The 2025 NBA Draft continued Thursday with the second round at the Barclays Center.

The first round of the draft took place on Wednesday with Cooper Flagg selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks, marking one of the more predictable picks in the first round. However, Thursday’s second round offered up many surprises as NBA teams moved up and down the draft board to bolster their depth.

The Phoenix Suns moved up to acquire the 31st overall pick, the first of the second round, from the Minnesota Timberwolves to nab forward Rasheer Fleming of Saint Joseph’s. In exchange, the Timberwolves picked up the Suns’ No. 36 pick (via the Brooklyn Nets) and went on to draft Adou Thiero from Arkansas. Thiero is expected to play for the Los Angeles Lakers after receiving the pick from the Timberwolves, highlighting the amount of movement among picks in the second round.

NBA Draft second-round picks, grades

Here’s every player that was drafted in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, including the player’s alma mater and their draft grade:

31. Minnesota Timberwolves: F Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s

• Trade: Fleming is heading to the Suns.
• 2024-25 stats: 14.8 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 apg, 53.1% FG, 39% 3PT, 74.3% FT
• Grade: A-

32. Boston Celtics: F Noah Penda, Le Mans Sarthe (France)

• Trade: Penda is reportedly heading to the Magic.
• 2024-25 stats: 10.2 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 2.7 apg, 1.3 spg, 45.8% FG, 34.7% 3PT, 67.9% FT
• Grade: A

33. Charlotte Hornets: G Sion James, Duke

• 2024-25 stats: 8.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 2.9 apg, 0.8 spg, 51.6% FG, 41.3% 3PT, 81.0% FT
• Grade: B-

34. Charlotte Hornets: C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

• 2024-25 stats: 19.2 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.5 apg, 2.7 bpg, 0.5 spg, 65.3% FG, 34.4% 3PT, 68.1% FT
• Grade: B+

35. Philadelphia 76ers: C Johni Broome, Auburn

• 2024-25 stats: 18.6 ppg, 10.8 rpg, 2.9 apg, 2.1 bpg, 51.0% FG, 27.8% 3PT, 58.7% FT
• Grade: B

36. Brooklyn Nets: G Adou Thiero, Arkansas

• Trade: Thiero is reportedly heading to the Lakers (via Suns and Wolves).
• 2024-25 stats: 15.1 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 spg, 54.5% FG, 25.6% 3PT, 68.6% FT
• Grade: A-

37. Detroit Pistons: G Chaz Lanier, Tennessee

• 2024-25 stats: 18 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 43.1% FG, 39.5% 3PT
• Grade: B

38. San Antonio Spurs: G Kam Jones, Marquette

• Trade: Jones is heading to the Pacers.
• 2024-25 stats: 19.2 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 5.9 apg, 48.3% FG, 31.1% 3PT, 64.8% FT
• Grade: B

39. Toronto Raptors: G Alijah Martin, Florida

• 2024-25 stats: 14.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.2 apg, 45.2% FG, 35.0% 3P, 76.1% FT
• Grade: B

40. Washington Wizards: G Micah Peavy, Georgetown

• Trade: Peavy is heading to the Pelicans.
• 2024-25 stats: 17.2 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.6 apg, 48.1% FG, 40% 3PT
• Grade: B

41. Golden State Warriors: G Koby Brea, Kentucky

• Trade: Brea is heading to the Suns.
• 2024-25 stats: 11.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.3 apg, 47.0% FG, 43.5% 3PT, 91.4% FT
• Grade: B-

42. Sacramento Kings: C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford

• 2024-25 stats: 20.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.4 bpg, 46.7% FG, 34.7% 3PT, 77% FT
• Grade: A-

43. Washington Wizards: G Jamir Watkins, Florida State

• 2024-25 stats: 18.4 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.4 apg, 42.7% FG, 32.1% 3PT
• Grade: B-

44. Oklahoma City Thunder: F Brooks Barnhizer, Northwestern

• 2024-25 stats: 17.1 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 4.2 apg, 41.4% FG, 26.6% 3PT, 76.4% FT
• Grade: B

45. Chicago Bulls: C Rocco Zikarsky, Brisbane (Australia)

• Trade: Zikarsky is reportedly heading to the Timberwolves (via Lakers).
• 2024-25 stats: 4.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 0.6 bpg, 0.3 apg, 52.4% FG, 20.0% 3PT, 57.1% FT
• Grade: C+

46. Orlando Magic: C Amari Williams, Kentucky

• Trade: Williams is reportedly heading to the Celtics.
• 2024-25 stats: 10.9 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 3.2 agp, 1.2 bpg, 56.1% FG
• Grade: B-

47. Milwaukee Bucks: F Bogoljub Marković, Mega Basket (Serbia)

• 2024-25 stats: 13.7 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 2.7 apg, 0.8 bpg, 53.8% FG, 37.0% 3PT, 76.0% FT
• Grade: B-

