2025 NBA Draft: Latest Mock Has Atlanta Hawks Selecting Highly-Touted Duke Center With Lottery Pick

Who could the Atlanta Hawks be targeting in the 2025 NBA Draft?

Oct 4, 2024; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils center Khaman Maluach (9) dunks the ball during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images / Jaylynn Nash-Imagn Images

Whiile the NBA season is just getting started and college basketball season has yet to tip off, it is still interesting to see how analysts and scouts view the upcoming class before actual games are played. There is a long way to go in determining who will be the top pick and who will be picking at the top.

The Atlanta Hawks are going to be watching the Los Angeles Lakers season closely this year because they own their 2025 draft pick and it is unprotected. If the Western Conference is as tough as projected, it is not out of the question that the Lakers end up in the lottery. If they do, who could the Hawks have their eye on after taking Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick last year?

In his first big mock draft of the year, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman has Atlanta selecting at No. 13 and picking Duke freshman center Khaman Maluach, who was a top-five player in the 2025 recruiting class. Here is what Wasserman had to say about the Hawks picking Maluach:

Team: Duke

Position: C

Size: 7'2", 250 lbs

Age: 18

Nationality: South Sudan

Pro Comparison: Alex Sarr

"Athletic wow plays and flashes of shooting should help scouts look past Khaman Maluach's rawness and lengthier NBA-ready timetable.

Signs of three-point range and some mid-range touch will ignite scouts' imaginations and hint at long-term upside. But he'll likely play a simplified role at Duke and produce mostly off 7'2" size and mobility for explosive play-finishing and shot-blocking."

It is interesting that Maluach's comparison was Sarr, who was in consideration with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Atlanta chose Risacher, but could still use someone with Sarr's skillset.

Here is the scouting report on Maluach courtesy of 247Sports Eric Bossi:

"A product of the NBA Academy Africa, Khaman Maluach is a player that would have been causing a major stir throughout his high school career had he played high school ball in the United States.

What immediately stands out about Maluach is his size. He's simply massive. At 7-foot-1 with a big and strong frame, he's almost impossible to move in the post and he has a pretty well developed low post game. He makes jump hooks, he finishes lobs, he has counter moves and he knows how to establish position, present a target for his guards and then finish once the ball is delivered.

What makes him even more special is that he has legitimate faceup ability. He is comfortable taking and making threes and while he needs to get more consistent with his shooting, it is already a legitimate weapon that he'll only improve upon with time.

If there are any areas where Maluach can improve it is with his overall conditioning and athleticism. With hard work in a college weight room he can really tone up his physique and add true power to go along with his size. While at 7-foot-1 he doesn't exactly have to be a high flyer, getting a little quicker off the floor to corral lobs and rebounds could make him an even more imposing force in the paint."

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