Cooper Flagg might be the prospect the nation has its eyes on during the 2025 NBA Draft, but the Chicago Bulls will be well outside of the range to target him. The Bulls are victims of their inability to commit to either a rebuilding process or to accumulate superstar talent, and chips fall.
This means that for the umpteenth time in the Reinsdorf age, Chicago is in the unenviable position of having to build a winner from the middle out. Even after trading Zach LaVine, the Bulls are in the thick of the play-in battle, which means they’re on pace to be locked out of the lottery. Even if the bottom falls out in the final stretch, they’d face debilitating odds to earn a top-10 pick.
Derik Queen
The Terrapins’ first five-star recruit since 2018 ran away with Big Ten Freshman of the Year as a nimble 6-foot-10 big with exceptional ball-handling skills. In the Big Ten Title Game against Michigan, Queen exploded for 31 points in 37 minutes in a loss. However, he made his point.
For some reason, Chicago has been unwilling to unload 34-year-old starting center Nikola Vuvecic. The Bulls center is approaching the final year of his contract, and even if he wasn’t, he’s peaked and now staring over the hill.
Some talent evaluators have gone as far as to call Queen the most offensively gifted player in this class as an inheritor of size, skill, handle, soft hands, and strength. His deficiencies as a defender and his motor are where concerns over Queen’s upside arise. If Maryland makes a run, it will revolve around Queen operating as the nucleus of Maryland’s offense.
Kon Knueppel
Alongside Cooper Flagg, Knueppel has been overlooked while establishing himself as one of college basketball’s top sharpshooters during his freshman season at Duke. The Bulls shot from three at the second-highest line rate in the league, and Knueppel is a potential 50-40-90 shooter at the next level.
When defenders close out too aggressively, Knueppel possesses the ball-handling capabilities to drive into and finish in the lane. If the Bulls are committing to Josh Giddey to maximize his ability, they’ll need to surround him with a floor spacer, and Knueppel fits the bill.
On the downside, Knueppel has an opportunity to play late into the tournament which could inflate his stock and push him out of the Bulls range. Knueppel got to showcase his game during the ACC Tournament as Flagg sat after rolling his ankle.
Asa Newell
A year ago, Newell was a starter in a Montverde Academy lineup that featured future first-rounders Cooper Flagg, Derik Queen, and Liam McNeely. The 6-foot-11 Newell is one of the most athletic bigs in the nation. He’s averaging a double-double and already is rangier than you’d think. He’s currently shooting around 30 percent from downtown on 2.7 attempts a nightstand shoots nearly 75 percent from the charity stripe.
Defensively, Newell uses his pterodactyl-length wingspan to thrive as a filthy shot blocker, but he’s not a stiff. His lateral agility forecasts him as a switchable defense,r which makes him an even more attractive prospect. Georgia will begin its tournament run against Gonzaga in the opening round. If they advance, they’ll likely encounter Houston’s ferocious defense.
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