48. Memphis Grizzlies: G Javon Small, West Virginia

• 2024-25 stats: 18.6  ppg, 4.1 rpg, 5.6 apg, 1.5 spg, 41.8% FG, 35.3% 3P, 88.0% FT
• Grade: B+

49. Cleveland Cavaliers: G Tyrese Proctor, Duke

• 2024-25 stats: 12.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 2.2 apg, 45.2% FG, 40.5% 3PT, 68.0% FT
• Grade: B

50. New York Knicks: G Kobe Sanders, Nevada

• Trade: Sanders is reportedly heading to the Clippers.
• 2024-25 stats: 15.8 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 4.5 apg, 1.1 spg, 46.0% FG, 34.2% 3PT, 79.5% FT
• Grade: C+

51. Los Angeles Clippers: F Mohamed Diawara, Chloet Basket (France)

• Trade: Diawara is reportedly heading to the Knicks.
• 2024-25 stats: 5.8 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 1.4 apg, 38.3% FG, 31.0% 3PT, 48.8 FT
• Grade: C

52. Phoenix Suns: Alex Toohey, Sydney Kings (Australia)

• Trade: Toohey is heading to Warriors.
• 2024-25 stats: 10.5 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.5 spg, 1.3 apg, 45.2% FG. 72.9% FT
• Grade: B-

53. Utah Jazz: G John Tonje, Wisconsin

• 2024-25 stats: 19.6 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 46.5% FG, 38.8% 3PT, 90.9% FT
• Grade: B

54. Indiana Pacers: G Taelon Peter, Liberty

• 2024-25 stats: 13.7 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.9 spg, 57.8% FG, 45.3% 3P, 77.3% FT
• Grade: B-

55. Los Angeles Lakers: F Lachlan Olbrich, Illawara Hawks (Australia)

• Trade: Olbrich is heading to the Bulls.
• 2024-25 stats: 8.7 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 60.2% FG, 55.7% FT
• Grade: C

56. Memphis Grizzlies: G Will Richard, Florida

• Trade: Richard is reportedly heading to the Warriors.
• 2024-25 stats: 13.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.7 spg, 48.7% FG, 35.9% 3PT, 84.4% FT
• Grade: B-

57. Orlando Magic: G Max Shulga, VCU

• Trade: Shulga is reportedly heading to the Celtics.
• 2024-25 stats: 15.0 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 4.0 apg, 1.8 spg, 43.5% FG, 38.7% 3P, 78.3% FT
• Grade: B

58. Cleveland Cavaliers: G Saliou Niang, Aquila Basket Trento (Italy)

• 2024-25 stats: 7.9 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, 51.3% FG, 69.6% FT
• Grade: C+

59. Houston Rockets: G Jahmai Mashack, Tennessee

• Trade: Mashack is reportedly heading to the Grizzlies (via Warriors and Suns)
• 2024-25 stats: 6.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 1.5 apg, 45.4% FG, 35.1% 3PT, 72.3% FT
• Grade: C+

Free agent signings after NBA draft

Here’s where some notable college stars are signing as free agents, according to reports from ESPN:

• Hunter Dickinson (Kansas) is signing with the New Orleans Pelicans
• Mark Sears (Alabama) is signing with the Milwaukee Bucks
• Hunter Sallis (Wake Forest) is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers
• Eric Dixon (Villanova) is signing with the Los Angeles Lakers
• Chucky Hepburn (Louisville) is signing with the Toronto Raptors
• Caleb Love (Arizona) is signing with the Portland Trail Blazers
• Vladislav Goldin (Michigan) is signing with the Miami Heat

Why were there only 29 picks in the second round?

There’s only 29 picks in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft after the New York Knicks’ second-round pick was rescinded by the league for “violating league rules governing the timing of this season’s free agency,” the NBA announced back in December 2022. The league found that the Knicks were involved in free agency talks with Jalen Brunson before the date when discussions were allowed. Brunson signed a four-year $104 million contract with the Knicks in July 2022 one month after his father Rick Brunson was hired by the Knicks as an assistant coach.

What time does the NBA Draft second round start tonight

The second round of the 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled for Thursday, June 26 at 8 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast on ESPN. You can also stream the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft with Fubo.

Where to watch NBA Draft tonight

• Time: 8 p.m. ET (7 p.m. CT)
• Location: Barclays Center (Brooklyn, New York)
• TV: ESPN
• Stream: Fubo, Sling TV

Watch the NBA Draft with Fubo

Who has first pick in 2025 NBA Draft second round?

The Minnesota Timberwolves (via the Utah Jazz) own the No. 31 pick and will be selecting first on Thursday evening. But the Timberwolves have appeared to move down not he draft board. According to ESPN, Minnesota has traded away the first pick of the second round to the Suns in exchange for the No. 36 pick and two future second-round picks.

