2025 NBA Draft: Top Power Forward Prospects to Watch for

The prospect class for the 2025 NBA Draft has many impressive point guard, shooting guard, and small forward prospects. Just like the other positions, it is no different with the power forwards of this class. With the college season in full swing, here are the top power forward prospects to watch for in the 2025 NBA Draft.

2025 NBA Draft: Top Power Forward Prospects to Watch for

Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg is the crown jewel of this prospect class and the player most likely to be the first overall pick. The Duke forward brings great size, athleticism, and defensive prowess that could change the fortunes of a franchise. Not only that, but Flagg possesses excellent potential on the offensive end of the floor. Standing at 6-foot-9, Flagg fully utilizes his physical gifts to be an outstanding defender. He can guard across multiple positions due to his quickness and fluidity, making him a versatile and impactful defensive piece. Using his length and great defensive instincts, Flagg thrives as an elite weakside shot blocker and disrupts passing lanes. Additionally, Flagg is a strong rebounder, especially on the defensive end. Overall, Flagg is a relentless competitor with a great feel for the game and a high basketball IQ.

While Flagg’s offensive game is less developed than his defense, he is still a threat on the court who possesses high potential offensively. Flagg finishes well at the basket, using his athleticism to play above the rim. He can drive from the perimeter, post-up, and serve as a roller in the pick-and-roll. Flagg has a great touch around the rim and can finish through contact. He can easily score in transition, exploding off the floor for powerful dunks.

Also, Flagg can score at all three levels, though his jumper is still a work in progress. Flagg can knock down threes, but he will need to improve the consistency of his jumper to reach his offensive potential. Notably, he is shooting just 26.8 percent from beyond the arc. Moreover, Flagg has a solid handle when on the ball and can play make for others. With his skills, potential, and attitude, Flagg is clearly one of the top prospects in the draft.

Collin Murray-Boyles

The next forward on this list is Collin Murray-Boyles, the sophomore playing for South Carolina. Standing at 6-foot-7, Murray-Boyles brings size, strength, and a powerful playstyle that overwhelms opposing players on both ends of the court. Defensively, Murray-Boyles has the versatility to guard across multiple positions. He has the quickness to switch onto perimeter players and the strength to contest bigger players. This means he can guard in the pick and roll, which is important for modern bigs.

Furthermore, Murray-Boyles can serve well as a good weakside shot blocker and has good defensive instincts. He pairs this with good rebounding despite his size. Murray-Boyles can be overaggressive when helping and can rack up fouls. However, Murray-Boyles is always looking to make a play, that shows the type of effort and competitiveness he plays with.

Offensively, Murray-Boyles knows how to use his strength, quickness, and physicality to exploit mismatches. He can overpower smaller players when going to the rim and beat bigger players off the dribble with his speed. Murray-Boyles does most of his scoring in the paint and has been incredibly efficient scoring at the rim. Off the ball, Murray-Boyles is a smart cutter who knows when to get open for the pass. One weakness for Murray-Boyles is that he is a complete non-shooter and a poor free-throw shooter. He is a good connective passer who can make some reads but can play it a little safe at times. Regardless, Murray-Boyles has impressive skills and is one of the top power forward prospects of this class.

Asa Newell

Georgia forward Asa Newell is a power forward who possesses high-level athleticism and great versatility on the defensive end. Newell is an amazing athlete who has the quickness and mobility to guard on the perimeter. He can guard across multiple positions and switch effectively, his size and length make him a great shot blocker and rim protector. Newell also uses his length to disrupt shot attempts and passes. He can read passing lanes and pick them off for transition opportunities. However, Newell can struggle against bigger, stronger players and will need to improve his strength further.

On offense, Newell mostly thrives off of put-backs and dump-offs. He is an amazing play-finisher for Georgia and has a soft touch around the basket. Additionally, Newell is a great lob target due to his athleticism, and he is a force in transition, which allows him to operate as a rim runner in the pick-and-roll. Newell does have some potential as a shooter but is far from being a threat from three. With the combination of athleticism, defense, and offensive potential, Newell is among the top power forward prospects and someone to watch for.

Noa Essengue

Noa Essengue has great potential on both sides of the ball, alongside excellent athleticism, mobility, and size. Standing at 6-foot-10, the Ulm forward has the physical tools to be an excellent defender. He can block shots and force turnovers with his length, and he has the quickness to keep up along the perimeter. Given his mobility, Essengue has the versatility to defend across multiple positions. However, he does need to improve his strength to handle some of the bigger, stronger players on the court.

Offensively, Essengue is a strong finisher at the rim who can play above the rim. He can easily throw down powerful dunks and is a smart cutter. With his finishing and athleticism, Essengue can be a dangerous force in transition. Not only that, he can also serve as a lob threat. Additionally, Essengue is superb at taking contact and getting to the free throw line, taking 6.4 attempts a game. An area in which Essengue must improve is his shooting. He has a solid shooting form, but the shooting hasn’t translated out on the floor in a meaningful way. Nevertheless, Essengue has amazing potential as a player and is someone to watch for among international players.