Predicting the 2025 NBA All-Rookie Second Team

Predicting the five players who will make the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) shouts at a teammate while playing against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

After initially predicting the NBA All-Rookie First Team — which included Reed Sheppard, Kyle Filipowski, Kel'el Ware, Zach Edey, and Donovan Clingan — it's time to predict the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

All-Rookie Second Team

1. Devin Carter

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Devin Carter poses for photos with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected in the first round by the Sacramento Kings in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Devin Carter would've been an easy choice to make the first team if not for surgery on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum that will sideline him until at least the next calendar year. Alas, he lands here. Still, predicting him to make the second team with less than four months to prove his worth is a bet on how impactful he can be at full health. His physicality, production, and shooting improvements he made in his second year with Providence made him a potential instant-impact rookie, which enticed the win-now Sacramento Kings enough to draft him with the No. 13 pick.

2. Matas Buzelis

Jul 14, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Chicago Bulls forward Matas Buzelis (14) shouts at a teammate while playing against the Golden State Warriors during the first quarter at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Matas Buzelis is one of the few rookies who has a chance to receive a sizeable role on both ends of the floor, especially if the Chicago Bulls commit to a full rebuild and move on from both Zach Lavine and Nikola Vucevic. Because of that chance, there's a solid likelihood of him ending up on one of the All-Rookie teams. Although he had a down shooting year with the G League Ignite last season, he has an encouraging predraft sample that makes a leap in that department very possible. Along with excellent defensive instincts as a secondary rim protector, Buzelis can rack up box numbers on both ends.

3. Nikola Djurisic

Jun 28, 2024; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Hawks second round draft pick Nikola Djurisic (7) poses for a photo at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports / Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

Nikola Djurisic is a dribble, pass, shoot wing with positional size who excels at the shooting aspect, which will bode well next to Trae Young. He also boasts some scoring and passing craft at 6-foot-8, which, despite likely defensive struggles, should favor him to make one of the two all-rookie teams.

4. Dalton Knecht

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dalton Knecht (4) competes during the first half against the Houston Rockets at the Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

Dalton Knecht boasts an intersection of skills that often make an instant impact in the NBA: length, athleticism, physicality, and shooting. At 6-foot-6 and 215 lbs with a 6-foot-9 wingspan and a 39-inch vertical leap, Knecht shot 39.7% from three on nearly nine attempts per 40 minutes at Tennessee. Playing next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis now, he's set to receive the most open looks of his career.

5. Zaccharie Risacher

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Atlanta Hawks forward Zaccharie Risacher (10) competes during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

While most would expect the No. 1 overall pick to make the NBA All-Rookie First Team, Zaccharie Risacher will likely take more time to adjust to NBA physicality on both ends of the floor than most top picks. Still, Risacher will see and make a ton of open threes next to Trae Young, which should be good enough to make the second team in a class as weak as 2024.

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Honorable mentions that didn't make either team, but could end up making one, include Stephon Castle, Ron Holland II, Bub Carrington, Dillon Jones, Johnny Furphy, and Ajay Mitchell.

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