Second-round NBA draft picks on the move

The second round of the 2025 NBA Draft is quickly approaching on Thursday and some picks are already on the move. Here’s how the second-round draft order has shaken up, according to ESPN:

• The Brooklyn Nets traded the No. 36 pick to the Phoenix Suns for two future second-round picks.
• The Suns traded the No. 52 and No. 59 picks to the Golden State Warriors for the No. 41 pick.
• The Minnesota Timberwolves have traded the No. 31 pick to the Suns in exchange for the No. 36 and two future second-round picks.
• The Los Angeles Lakers traded the No. 55 pick and cash to the Chicago Bulls for pick No. 45.

NBA Draft order: Round 2

• 31. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Utah Jazz – reportedly traded to Phoenix Suns)
• 32. Boston Celtics (from Washington Wizards via Detroit and Brooklyn)
• 33. Charlotte Hornets
• 34. Charlotte Hornets (from New Orleans Pelicans via San Antonio, Phoenix and Memphis)
• 35. Philadelphia 76ers
• 36. Nets (reportedly traded to Phoenix Suns)
• 37. Detroit Pistons (from Toronto Raptors via Dallas and San Antonio)
• 38. San Antonio Spurs (reportedly traded to Indiana Pacers)
• 39. Toronto Raptors (from Portland Trail Blazers via Sacramento)
• 40. Washington Wizards (reportedly traded to Pelicans)
• 41. Golden State Warriors (from Miami Heat via Brooklyn and Indiana – reportedly traded to Phoenix Suns)
• 42. Sacramento Kings (from Chicago Bulls via San Antonio)
• 43. Washington Wizards
• 44. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Atlanta Hawks)
• 45. Chicago Bulls (from Sacramento Kings – reportedly traded to LA Lakers)
• 46. Orlando Magic
• 47. Milwaukee Bucks (from Detroit Pistons via Washington)
• 48. Memphis Grizzlies (from Golden State Warriors via Washington and Brooklyn)
• 49. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Milwaukee Bucks)
• 50. New York Knicks (from Memphis Grizzlies via Oklahoma City and Boston)
• 51. Los Angeles Clippers (from Minnesota Timberwolves via Atlanta and Houston)
• 52. Phoenix Suns (from Denver Nuggets via Charlotte and Minnesota – reportedly traded to Golden State Warriors)
• 53. Utah Jazz (from Los Angeles Clippers via Los Angeles Lakers)
• 54. Indiana Pacers
• 55. Los Angeles Lakers (reportedly traded to Bulls)
• The 2025 second round pick for the New York Knicks was rescinded by the NBA.
• 56. Memphis Grizzlies (from Houston Rockets)
• 57. Orlando Magic (from Boston Celtics)
• 58. Cleveland Cavaliers
• 59. Houston Rockets (from Oklahoma City Thunder via Atlanta – reportedly traded to Golden State Warriors)

What channel is the NBA Draft on tonight?

ESPN will be televising the entirety of the draft’s second roun

How to stream the NBA Draft

The 2025 NBA Draft will be available to stream across Fubo, which offers a free trial to new users, as well as Sling TV.

2025 NBA Draft: Best remaining players

USA TODAY Sports staff compiled a list of the best remaining players in the second round. Here is a full list broken down by position. Several are listed below:

Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s

• Junior, forward, 6-8¼, 232 pounds, 20 years old
• 2024-25 stats: 14.7 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.5 bpg, 1.4 spg, 1.3 apg, 53.1% FG, 39% 3PT, 74.3% FT

Fleming is a mobile forward who plays a physical game and has strong footwork to finesse his way around defenders. He likes to get easy buckets in transition, his 3-point percentage in nearly five attempts per game is encouraging and he is valuable in pick-and-rolls as the screener. Defensively, he deflects passes and can protect the rim. Fleming averaged 18.8 points and 7.7 rebounds and shot 58.9% in the last six regular-season Atlantic 10 Conference contests.

Maxime Raynaud, Stanford

• Senior, center, 7-0¼, 237, 22 years old
• 2024-25 stats: 20.2 ppg, 10.6 rpg, 1.7 apg, 1.4 bpg, 46.7% FG, 34.7% 3PT, 77% FT

Born in Paris, Raynaud spent four seasons at Stanford and was first-team All-ACC his senior season. He can make 3s, rebound, protect the rim – the easy comparison is Oklahoma City’s Chet Holmgren. Raynaud works well in the pick-and-roll, runs the floor well, sees the court and can play in the low post.

