Vanderbilt Commodores

Inside the SEC: 17 Players File as Early Entry Candidates for 2025 NBA Draft

Over a dozen SEC basketball standouts who still hold collegiate eligibility are hoping to hear their names called in late June.

Hunter De

Mar 4, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) reacts after basket during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Mar 4, 2025; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Texas Longhorns guard Tre Johnson (20) reacts after basket during the second half against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Humphrey Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
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After a year loaded with records in the Southeastern Conference, the only team in college basketball left standing was the Florida Gators, who took home the 2025 NCAA Tournament National Championship title over Houston.

College sports are currently in an era of speed as athletes are quick to announce their plans for the future and this year is no different. Many SEC basketball standouts have made big decisions so far this offseason, and the initial step toward the ultimate goal recently came to fruition.

There are plenty of college basketball players who just wrapped up their final year of eligibility and are hoping to hear their name called during the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25-26 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

The same goes for the younger athletes who have decided to declare for the draft. The Association released a list of early candidates for the 2025 NBA Draft. 106 players filed for early candidacy, which is significantly lower than last year’s 195. As college athletics continue to embrace NIL, more players are staying in college with hopes of earning more money and also increasing their development for the next draft.

Of these 106 early entry candidates, 17 are from the SEC. Not all of them are expected to be selected in late June and even some of them have already transferred to new programs with hopes of increasing their draft stock in 2026. These players also have until May 28 to withdraw from the draft pool and return to college basketball.

SEC NBA Draft Early Entry Candidates

Chad Baker-Mazara, Auburn (Transferred to USC), Guard, 6-foot-7, 180 pounds, Senior

2024-25 Stats: 38 games (34 starts), 25.6 minutes, 12.3 points (44.8 FG%, 38.1 3FG%, 88.8 FT%), 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.2 steals, 1.2 blocks, 1.4 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late second round to undrafted

Rueben Chinyelu, Florida, Center, 6-foot-11, 245 pounds, Sophomore

2024-25 Stats: 40 games (40 starts), 19.0 minutes, 6.0 points (59.9 FG%, 0.0 3FG%, 58.2 FT%), 6.6 rebounds, 0.7 assists, 0.5 steals, 0.9 blocks, 1.0 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Second round to undrafted

Alex Condon, Florida, Forward, 6-foot-11, 230 pounds, Sophomore

2024-25 Stats: 37 games (35 starts), 24.9 minutes, 10.6 points (49.3 FG%, 32.8 3FG%, 60.4 FT%), 7.5 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 0.9 steals, 1.3 blocks, 1.4 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late first round to early second round

Silas Demary Jr., Georgia (Transferred to UConn), Guard, 6-foot-5, 180 pounds, Sophomore

2024-25 Stats: 33 games (33 starts), 31.5 minutes, 13.5 points (39.6 FG%, 37.1 3FG%, 80.4 FT%), 3.9 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.7 steals, 0.2 blocks, 2.3 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late second round to undrafted

Jeremiah Fears, Oklahoma, Guard, 6-foot-4, 182 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 34 games (31 starts), 30.2 minutes, 17.1 points (43.4 FG%, 28.1 3FG%, 85.1 FT%), 4.1 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.1 blocks, 3.4 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Top 10

Boogie Fland, Arkansas, Guard, 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 21 games (18 starts), 31.8 minutes, 13.5 points (37.9 FG%, 34.0 3FG%, 83.3 FT%), 3.2 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.5 steals, 0.0 blocks, 1.4 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late first round

Josh Hubbard, Mississippi State, Guard, 5-foot-10, 185 pounds, Sophomore

2024-25 Stats: 34 games (34 starts), 32.9 minutes, 18.9 points (40.2 FG%, 34.5 3FG%, 87.8 FT %), 2.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.1 blocks, 1.3 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late second round to undrafted

Tre Johnson, Texas, Guard, 6-foot-6, 190 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 33 games (33 starts), 34.7 minutes, 19.9 points (42.7 FG%, 39.7 3FG%, 87.1 FT%), 3.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.3 blocks, 1.8 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Top 10

Karter Knox, Arkansas, Forward, 6-foot-6, 220 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 36 games (24 starts), 24.0 minutes, 8.3 points (46.2 FG%, 35.0 3FG%, 80.2 FT%), 3.3 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.1 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Second round

Devin McGlockton, Vanderbilt, Forward, 6-foot-7, 220 pounds, Junior

2024-25 Stats: 33 games (33 starts), 25.0 minutes, 10.3 points (56.8 FG%, 33.8 3FG%, 66.7 FT%), 7.9 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.8 steals, 1.1 blocks, 0.8 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late second round to undrafted

Collin Murray-Boyles, South Carolina, Forward, 6-foot-7, 231 pounds, Sophomore

2024-25 Stats: 32 games (32 starts), 30.6 minutes, 16.8 points (58.6 FG%, 26.5 3FG%, 70.7 FT%), 8.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.5 steals, 1.3 blocks, 2.4 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Top 15

Asa Newell, Georgia, Forward, 6-foot-11, 220 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 33 games (33 starts), 25.6 minutes, 15.4 points (54.3 FG%, 29.2 3FG%, 74.8 FT%), 6.9 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 1.0 steals, 1.0 blocks, 1.1 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Mid-first round

Otega Oweh, Kentucky, Guard, 6-foot-5, 210 pounds, Junior

2024-25 Stats: 36 games (36 starts), 28.3 minutes, 16.2 points (49.2 FG%, 35.5 3FG%, 77.6 FT%), 4.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.5 blocks, 1.5 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late second round to undrafted

Tahaad Pettiford, Auburn, Guard, 6-foot-1, 175 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 38 games (one start), 22.9 minutes, 11.6 points (42.1 FG%, 36.6 3FG%, 80.4 FT%), 2.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.2 blocks, 1.6 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late first round to mid-second round

Labaron Philon, Alabama, Guard, 6-foot-4, 177 pounds, Freshman

2024-25 Stats: 37 games (29 starts), 24.7 minutes, 10.6 points (45.2 FG%, 31.5 3FG%, 76.7 FT%), 3.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, 0.3 blocks, 1.7 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Early to mid-second round

Devon Pryor, Texas (Transferred to Oregon), Forward, 6-foot-7, 180 pounds, Sophomore

2024-25 Stats: 23 games (two starts), 12.1 minutes, 3.2 points (51.8 FG%, 18.8 3FG%, 81.3 FT%), 2.0 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 0.3 steals, 0.1 blocks, 0.3 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Late second round to undrafted

Adou Thiero, Arkansas, Guard, 6-foot-6, 200 pounds, Junior

2024-25 Stats: 27 games (26 starts), 27.5 minutes, 15.1 points (54.5 FG%, 25.6 3FG%, 68.6 FT%), 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.7 blocks, 1.7 turnovers.

2025 NBA Draft Projection: Early second round

Arkansas leads the conference with three early entry candidates. Auburn, Florida, Georgia and Texas are each represented by two and Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Kentucky have one young prospect apiece.

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Hunter De
HUNTER DE

Hunter De Siver is the lead basketball writer for BamaCentral and has covered Crimson Tide football since 2024. He previously distributed stories about the NFL and NBA for On SI and was a staff writer for Missouri Tigers On SI and Cowbell Corner. Before that, Hunter generated articles highlighting Crimson Tide products in the NFL and NBA for BamaCentral as an intern in 2022 and 2023. Hunter is a graduate from the University of Alabama, earning a degree in sports media in 2023

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