The 2025 NBA Draft unfolded on June 25, with the Dallas Mavericks making a headline selection of Duke prospect Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick, a move that underscores the Blue Devils’ continued ability to produce top talent.
The surge of Division I players remains dominant, with roughly 90 percent of first‑round selections over the past eight decades hailing from those programs, a statistic that reflects the NCAA’s role as a talent pipeline.
The ACC’s Draft Dominance
Kentucky and Duke have long vied for the crown of most first‑round picks, and the 2026 draft will see Kentucky edge past Duke in total selections, even as Duke holds the record for the most No. 1 overall choices, six in all.
Beyond the headline act, the draft also highlighted other notable selections: the San Antonio Spurs chose Dylan Harper second, the Philadelphia 76ers grabbed VJ Edgecombe third, and French standout Zaccharie Risacher was the top pick in the 2024 draft, while Alex Sarr followed at No. 2 the same year.
Historical milestones pepper the first round, from Cade Cunningham’s 2021 No. 1 pick that marked the highest ever for an Oklahoma State player, to Anthony Edwards becoming the first Georgia Bulldog to be selected first overall in 2020, and Victor Wembanyama’s 2023 top pick that set a new standard for international prospects.
The draft’s geographic footprint stretches across the United States, with teams in markets ranging from New York to Los Angeles, and the talent pool draws from colleges in states such as Kentucky, North Carolina, and Arizona, each contributing a legacy of NBA‑ready players.