NBA Draft odds

Odds for No. 31, first pick in the second round. *All odds provided via FanDuel (odds as of Thursday, June 26):

• Rasheer Fleming (+115)
• Noah Penda (+500)
• Adou Thiero (+500)
• Kam Jones (+550)

2025 NBA Draft mock drafts: Second round

USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Giannotto compiled a list of several mock drafts heading into the second round. Here is a full breakdown. The top potential picks are listed below:

31. Minnesota Timberwolves

• ESPN: F Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
• The Athletic: F Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
• CBS Sports: F Rasheer Fleming, Saint Joseph’s
• Sports Illustrated: F Adou Thiero, Arkansas

32. Boston Celtics

• ESPN: C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
• The Athletic: C Maxime Raynaud, Stanford
• CBS Sports: C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
• Sports Illustrated: C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton

33. Charlotte Hornets

• ESPN: C Ryan Kalkbrenner, Creighton
• The Athletic: G/F Sion James, Duke
• CBS Sports: F/C Johni Broome, Auburn
• Sports Illustrated: F Bogoljub Markovic, Mega Basket (Adriatic League)

NBA draft grades 2025: Who earned an A for their first round picks?

With the No. 1 pick, the Dallas Mavericks (A) did not botch the 2025 NBA draft, taking Cooper Flagg first overall, and the Brooklyn Nets (A) were active with five first-round picks. There was only one real surprise – Portland (C) using the No. 16 pick to take Yang Hansen.

NBA Draft winners and losers: Duke hits lottery

Night 1 of the 2025 NBA Draft had a bevy of winners and losers. USA TODAY’s Lorenzo Reyes and Jeff Zillgitt break down the best and not-so-great from the first round. Here is one of the list’s winners.

Winners: Duke and Blue Devils coach Scheyer

The Blue Devils had three lottery picks – Cooper Flagg No. 1, Kon Knueppel No. 4, Khaman Maluach No. 10 – making it the third time in school history that Duke has had three lottery pick in the same draft. It also happened in 1999 (Elton Brand, Trajan Langdon, Corey Maggette) and 2019 (Zion Willamson, RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish).

NBA Draft first-round picks

Here is how the first round played out on Wednesday:

1. Dallas Mavericks: Cooper Flagg, forward, Duke
2. San Antonio Spurs: Dylan Harper, guard, Rutgers
3. Philadelphia 76ers: VJ Edgecombe, wing, Baylor
4. Charlotte Hornets: Kon Knueppel, wing, Duke
5. Utah Jazz: Ace Bailey, forward, Rutgers
6. Washington Wizards: Tre Johnson, guard, Texas
7. New Orleans Pelicans: Jeremiah Fears, guard, Oklahoma
8. Brooklyn Nets: Egor Demin, guard, BYU
9. Toronto Raptors: Collin Murray-Boyles, forward, South Carolina
10. Phoenix Suns(from Houston Rockets): Khaman Maluach, big, Duke
11. Memphis Grizzlies (from Portland Trail Blazers): Cedric Coward, wing, Washington State
12. Chicago Bulls: Noa Essengue, forward, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
13. New Orleans Pelicans (from Atlanta Hawks): Derik Queen, big, Maryland
14. San Antonio Spurs (from Atlanta Hawks): Carter Bryant, forward, Arizona
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Miami Heat): Thomas Sorber, big, Georgetown
16. Portland Trail Blazers (from Memphis Grizzlies): Hansen Yang, big, Qingdao Eagles (China)
17. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Detroit Pistons): Joan Beringer, big, Cedevita Olímpija (Slovenia)
18. Utah Jazz (from Washington Wizards): Walter Clayton Jr., guard, Florida
19. Brooklyn Nets (from Milwaukee Bucks): Nolan Traoré, guard, Saint Quentin (France)
20. Miami Heat (from Golden State Warriors): Kasparas Jakučionis, guard, Illinois
21. Washington Wizards (from Utah Jazz): Will Riley, forward, Illinois
22. Brooklyn Nets (from Atlanta Hawks): Drake Powell, wing, North Carolina
23. Atlanta Hawks (New Orleans Pelicans): Asa Newell, big, Georgia
24. Sacramento Kings (from Oklahoma City Thunder): Nique Clifford, forward, Colorado State
25. Orlando Magic (from Denver Nuggets): Jase Richardson, guard, Michigan State
26. Brooklyn Nets (from New York Knicks): Ben Saraf, guard, Ratiopharm Ulm (Germany)
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Houston Rockets): Danny Wolf, big, Michigan
28. Boston Celtics: Hugo González, wing, Real Madrid (Spain)
29. Charlotte Hornets (from Phoenix Suns): Liam McNeeley, wing, Connecticut
30. Los Angeles Clippers (from Oklahoma City Thunder): Yanic Konan Niederhauser, center, Penn State

NBA Odds: 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year

*All odds provided via BetMGM (odds as of Thursday, June 26):

• Cooper Flagg (-225)
• Tre Johnson (+700)
• Ace Bailey (+800)
• Dylan Harper (+1100)

ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt sounds off on NBA draft’s ‘hat situation’

One of the iconic moments of any pro sport’s draft is when a just-picked youngster steps up on stage with the commissioner to pose for a photo with a jersey and hat from his or her new team. It’s a symbolic start to a new career, one the players can look back on later with a sense of pride. Except when they know they’ll never play a single game for the team that drafted them.

