The 2025 NBA draft will look quite different compared to previous years’ drafts. One of the main reasons for this change lies in the rapidly changing landscape of college basketball. The deadline for early entrants to enter the NBA came to a close on April 26th. Unexpectedly, a 10-year-old record was broken by the players who entered the draft pool. These drastic changes are being praised by many analysts as they believe that they will be beneficial to the players and the league in the future. 

A total of 106 players registered for the early entrants for this year’s draft. This is a very low total for the draft. This is the lowest number of early entrants in an NBA draft since 2015. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, this is a drastic fall compared to 2021, when the entrants reached a record high of 363. Givony posted on X the news of this sharp decline by saying, “Only 106 players entered the 2025 NBA Draft, per the NBA. That’s the lowest number of early-entrants since 2015, down from a peak of 363 in 2021, just before the NCAA’s NIL era officially started. Incredible boon for college basketball to retain so much talent.” 

There are several reasons why there is such a big difference between the number of players enrolling for the draft, but the most discernible reason seems to be the major change in college basketball rules that was introduced shortly after the 2021 draft.

The NIL rule came into effect in July 2021, allowing collegiate athletes to earn money based on their name, image, and likeness. This rule allows many of the best college players to earn massive amounts of money based on their marketability. Players like Cooper Flagg and JT Toppin are set to secure multi-million dollar deals while playing in college.  Toppin decided to return to Texas Tech instead of entering the draft, as he is expected to earn over $ 4 million in NIL. For comparison, this amount will be more than what the 19th pick in this year’s draft will make on his rookie deal. 

Myron Medcalf of ESPN reacted to Givony’s news by appreciating the impact of NIL rules and their impact on the league. Myron replied, “This is the real NIL story. Guys, knowing they don’t have to turn pro to make money. Top earners in CBB making money comparable to late first round picks. Players getting more time to develop. This is a great thing for everyone: players, teams, coaches and the NBA. This matters.” 

Medcalf believes that this change will allow players to have more time to fully develop, which in the end will be beneficial to the NBA. Players being able to earn more than many first-round picks will give them an incentive to stay in college, ensuring that they gain the confidence to keep playing at the highest level, and one day become confident enough to play in the league.

Even though this transformation will result in a longer journey to the NBA, unless you are a sure shot topic like Flagg, this structure will ensure better development for the players. Being able to grow as a player while earning a huge amount of money sure seems like a positive outcome caused by the reformation. 

 Are the Mavericks eyeing a sharpshooter in the draft lottery?  

As the options become limited due to the low number of draft entrants in the draft, teams have to become more pragmatic with their draft picks. Drafting a player can become the make-or-break point for many teams as the teams look to fill in different spaces in the roster. For a team like the Dallas Mavericks, it will be crucial to add the right piece to the team’s puzzle. Many analysts project Dallas drafting Duke forward Kon Knueppel in the first round. 

Knueppel is one of the draft’s best shooters and is very reliable from the line. He has a mature style of play that sets him out as a player. Despite his average athletic frame, Knueppel plays with heart and has good instincts. Mavericks have lost Luka Dončić in a surprise trade this season and will be looking at players like Knueppel to improve their squad. 

As the draft approaches, teams will have to start strategizing for their target picks to ensure draft success. Having a lower number of available options will surely be hard for many teams, but GMs will soon have to learn to make the best of such situations. We are likely to see lower numbers of entrants like this year in future drafts as players continue benefiting from NIL deals. However, this trend will be very beneficial to the league in the long run as we wait and watch what ensues.