The NBA Conference Finals are upon us, providing the perfect backdrop for the next installment of our mock draft series, where we continue to identify potential cornerstones for your head-to-head points leagues.
With rounds one and two already in the books, we now present the third round of our Way-Too-Early 2025 Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft. (Statistics as of May 20, 2025)
21. Evan Mobley
(PF, Cleveland Cavaliers)
2024-25 stats: 18.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG
3.2 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.6 BPG
55.7 FG%, 37.0 3P%, 72.5 FT%
The Cavaliers’ second-round defeat to the Pacers cast a shadow on what was a historic regular season, but Defensive Player of the Year Evan Mobley still showed tremendous growth in his fourth season. After converting just 67 three-pointers on 26.5% over his first three years, Mobley was shooting 42% from distance before straining his calf in late January. He finished the season with 85 made threes on 37%, a more than respectable clip for the big man.
A two-way star, Mobley continued his healthy contributions in other areas, notching 2.5 stocks per game, averaging nearly a double-double with rebounds, and shooting his highest career efficiency on twos (62.1%) and from the free throw line. Still just 23 years old, the arrow is certainly pointed upward for Cleveland’s young power forward.
22. Franz Wagner
(SF, Orlando Magic)
2024-25 stats: 24.2 PPG, 5.7 RPG
4.7 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.4 BPG
46.3 FG%, 29.5 3P%, 87.1 FT%
Like his teammate Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner was out a significant chunk of the season and regressed slightly upon his return. After missing much of December and January with a torn oblique, Wagner shot just 27.5 3P% in the second half, sinking his three-point percentage below 30% for the second consecutive season.
Despite this, Wagner’s fourth season as a professional had many positive aspects. He bumped his PPG from 19.7 to 24.2, and despite overall worse efficiency, he shot a career-high from the free throw line.
He also posted career highs in RPG, APG, and SPG, looking comfortable as a lead playmaker on a Magic squad missing Banchero and Jalen Suggs. If his teammates stay healthy, expect Wagner’s efficiency to rise next season with perhaps a slight dip in overall production.
23. Devin Booker
(SG, Phoenix Suns)
2024-25 stats: 25.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG
7.1 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.2 BPG
46.1 FG%, 33.2 3P%, 89.4 FT%
Devin Booker took a step back this season, along with the entire Phoenix team, but still performed at an elite level. Booker shot his lowest field goal percentage since 2017-18 and his worst three-point percentage since 2018-19, but managed a line of 26-7-4 on solid efficiency.
Booker is one of the safest picks in the draft. At 28 years old, his stats have looked pretty much identical since he was 21, and he’s played at least 53 games every season of his career. Keep an eye on Kevin Durant’s whereabouts this offseason, and adjust this ranking accordingly if Booker is asked to shoulder a greater load in 2025-26.
24. Jalen Brunson
(PG, New York Knicks)
2024-25 stats: 26.0 PPG, 2.9 RPG
7.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 0.1 BPG
48.8 FG%, 38.3 3P%, 82.1 FT%
Jalen Brunson’s abilities are on full display during this Knicks playoff run and although his value is slightly diminished in fantasy contexts, he remains an elite performer who should definitely come off the board by the end of round three. Brunson shot his lowest three-point percentage as a Knick this season, but remained above-average from distance while dishing out a career-high 7.3 APG.
Brunson doesn’t contribute much beyond scoring and assists, but despite severe limitations as a defender, he does grab around a steal per game. You might be better off letting the Knicks superfan in your league reach for him, but if Brunson’s still around here, this feels like the right spot for the star point guard.
25. Dyson Daniels
(SG, Atlanta Hawks)
2024-25 stats: 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG
4.4 APG, 3.0 SPG, 0.7 BPG
49.3 FG%, 34.0 3P%, 59.3 FT%
Dyson Daniels was a revelation for the Hawks this season, earning finalist nods for both Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player, taking home the latter hardware. The Australian was the ultimate disrupter on defense, posting the highest steals rate since the early 90s and the highest this season by 1.2 SPG.
The third-year pro also took a massive leap forward offensively in his first season in Atlanta. His PPG jumped by 8.3, coinciding with significant boosts to his FG% and 3P%. Daniels even showed considerable growth as a secondary playmaker, dishing out a career-high 4.4 APG. Daniels’ steal rate alone makes him relevant in fantasy, and further upticks in any other areas could launch him into fantasy superstardom.