The NBA has an odd custom where draft-day trades are officially announced by the commissioner after the picks are made. Which can lead to what ESPN anchor Scott Van Pelt calls the league’s uncomfortable ‘hat situation.’

‘The league’s too smart to have the moment that they’ve waited their whole life for be a picture in the wrong hat. It just doesn’t make sense,’ Van Pelt ranted post-draft on SportsCenter. Read Steve Gardner’s full story on the hat kerfuffle here.

NBA second-generation golden era continues with 2025 NBA Draft

(Jase) Richardson will join a growing NBA trend this week when he becomes the league’s latest second-generation player. He and Rutgers guard Dylan Harper, the son of longtime NBA player Ron Harper, are projected to be first-round picks ahead of the 2025-26 season. It would be the seventh time in eight years multiple players were drafted with a father who played in the NBA. 

The rise can be attributed to a variety of reasons, according to experts, from genetics to exposure, access and socioeconomic factors thanks the rising cost of youth sports. The number of NBA alumni is also bigger now with the league more than 75 years old. But the pattern is more distinguishable than ever.

This past season, there were at least 33 second-generation players who appeared in an NBA game (or more than 7% of the league’s players). Of the 30 NBA teams, 21 had at least one second-generation player on their roster at some point. 

Read more on second-generation NBA players and their golden era by Mark Giannotto.

Mark Williams trade report: Hornets send center to Suns

Charlotte Hornets starting center Mark Williams is on the move, seemingly for real this time.

The Hornets are trading Williams to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the No. 29 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft and a first-round pick in the 2029 NBA Draft, ESPN reported on Wednesday. The Suns (on behalf of the Hornets) went on to select Liam McNeeley out of UConn with the No. 29 pick.

Williams was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Dalton Knecht and Cam Reddish ahead of the trade deadline in February, but the Lakers announced two days later that the trade had been ‘rescinded due to failure to satisfy a condition of the trade.’ 

Cooper Flagg: How will Duke star fare in NBA?

USA TODAY Sports Lorenzo Reyes states: ‘Given his size and skill set, and given his ability to play multiple positions on the floor, Flagg should be an instant contributor for the Mavericks and will enter the season as the odds-on favorite to win NBA Rookie of the Year. He’s a player with an already-polished portfolio that includes ball handling, passing, rebounding and scoring, all of which means he can find different ways to impact games. And it’s not just against college kids; Flagg’s experience scrimmaging against Team USA — when he was just 17 years old — drew praise from LeBron James, Kevin Durant and others.

‘With Kyrie Irving (torn anterior cruciate ligament) set to miss most of the season, Flagg could be asked to assist Dallas with distribution and playmaking, but his best fit is as a versatile wing who can blossom into a consistent All-Star, with a potential arc like that of a fellow Blue Devil, Celtics forward Jayson Tatum.’

USA TODAY Sports’ Steve Gardner has more on Cooper Flagg and expert predictions around the draft.

Khaman Maluach and navigating Trump’s visa ban

A quirk related to Maluach’s visa situation will play out on Wednesday night at the 2025 NBA Draft. The NBA is preparing for the complicated scenario that would be triggered if Maluach were to be taken by the Toronto Raptors with the No. 9 overall pick. 

Given the current Trump administration policy related to South Sudan, Maluach would have to apply for a United States tourism visa and a waiver to South Sudan’s visa ban any time he enters the United States if he plays for the Raptors, according to the NBA. That would also be in addition to having to obtain a Canadian work visa. The Raptors had to cross the United States border from Canada for road games 19 times based on their 2024-25 schedule.

USA TODAY Sports’ Mark Giannotto dives into Khaman Maluach’s situation around the draft and visa bans.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

The protester who waved around a Palestinian flag during Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl 59 halftime show has been arrested, more than four months after the incident.

During Super Bowl 59 on Feb. 9, Lamar closed out his halftime show performance with his single ‘tv off.’ During the song, a man dressed in black went rogue on stage and ran around the set while he waved a Palestinian flag that read ‘Sudan’ and ‘Gaza.’ The protester then stood atop a black lowrider vehicle and moved toward the 50-yard-line before security tackled him to the ground.

The NFL confirmed to USA TODAY the day after Super Bowl 59 that the person had the flag hidden on himself before the show.

Officials said state troopers began to investigate the incident after it occurred and identified the protester as Nantambu. An investigation revealed Nantambu confirmed he was hired as an extra for the performance and while he was allowed to be on the field, he ‘deviated from his assigned role’ and did not have permission to perform the demonstration. Authorities added that law enforcement apprehended Nantambu during the show after he allegedly refused to comply with a stop order.

After the incident, New Orleans police said the protester would not be arrested or charged, but it was the state police who conducted the action. Louisiana State Police arrested Nantambu and charged him with resisting an officer and disturbing the peace by interruption of a lawful assembly. He is currently booked into the Orleans Parish Justice Center.

