3 Projected Lottery Picks Declare for NBA Draft

Michigan State’s Jase Richardson, BYU’s Egor Demin, and Texas’ Tre Johnson all told ESPN that they will be entering the 2025 NBA Draft. All three are projected to be lottery picks.

Richardson is the son of 13-year NBA veteran Jason Richardson. The Michigan State standout followed in his father’s footsteps and landed in East Lansing. After playing sparingly early on, Richardson surged during the second-half of the season as he gained trust from legendary coach Tom Izzo. The 19-year-old draft prospect isn’t as physically gifted as his Slam Dunk Contest-winning father, but Jase is a natural scorer and competes on both ends.

Demin, a 6-foot-9 guard, played professionally for Real Madrid before moving to the United States. The Russian-born 19-year-old was the first five-star commit in BYU’s history. As a freshman, Demin led the Cougars to 26 wins and a Sweet 16 appearance. He finished the season averaging 10.6 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.9 RPG, and 1.2 SPG. Demin will play point guard at the next level, and has been touted for his vision and creativity as a playmaker.

Texas’ Johnson may end up being the top prospect among the three. A Texas native, Johnson chose to stay in-state over offers from every other top school in the nation. He led all freshman in scoring (19.9 PPG), and can fill it up from every level. NBA teams will value his shooting (39.7 3PT%, 87.1 FT%) and athleticism. A quintessential 2-guard, the 6-foot-6 Johnson will likely be a top-5 pick.

Demin, Richardson, and Johnson join an expanding list of college underclassman to declare. The list also includes Rutgers guard Dylan Harper (the projected No. 2 pick), Maryland big man Derik Queen, Auburn guard Tahaad Pettiford, Oklahoma guard Jeremiah Fears, Connecticut’s Liam McNeeley, among others.

NBA fans are still awaiting the official declaration for Duke’s Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft.