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Eight from Big Ten Selected in First Round of NBA Draft
ROSEMONT, Ill. – Eight players from the Big Ten were selected in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft. This marks the fourth time since 1947 that eight Big Ten players have been chosen in the first round and the most since 2014, when nine players were chosen in the first round.
The Big Ten has had at least three first-round draft picks in nine of the last 13 drafts and extended its streak with at least one first-round selection to 50 consecutive years, dating to the 1976 draft.Rutgers teammates Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey were selected second and fifth overall by San Antonio and Utah, respectively. The pair became the first Rutgers men's basketball first-round draft picks in 19 years. With both players going in the top five in the draft, they become the two highest picks in school history.
The Atlanta Hawks drafted Maryland’s Derik Queen with the 13th overall pick. The 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year becomes the 21st first round pick for the Terps and is the highest draft selection since Jalen Smith was chosen at No. 10 by Phoenix in the 2020 draft.
Another pair of teammates went a few picks later, as Illinois’ Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley came off the board at Numbers 20 and 21, respectively, marking the first time since 2005 a pair of Illini have been taken in the first round. With Miami selecting Jakucionis and Riley going to Utah, the former Illini players have been selected in the first round of the last three drafts.
Fellow rookie Jase Richardson from Michigan State was chosen 25th overall by Orlando. Richardson becomes the 12th first round pick under head coach Tom Izzo, including Jase’s father Jason, who was the number five overall selection in the 2001 NBA Draft.
Brooklyn selected Michigan’s Danny Wolf with the 27th pick. Wolf becomes the Wolverines’ 12th first round pick since 2013 and the fifth since 2019.
Penn State’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser was the final pick of the first round, going to the Los Angeles Clippers with the 30th pick. Konan Niederhauser becomes Penn State’s first opening round draft pick and the program’s highest selection since Bob Weiss was chosen 22nd overall in the 1965 draft.
Several Big Ten players are also expected to be selected in the second round of the NBA Draft, scheduled for Thursday at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
2025 NBA Draft Big Ten Selections
2. Dylan Harper (Rutgers) - San Antonio Spurs
5. Ace Bailey (Rutgers) - Utah Jazz
13. Derik Queen (Maryland) - Atlanta Hawks
20. Kasparas Jakucionis (Illinois) - Miami Heat
21. Will Riley (Illinois) - Utah Jazz
25. Jase Richardson (Michigan State) - Orlando Magic
27. Danny Wolf (Michigan) - Brooklyn Nets
30. Yanic Konan Niederhauser (Penn State) - Los Angeles Clippers