season for Philadelphia, Tyrese Maxey was one of the team’s few bright spots before a finger injury prematurely ended his season. Maxey is expected to make a full recovery by October and should continue to build on his steady ascension year over year.
The young guard’s volume and PPG have gone up each of his five seasons, and his steals rate shot up from 1.0 in 2023-24 to 1.8 this season, fourth-highest in the league among players who appeared in at least 52 games.
2023-24 was disastrous for Philadelphia, but the 76ers have plenty of pieces to make a run next year in a weak Eastern Conference. With more experienced and capable teammates around him, Maxey’s efficiency and assists are likely to climb as he leads the charge along with a hopefully healthy Embiid.
19. James Harden
(PG, Los Angeles Clippers)
2024-25 stats: 22.8 PPG, 5.8 RPG
8.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 0.7 BPG
41.0 FG%, 35.2 3P%, 87.4 FT%
James Harden got off to a slow start in 2023-24, shooting sub-40% from the field at the halfway point, but finished the season strong, helping guide the Clippers to a 50-win season. The 16-year veteran finished top-five in APG, had his highest PPG since 2020-21, and, perhaps most importantly, played 79 regular season games, his highest total since 2016-17.
Harden, who also contributes defensively with 1.5 steals per game, is expected to decline his player option and sign a new deal with the Clippers this offseason. With Los Angeles’s lineup likely to remain intact next season, there is no reason Harden can’t replicate his 2024-25.
20. Paolo Banchero
(PF, Orlando Magic)
2024-25 stats: 25.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG
4.8 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.6 BPG
45.2 FG%, 32.0 3P%, 72.7 FT%
Paolo Banchero missed nearly half the regular season, but still showed enough development in year three to earn the final spot in the second round of our Way-Too-Early 2025 Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft. The Magic power forward upped his rebounds, three-pointers, and PPG while remaining around the same shooting efficiency from 2023-24.
Banchero’s time on the sideline, along with Jalen Suggs’ season-ending knee surgery, made it difficult for Orlando to take a step forward as a team in 2024-25. However, the Magic remain a team on the rise with plenty of young talent and reason for optimism in 2025-26.
Despite some limitations in category formats, Banchero is an exciting team’s undisputed leader and should be a high-upside pick in the late-second or third round of any draft.