‘We take any attempt to disrupt any part of an NFL game, including the halftime show, very seriously and are pleased this individual will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,’ the NFL said in a statement to the Associated Press.

After the incident, Nantambu told NBC News he wanted to use the moment to ‘highlight the human suffering’ related to the Israeli-Hamas war.

Nantambu is also related to an incident involving a former NFL player, as he confirmed to TMZ Sports that he was the victim in an alleged shooting involving Antonio Brown. According to an arrest warrant in Miami-Dade County (Florida), first reported by the Washington Post, Brown is facing a charge of attempted murder with a firearm stemming from an altercation outside of a May 16 boxing event in Miami.

The Dallas Mavericks defied all odds by landing the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which the team used to select Cooper Flagg on Wednesday. Drafting a generational talent in Flagg, however, didn’t appear to appease the Mavericks’ fanbase, which remains irate at general manager Nico Harrison.

The Mavericks hosted a draft watch party at the American Airlines Center in Dallas on Wednesday and, with the Mavericks on the verge of selecting Flagg, fans broke out in ‘Fire Nico’ chants.

The chant has become a catchphrase among Dallas fans after Harrison brokered a blockbuster deal to trade Mavericks superstarLuka Doncic, in addition to Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick on Feb. 2.

After the trade, the Mavericks almost immediately suffered back-to-back injury blows — Kyrie Irving suffered a season-ending ACL tear on March 3 and Davis missed 18 consecutive games after getting hurt in his Mavericks debut on Feb. 8. The Mavericks failed to make it out of the NBA play-in tournament, though the Lakers didn’t fare much better. Los Angeles was eliminated in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves, 4-1.

The Mavericks may have lost one franchise star in Doncic, but they seemingly landed another in Flagg after Dallas won the first overall pick in the NBA Draft Lottery despite only having a 1.8% chance to win.

‘A new era begins tonight,’ the Mavericks said on social media on Wednesday. Mavericks fans sure hope so, but it looks like they will need a little longer to mourn the loss of Doncic.

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Cooper Flagg is a virtual lock to be the No. 1 pick of Wednesday night’s NBA draft. However despite filling his trophy case, including national player of the year honors, during his sublime freshman (and only) season at Duke University – not to mention a reputation burnished by holding his own against Team USA’s superstars prior to last year’s Paris Olympics – Flagg is not a virtual lock to become a professional legend commensurate with his presumed draft position. Yes, his hype train quickly built in high school, where he led the Montverde Academy Eagles to 34-0 record and a national championship as a senior, before driving the Blue Devils to this year’s Final Four.

Doesn’t mean Flagg will revitalize the Dallas Mavericks, who, one year removed from losing in the NBA Finals, are apparently hoping he can, on some level, fill the Luka Dončić-sized hole in their lineup. Pro sports rarely work that tidily. For every LeBron James, there’s a Kwame Brown and maybe even an Andrea Bargnani or Ben Simmons. For every Peyton Manning, there’s a Jeff George. And the spotlight is even harsher when it comes to top picks. Highly regarded Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had a decent rookie season in 2024 despite the regrettable circumstances around him. Yet his career is already being (unfairly?) measured against the man chosen right after him, Washington Commanders counterpart Jayden Daniels, who may have had the greatest NFL season ever by a rookie QB.

Welcome to the Association, Coop. To illustrate the daunting climb ahead of you, I’m going to rank this century’s No. 1 picks in the NFL – I’m old enough to have covered LeBron and Brown when they were NBA newbies, but football is my area of (alleged) expertise – from best to worst. This year’s top selection, Cam Ward of the Tennessee Titans, gets a one-year exemption, for obvious reasons …

1. QB Eli Manning, San Diego Chargers (2004)

Tabbed by the Bolts against his family’s will, he was traded to the New York Giants within an hour of being picked in a megadeal involving Philip Rivers. Both passers will likely find their way to the Hall of Fame eventually, though Manning was not elected in 2025, his first year of eligibility. But he does own a pair of Super Bowl MVP trophies after vanquishing Tom Brady’s New England Patriots in style two times over. Maybe Eli wasn’t as good individually as older brother Peyton, the No. 1 pick in 1998 and a five-time league MVP, but that doesn’t detract from the exceptional performer and ambassador he was for the Giants over 16 seasons.

2. QB Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (2009)

A late-career surge with the Los Angeles Rams, which included a Super Bowl win to cap the 2021 season, will probably certify Stafford’s Canton credentials. But he deserves more credit than he probably gets for his often-scintillating play on some Lions teams that were overly reliant on him and WR Calvin Johnson for seven years. And Stafford’s relative excellence in Motown hardly subsided in the five seasons following Megatron’s retirement after the 2015 campaign.

