NBA Mock Draft Roundup: Endless options await the rebuilding Nets

Mock draft season is back full effect, and all roads lead to the borough. 

Brooklyn is prepared to enter the draft with a league-leading four first-round picks at its disposal, and the jury is still out on who the Nets will target with their highest selection, set to land within the top 10. If Nets general manager Sean Marks doesn’t decide to consolidate draft capital and steal one 2025’s top-four lottery prospects — Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey or V.J. Edgecombe — consider theses prospects that major outlets are predicting Brooklyn might take. 

Kasparas Jakucionis, PG (Illinois)

Bleacher Report & NBA Draft Room

NBA Draft Room notes that the 6-foor-6, 200-pound floor general is indeed a phenomenal passer with a respected outside shot, setting an example as a leader while impacting both ends of the court. Meanwhile, Bleacher Report gives the Lithuanian a Chauncey Billups pro comparison, though questions whether his shotmaking, size and IQ can offset his lack of explosiveness.

Nonetheless, a top-10 projection has become the consensus for Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis. With the Nets set to fall within No. 5-10 in the NBA Draft Lottery odds, this will be a key prospect to keep an eye on going forward in Nets World. 

Liam McNeeley, SF (UConn)

NBC Sports

Kurt Helin didn’t have Brooklyn taking UConn forward Liam McNeeley in his piece directly, but he did have him at No. 6 in his team-less mock draft (which Brooklyn currently holds the sixth-best odds to win the lottery). McNeeley comes off the board one pick after Jakucionis here, as Helin suggests teams don’t go wrong when selecting the top shooter in the class. 

“His handle needs to improve if he is going to do more at the next level, but he's a solid wing with a high floor — draft him and it's not going to be a miss,” Helin wrote. “The biggest concern is that he is not an explosive athlete at the NBA level, playing at a position filled with explosive athletes across the league, and he can be exposed defensively because of that.”

Jeremiah Fears, PG (Oklahoma)

Fox Sports 

John Fanta, a college basketball broadcaster and reporter, has the Nets taking Oklahoma point guard Jeremiah Fears — a three-level scorer with crafty handles and an elite ability to switch pace and keep opposition guessing. Questionable shot selection at times, turnover struggles and difficulties in traffic hinder many young guards, though it’s well worth noting that Fears’ has shouldered a substantial workload for the Sooners. 

The more Fears continues to build out his frame and improve his overall decision-making, the closer he gets to becoming an invaluable primary ball-handler at the next level. 

Tre Johnson, SG (Texas)

Tankathon

Buckets In Brooklyn simulated a mock draft via Tankathon that left the Nets with Texas shooting guard Tre Johnson. The Dallas native was a McDonald’s All-American and the No. 5 overall player nationally in the class of 2024 by 247 Sports, ESPN and Rivals as a high school recruit.

He’s a diverse shotmaker and certified bucket getter, which helps alleviates many concerns alongside his pure instinct for hooping. Johnson’s athleticism won’t exactly jump off the screen, but the skill-based approach still leaves plenty of defenders in a blender. His projected ceiling as a high-level starting guard in the NBA will soon be the expectation as a top-10 pick.