26. Zion Williamson
(PF, New Orleans Pelicans)
2024-25 stats: 24.6 PPG, 7.2 RPG
5.3 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.9 BPG
56.7 FG%, 23.1 3P%, 65.6 FT%
Injuries are always the question mark for Zion Williamson, who has played just 214 regular-season games since being drafted in 2019. The power forward missed a huge chunk of the beginning of 2024-25 with a hamstring strain and was shut down in March with a lower back contusion.
That said, Williamson should be full steam ahead this fall, and we know what the Duke product can do when healthy. In 30 games this season, Williamson posted averages mostly in line with his career numbers, notably notching career highs in APG, SPG, and BPG, demonstrating key defensive growth.
Unfortunately, his perimeter shooting may be a lost cause at this point after making just 3-13 from deep, another season failing to convert more than 10 threes, despite shooting 33.8% at Duke. If you’re able to look past his lack of shooting and health concerns, Williamson can certainly give you huge production when available.
27. Jalen Williams
(SG, Oklahoma City Thunder)
2024-25 stats: 21.6 PPG, 5.3 RPG
5.1 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.7 BPG
48.4 FG%, 36.5 3P%, 78.9 FT%
Jalen Williams struggled mightily in Games 4-6 against Denver, shooting just 10-43 from the field, but recovered spectacularly in Game 7, shooting 10-17, while notching seven assists. That up-and-down was reflective of his regular season, during which his efficiency declined, but he otherwise showed tremendous growth across the board.
After displaying absurd efficiency, particularly from the midrange in 2023-24, Williams’ percentages fell off from every distance, but remained solid, especially considering his load as the Thunder’s primary ball handler outside of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. At the same time, he boosted his averages in each of the five main counting stats, including a surge to 1.7 SPG, seventh-highest in the league.
Williams has been a huge component of the Thunder’s success, and there is no reason his ascension can’t continue in 2025-26.
28. Jalen Johnson
(SF, Atlanta Hawks)
2024-25 stats: 18.9 PPG, 10.0 RPG
5.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 1.0 BPG
50.0 FG%, 31.2 3P%, 74.6 FT%
Jalen Johnson had an excellent 2024, but tore his labrum in January, resulting in season-ending surgery. The Hawks forward was a popular preseason pick for Most Improved Player and backed that up with increases in each of the five main counting stats.
Johnson’s turnovers did increase considerably to 2.9 per game, and his efficiency, especially on jump shots, took a bit of a dip. He shot just 24.5% on shots from 10-15 feet, which is an area of concern, but his contributions in other areas are enough to look past that. 2.6 stocks per game, 5.0 APG from a forward, plus a double-double with rebounds is simply too much production to let slip past the third round.
29. Donovan Mitchell
(SG, Cleveland Cavaliers)
2024-25 stats: 24.0 PPG, 4.5 RPG
5.0 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.2 BPG
44.3 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 82.3 FT%
Donovan Mitchell put up a valiant effort against the Pacers, including 91 points over Games 2 and 3, but it wasn’t enough to save the Cavaliers’ season. Despite the colossal disappointment of a second-round exit for a team that won 64 games, Mitchell remains one of the safer picks in fantasy.
Like Booker, Mitchell has stayed healthy for the most part and posted very similar stat lines for seven years now. Noteworthy this season was his career-low 2.1 turnovers per game, which came despite moderate declines in virtually every other major statistic. Don’t expect any triple-doubles, but you know you’re getting one of the best guards in the league taking Spida in the third round.
30. Jaylen Brown
(SF, Boston Celtics)
2024-25 stats: 22.2 PPG, 5.8 RPG
4.5 APG, 1.2 SPG, 0.3 BPG
46.3 FG%, 32.4 3P%, 76.4 FT%
Despite some playmaking development, Jaylen Brown had a somewhat pedestrian year by his standards and may not have cracked the Top 50 in fantasy value by the end of the regular season. Then, Jayson Tatum went down with an Achilles tear in the second round of the playoffs, catapulting Brown up to the third round of our Way-Too-Early 2025 Fantasy Basketball Mock Draft.
After a career-high in efficiency last season, the 2024 Finals MVP posted his worst field goal percentage since his rookie season, leading to his lowest PPG output since 2019-20. But with Tatum out for most, if not all, of next season, Brown’s volume should increase enough to offset any efficiency concerns.
His playmaking abilities will also take center stage, building on his career-high 4.5 APG, as head coach Joe Mazzulla will depend on him to generate offense for the Celtics. With so much of Boston's success hinging on his performance, Brown represents perhaps the most tantalizing high-risk/high-reward selection of the third round.