3. DE Myles Garrett, Cleveland Browns (2017)

From a personal perspective – four-time All-Pro, 2023 Defensive Player of the Year, 102½ sacks in 117 NFL games – he’s probably already done enough to gain entry into the Hall. In terms of team success, the Browns only have one playoff win since Garrett got there – not that he’s remotely to blame.

4. QB Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals (2020)

Admittedly, this is something of a projection for a guy who’s played the equivalent of four full seasons when you take injuries into account. But Burrow has already carried Cincy to a Super Bowl – a huge feather in his cap – and a pair of appearances in the AFC championship game. He seems to be an MVP-in-waiting, and perhaps that comes this season if he’s able to – forced to? – overcome a deficient Cincinnati D. After leading the league with 4,913 yards and 43 touchdowns through the air in 2024, many league observers thought Burrow deserved quite a bit of MVP consideration despite the Bengals’ failure as a team.

5. QB Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams (2016)

Despite starting Super Bowl 53, he was part of the package the Rams gave up for Stafford in 2021 – and his relocation to Detroit was widely viewed as something of a salary dump at the time. But give Goff, a two-time Pro Bowler in LA, copious credit – he’s become an even better quarterback with the Lions, throwing for at least 4,400 yards each of the past three seasons and leading the franchise to a level success (including successive division titles) it had not previously experienced during the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

6. QB Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (2011)

During his first five seasons, the super-sized dual threat lived up to his Superman persona – faster than a speeding linebacker, more powerful than a … linebacker – peaking in 2015 with league MVP honors while the Panthers won the NFC. But Newton was notably terrible in Super Bowl 50 and experienced a steady descent afterward, dogged by injuries and inconsistency.

7. QB Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts (2012)

Targeted as the virtually irreplaceable Peyton Manning’s successor, Luck seemed up to the unenviable task … when he was healthy enough to play. He led the Colts to a 33-15 record and a trio of playoff appearances during his first three seasons, which culminated with a loss in the 2014 AFC championship game. But, like Newton, Luck was a big man who was also a big target as he often resorted to a devil-may-care playing style. He only posted 38 times over his final four seasons – he was named Comeback Player of the Year in 2018, when he passed for 39 TDs and nearly 4,600 yards – and shockingly retired during the 2019 preseason, no longer able to shoulder the pain and expectations of his job. The Colts have yet to recover.

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8. QB Michael Vick, Atlanta Falcons (2001)

While it probably wouldn’t be accurate to say he’s the paradigm of the dual-threat quarterbacks who are becoming the rule rather than the exception in the modern NFL – I’m giving that credit to Randall Cunningham – Vick certainly inspired a legion of uber-athletic passers who followed him. Had he worked harder as a younger player rather than relying on his gifts – just ask Vick – remained clear of dogfighting and the jail time it earned him and avoided injuries later in his career, he might have wound up a Super Bowl champion and Hall of Famer. Regardless – legend.

9. QB Carson Palmer, Cincinnati Bengals (2003)

For a brief moment, it appeared he might be the guy to do what Burrow seems to be managing and lead the Bengals out of the wilderness. But Palmer tore up his knee on the first pass of his playoff debut – a 66-yard completion – and Cincinnati retreated into irrelevance. Fed up with the organization in later years, Palmer was traded to another backwater in 2011, joining the Raiders for 25 forgettable games. He eventually enjoyed a renaissance with the Cardinals and nearly took them to the Super Bowl.

10. QB Baker Mayfield, Browns (2018)

He emerged as Cleveland’s choice at the 11th hour – a decision he largely vindicated. However the Browns’ decisions to dump Mayfield for Deshaun Watson in 2022 will forever be viewed as an unequivocal disaster. But it may have also catalyzed Mayfield into becoming the player he is now – a two-time Pro Bowler who’s thrown for 69 TDs and nearly 9,000 yards in two years with the Buccaneers. He has plenty of runway ahead to move much further up this list.

11. DE Mario Williams, Houston Texans (2006)

He was the surprising choice over electric USC RB Reggie Bush. But Williams justified his very unpopular selection with the locals, compiling nearly 100 sacks in 11 NFL seasons. A four-time Pro Bowler, most of his career was spent in virtual anonymity with bad teams in Houston and Buffalo. Williams never started a playoff game.

12. QB Alex Smith, San Francisco 49ers (2005)

He spent his career as NFL hurdler – overcoming the transition from Urban Meyer’s college offense at Utah to a pro scheme; getting chosen (instead of Aaron Rodgers) by a bad Niners squad; losing his job to Colin Kaepernick after suffering a concussion in 2012; losing his job to Patrick Mahomes in Kansas City in 2018; and suffering a gruesome leg injury late in his career at Washington but one he miraculously came back from. Still, Smith, a three-time Pro Bowler, was a good player, outstanding teammate and great interview who made the most of his 16-year career (though two seasons were wiped out by injuries).

