The 2025 NBA Draft early entry list has shrunk to 106 players, marking the lowest total since 2015, according to league data. This decline follows a peak of 363 early entrants in 2021, a year before college athletes gained the ability to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL).
Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports reported that the drop is influenced by players withdrawing from the draft’s middle range, where the rookie wage scale ends after the 30th pick. A league executive explained to Front Office Sports that second-round selections have more flexibility to negotiate salaries, making some players less inclined to stay in the draft.
“The influx of NIL money has made it so that fringe first-round guys are less inclined to keep their name in the draft, thus minimizing the pool,” the executive said. “This year, more kids are inclined to take the money in front of them instead of gambling on their draft status.”
The early entrant reduction comes as the Dallas Mavericks secured the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft lottery, their first top selection since the franchise began in 1980. Dallas finished 10th in the Western Conference with a 39-43 record, yet moved ahead of teams with worse odds.
Top prospect Cooper Flagg is widely expected to go first overall, known for his versatile skill set and advanced game on both offense and defense. Other lottery candidates include guard Dylan Harper, forward Ace Bailey, two-way player VJ Edgecombe, and big man Derik Queen.
The draft’s first round will take place on June 25, with the second round concluding on June 26. The early entry withdrawal deadline is June 15.
