The Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball program is expected to have two first-round draft picks this week in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The Fighting Illini and coach Brad Underwood are expected to see international guards Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley selected into the NBA. If both are picked in the first round, it will be the third time two Illini have done so — joining Deron Williams and Luther Head in 2005, and Nick Anderson and Kenny Battle in 1989.
The NBA Draft will consist of two rounds with 59 total selections. Duke guard Cooper Flagg is the runaway favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick. The draft will begin 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 from Barclays Center in Brooklyn and will be televised on ABC and ESPN.
Here’s where the national media outlets have Jakucionis and Riley ranked among the top 100 draft-eligible prospects, as well as any mock drafts, on the final days before the 2025 NBA Draft.
USA TODAY Sports analyst projects two Illinois players will be taken in 2025 NBA Draft
In terms of an actual mock draft, For The Win’s Bryan Kalbrosky lists Jakucionis and Riley as first-round picks in his latest projections. Kalbrosky sees Jakucionis going 11th overall to the Portland Trailblazers, with Riley being the final player taken at No. 20 by the Miami Heat.
Yahoo Sports NBA Draft analyst has Illini headed out west
Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor has both Illini players in the top 30 of his NBA Draft big board. O’Connor’s latest mock draft has Jakucionis being selected 10th overall by the Houston Rockets and Riley No. 24 overall by the NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.
O’Connor describes Jakucionis as a play-making guard and a “slick shot-creator with a creative passing gene and a fearless scoring ability.” He like Houston has a landing spot since the team likes offense from every spot on the floor. O’Connor says Riley has “dynamic driving ability and playmaking instincts that scream upside as a jumbo-sized, shot-creating wing.” He likes OKC as a landing spot, because the talented team can give Riley time to develop.
ESPN ranking of Illinois players eligible for NBA Draft
ESPN unveiled its final big board rankings of the top 100 draft prospects on Saturday. NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony ranks the Illinois players in this order:
CBS Sports ranks Illinois’ NBA draft prospect in 2025
CBS Sports’ full draft prospect rankings is the highest on Jakucionis among national analysts — but CBS is on the lower end when it comes to ranking Riley.
The Athletic ranks Illini NBA prospects into tiers
The Athletic’s Sam Vecente (subscription required) breaks down the top 100 draft prospects into eight tiers. Jakucionis leads Tier 4, which is considered a starter with “all-star tool swings.” Riley is listed as a solid Tier 5 player, considered a “rotation player” with “upside swings.”
2025 NBA Draft order
Here’s the full draft order for the first round of the NBA draft:
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: NBA mock draft: Illinois basketball players projections for 2025 NBA Draft
Reporting by Wes Huett, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