13. LT Jake Long, Miami Dolphins (2008)

He was a Pro Bowler and dominant player in each of his first four seasons before injuries largely short-circuited the balance of his nine-year career. The Fins thought enough of Long to choose him instead of future league MVP Matt Ryan.

14. LT Eric Fisher, Kansas City Chiefs (2013)

His draft wasn’t exactly star-studded, and Fisher emerged as something of a surprise choice at the top of it. Nevertheless, he was a solid player over the course of a decade, earned a pair of Pro Bowl nods and is one of just three players – along with Eli Manning and Stafford – to play in and win a Super Bowl after being selected No. 1 overall in the 21st century.

15. QB Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals (2019)

His potential hasn’t sufficiently matched the production to this point, though he was the Offensive Rookie of the Year and followed that up with Pro Bowl recognition in 2020 and ’21. But Murray ended the 2021 season with a poor performance in a wild-card loss to the Rams and has had to answer a lot of questions about his health and work habits in recent years. Still, plenty of time yet for his career to truly take off, and the Cards seem to be perched for a breakout.

16. DE/OLB Jadeveon Clowney, Texans (2014)

A three-time Pro Bowler, the peripatetic pass rusher has been a very good player who maybe hasn’t been given due credit for his all-around game given edge players are so often judged by sacks − and Clowney has never even had 10 in a single season. Yet it is probably fair to say that he’s never lived up to his highlight-reel promise while at the University of South Carolina.

17. QB Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars (2021)

Projected as a generational prospect years before the Jags secured the opportunity to take him, Lawrence has fallen well short of fulfilling that hype … so far. However, the Meyer debacle of his rookie year and last year’s injury weren’t Lawrence’s fault. And he did flash during the 2022 playoffs while leading Jacksonville to the divisional round. His story is far from written, and a new chapter awaits with the arrival of super-hyped rookie Travis Hunter to help the cause in Duval County.

18. OLB/DE Travon Walker, Jaguars (2022)

A dark horse who galloped to the top of the draft board, Walker has reached double-digit sacks each of the past two seasons. Yet, to date, he hasn’t been nearly the player Detroit’s Aidan Hutchinson, who was drafted directly after him, is. But it’s obviously early in the process.

19. QB Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears (2024)

Greatness is expected of him. But as a rookie, he was the victim of an insufficient organizational infrastructure, one that likely contributed to Williams reverting to some of his troubling college habits – and that meant too many sacks and fumbles. However the arrival of offensively brilliant coach Ben Johnson could spark exponential improvement in Williams’ performance.

20. QB Jameis Winston, Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2015)

Talented. Enigmatic. Beloved. Vexing. If you need a season to sum up Winston, it would be 2019, when he passed for more than 5,000 yards, 33 TDs and 30 INTs. If you need a game to sum up Winston, it occurred last season – when he threw for 497 yards and six TDs (four to his Cleveland teammates, two to Denver Broncos defenders) in a memorable Monday night loss. Usually a favorite in any locker room he graces, Winston has mostly been a backup since the Bucs replaced him with Tom Brady after that 2019 campaign that nearly drove then-coach Bruce Arians crazy.

21. QB Sam Bradford, St. Louis Rams (2010)

His injury history at Oklahoma was predictive of similar setbacks in the NFL. In a sense, his pro career peaked when he won Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. Bradford played for four teams, finishing with a career passer rating of 84.5 and a 34-48-1 record in 83 starts. He never appeared in the postseason.

22. QB Bryce Young, Panthers (2023)

He struggled massively as a rookie and was benched in the early stages of his sophomore season. But after getting back into the lineup, Young started to serve reminders of why Carolina loved him in the first place. Now enjoying continuity under second-year coach Dave Canales, Young has a chance to blossom in 2025.

23. QB David Carr, Texans (2002)

The first selection in club history, he’s probably best known for being sacked a single-season record 76 times during his rookie season. Carr was constantly running for his life in Houston, subsequently developed poor on-field habits and never settled in as the franchise’s foundation. He was a solid backup later in his career, winning a ring with the 2011 Giants.

24. DE Courtney Brown, Browns (2000)

Need a snapshot of why the Browns have almost always stunk? Brown was the No. 1 pick a year after Cleveland kicked off the 1999 draft by choosing QB Tim Couch. Both were waylaid by injuries and their enlistment by an expansion team. Brown wound up with 19 sacks in six NFL seasons – basically what T.J. Watt does for the archrival Pittsburgh Steelers in a year.

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25. QB JaMarcus Russell, Oakland Raiders (2007)

Woof. Russell, who began his career with a lengthy holdout, never approached the hype generated by his howitzer arm and legendary pro day. He lasted just three seasons, losing 18 of 25 starts and compiling an abysmal 65.2 passer rating, before laziness and weight gain washed him out of the league. Who could the Raiders have taken instead? Calvin Johnson, Joe Thomas, Adrian Peterson, Patrick Willis, Marshawn Lynch and Darrelle Revis all came off the board in the first half of Round 1 in ’07.