The 2025 NBA Draft landscape has taken on an odd shape as NIL continues to proliferate in college basketball. We have borderline first-round picks, such as Texas Tech's JT Toppin or Iowa transfer Bennett Stirtz, turning down the pros for another run at NCAA glory (and another hefty paycheck, no doubt).
This trend will continue. A lot of players without strong first-round guarantees can straight up get more money returning to college, especially if other schools come knocking aggressively in the transfer portal. Toppin is the ultimate example here; he was one of the best players in college hoops on a top-3 seed as a sophomore. He probably punched his first-round ticket in the NCAA Tournament, but now he's on his way back to the Red Raiders. That just doesn't happen five years ago.
Still, the list of early entrants for the 2025 draft gets longer by the day. A lot of these names are simply testing the waters and will no doubt return to school (lookin' at you, RJ Luis Jr.). Some have a difficult decision in front of them, however.
Let's dive into five probable 2025 draft picks who'd probably be better off running it back at the college level in order to further boost their stock.
Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided’s daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don’t like The Whiteboard, share it with an enemy!
5. Xaivian Lee, Princeton Tigers
Xaivian Lee has been a favorite of mine for a while. He has been lurking on draft boards for a couple years now as the best guard in the Ivy League. We don't traditionally think of schools like Princeton as hotbeds for professional athletes, but Lee has what it takes to carve out a role at the next level. He averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists on .439/.366/.789 splits as a junior.
Lee is already toeing the line between the professional ranks and a return to college. He's a hot commodity in the transfer portal, expected to pick between Rick Pitino's St. John's program and the reigning champs at Florida. As the Gators look to replace Walter Clayton Jr., it's hard not to view that as an optimal fit for Lee. He'd get a chance to feature as the lead creator for a top-ranked team with championship aspirations in the loaded SEC.
A shifty 6-foot-5 point guard with excellent passing feel and a buttery pull-up jumper, Lee's NBA projection is clear as day. He needs to improve his physicality, which means the SEC is a double-edged sword. If Lee returns to Florida (or St. John's) and delivers against superior competition, however, there is first-round upside.
4. Alex Condon, Florida Gators
A potential teammate for Lee next season, sophomore 7-footer Alex Condon should strongly consider running it back with the Gators. Not only will he get a chance to two-peat, but it should give him an opportunity to expand his output in a more central role. The Gators are bleeding talent in the backcourt, which could ratchet up the touches for Condon as a big man playmaking hub.
The skill level and NBA appeal are undeniable for the 20-year-old from Australia, who is a projected first-round pick at ESPN. Condon's passing feel at the center position is a rare trait, and he's a viable shooter, having made 32.8 percent of his 3s this season. He needs to operate with more force around the basket, but Condon is a fluid athlete with a ton of intangibles. If he opts for the NBA, it'd be a perfectly understandable decision.
That said, Condon's stock is fairly high despite a middling NCAA Tournament run and noticeable warts in his production. Too often down the stretch, Condon faded out of games offensively. If he returns to school, inherits a more significant workload and scores with greater purpose on a regular basis, he could go from a fringe first-round pick to a borderline lottery selection — or at least a more secure first-round lock.
3. Labaron Philon, Alabama Crimson Tide
Alabama freshman Labaron Philon has said he's all-in on the NBA Draft, so a return to the Crimson Tide seems unlikely. Perhaps he should rethink that commitment, though. Philon is an excellent prospect, ranked 15th on the FanSided big board, but he is rated far lower in the consensus. ESPN has him 43rd and completely absent from their most recent mock draft.
Philon has a chance to boost his stock in the pre-draft process, especially as others withdraw their names and leak out of the second-round conversation. Still, Philon would step into a much larger role as a sophomore at Alabama. Mark Sears is out of eligibility, which leaves a perennially competitive Crimson Tide team without its star point guard. Philon is presumably in line for the majority of those touches if he comes back.
At 6-foot-3 and 170 pounds, Philon clearly has some convincing to do for most NBA scouts. He's a crafty ball-handler with excellent touch and creativity on finishes at the rim, but he's going to struggle in the early days against NBA physicality, and he only shot 31.5 percent on 3s as a freshman. Until more folks are willing to buy stock in his unique strengths, he'd be better off starring at Alabama.
2. Boogie Fland, Arkansas Razorbacks
Boogie Fland's freshman season at Arkansas was derailed by a broken hand. We know the track record for John Calipari guards in the NBA, but there appears to be some baked-in skepticism with Fland after he missed so much time. The 19-year-old made his triumphant return in the NCAA Tournament, but he mostly took a backseat for the Razorbacks' unexpected Sweet 16 run.
Fland is testing the NBA waters and it feels like he will commit. Before the injury, he was floating around the lottery conversation here at FanSided — and elsewhere. Now, he's a projected second-round pick at ESPN, ranked 48th on their board. There are plenty of second-round success stories in the NBA, but if Fland wants to revive his stock and earn a more solid financial guarantee, he should probably run it back at Arkansas.
The benefits are plain. Assuming he can stay healthy, Fland would take on a substantial role as Arkansas' primary facilitator. He has a ton of appealing NBA traits, equipped with a dynamic pull-up jumper and impressive feel in the pick-and-roll. What Fland struggled with most this season was finishing amongst the trees inside. He needs to bulk up and score with more intention at the rim. If he can do that as a sophomore under Calipari, the world (and the first round) is his oyster.
1. Egor Demin, BYU Cougars
Egor Demin is 28th on the FanSided big board and much higher elsewhere, currently projected as the 12th overall pick at ESPN. So, really, he has very little incentive to return to school. This is more of a personal case. Demin's tools are undeniably appealing — he's a 6-foot-9 passing wizard — but the actual on-court product at BYU this season was slightly underwhelming. He'd get a chance to really improve his perception in, uh, certain circles with another go of things in Kevin Young's program.
For all the dazzling dimes he dropped this past season, Demin was infinitely less impressive as a scorer. He only made 27.3 percent of his 3s and struggled to finish against physicality at the rim. He doesn't generate much separation with his handle, so the path to scoring viability in the NBA is tough to decipher right now.
Teams will bet on size, IQ and that 1.9 assist-to-turnover ratio, but Demin returning to BYU and elevating his scoring profile would meaningfully elevate his stock in my view. He would also get the chance to play setup man for a very talented Cougars roster, which will include potential No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa. BYU was a good team this season, cracking the Sweet 16 in Young's first campaign as head coach, but next season is when the Cougars have a chance to really vault up in the standings. Demin's playmaking should shine even more with Dybantsa and a more dynamic offensive roster around him.