"Probably cry a little bit": Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper, and others from the 2025 NBA draft class predict tears on draft night

With the 2025 NBA draft just hours away, some of the top prospects in this year’s class are already thinking about the emotional weight of the moment for their families.

In a pre-draft interview, future NBA stars, including Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey, Dylan Harper and more shared whose reaction they are most looking forward to when their names are called.

Flagg, widely projected as the No. 1 pick, said:

“My oldest brother Hunter's. He'll probably cry a little bit, but he's going to be really excited too.”

Harper, another top-three prospect, had his dad on his mind, saying:

“My dad's. I want to see him cry or not.”

Bailey mentioned his mom’s mixed reactions. He said:

“My mom's. She's going to laugh, cry. I don't know. She's got like mixed emotions.”

Miami-native VJ Edgecombe added:

“My mama. She's unpredictable. She might cry, and then she might be jumping up and down. She's from the islands, so I let her be.”

Asa Newell predicted a surprise from his dad, saying:

“My dad, because he's talking about he's not going to cry, but I think he's going to do a little tear.”

Carter Bryant made it into a family challenge. He said:

“We do have an ongoing bet in my household of push-ups. Who's going to cry first?”

Liam McNeeley said:

“I know my mom's going to cry no matter what... my grandfather's definitely going to cry.”

Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel, Thomas Sorber, Walton Clayton Jr. and several others all echoed similar sentiments, noting how meaningful this night will be for their families.

The 2025 NBA draft begins Wednesday at 8:00 PM, and these young stars will be there with their family and friends to witness the start of their pro career.

Key details about 2025 NBA Draft

The 2025 NBA draft will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The first round will be held on June 25, with 30 players selected, while the second round will follow on June 26, with 29 players selected.

The Mavericks have the No. 1 pick after winning the NBA draft lottery and are set to select Duke star Cooper Flagg.

There are usually 60 selections on an NBA draft night, but the New York Knicks have forfeited their second-round pick as punishment for tampering with Jalen Brunson in 2022.

Dawn Staley, Geno Auriemma, or Kim Mulkey - who is NCAAW's highest-paid coach? Find out here

Edited by Krutik Jain