ESPN rated the biggest winners in the first round of the Heat and the Suns!

Today, the first round of the 2025 NBA draft began, Cooper Flagg, the first of the three Duke players, was selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the first pick. In the end, the Los Angeles Clippers' draft forward: Yanick Conan Needhausen won the No. 30 pick!

There are winners and surprises

For example, the Utah Jazz selected Rutgers guard Ace Bailey with the No. 5 pick, and the Phoenix Suns signed Duke's Maruach, the No. 1 center with the 10th pick.

Which fan group should be happy with their favorite team’s performance on Day 1, the Miami Heat has won a potential team point guard! ESPN's Jonathan Givony, Jeremy Woo and Kevin Pelton shared their biggest winners and biggest surprise players in the first round!

The biggest winner in round 1 Phoenix Suns

Starting: Khaman Maluach (10th) Maruac

After Maruac fell to 10th, the Suns' trade against Kevin Durant seemed to be a big loss, which helped Phoenix strengthen the center's key position while also adding one of the most talented long-term prospects in the draft.

Maruac will bring high levels of intensity, franchise timing, rebounding ability and switchable defense – all qualities that the team lacked last season – injecting much-needed youth and energy into the backcourt overloaded lineup.

Most importantly, he is one of the youngest and most promising players in this draft, with great growth potential in both physical and skill. He has been highly regarded by coaches and teammates for his off-field intangibles, and he deserves to be a great pick-and-roll partner for Devin Booker due to his high-ball catch.

Big Winner: Miami Heat Casparas Jacucionis (No. 20)

Surprisingly, Jakucionis - the 11th player in the espn's top 100 predictions - fell all the way to 20th

Any temporary disappointment with the money he lost could be replaced by his realization of his situation, arguably the ideal of all the defenders' prospects in this draft - a team eager to create shots and organize their offense. From a cultural and resilience perspective, he will fit in perfectly.

Jacucionis is able to play any backcourt position, which gives the Heat a great flexibility in the lineup when working in the backcourt with Taylor Hiro.

It is no surprise to see him eventually become the team's future point guard, thanks to his running pick-and-roll skills and his extraordinary feeling about the game.

The biggest surprise Portland Trail Blazers Yang Hansen, center (No. 16)

Yang Hansen is ESPN's No. 35 player predicted, and he made his biggest leap in the first round when Portland picked him at the 16th pick.

The Trail Blazers have been interested in Yang Anze since he visited the FIBA ​​U19 World Cup in Hungary in 2023 and later went to China to watch his game, participating in a melee in Las Vegas last summer as a member of the senior national team in China, training him privately in Portland last month. China's third lottery show, I don't know if I can play my own style in the future and want Yao Ming or Yi Jianlian to withdraw from the NBA!

Despite choosing another 7-foot Donovan Klingen last year, the Trail Blazers viewed the draft from the best player perspective and said they were very excited about Young’s skill level and off-field intangibles. They plan to bring him to the NBA immediately to develop him.

Big Surprise: Utah Jazz Draft Pick: Ace Bailey (No. 5)

Bailey looked surprised when the Utah Jazz picked him at the 5th pick, apparently trying to hang him on the board for other destinations in Washington or Brooklyn. Bailey told Andscape's Mark Spears after the draft that he "didn't know" the Jazz are interested in him.

During the draft, Bailey refused multiple invitations, asking him to visit Utah privately and train with them, as well as the Philadelphia 76ers' No. 3 and the Charlotte Hornets' No. 4, but the Jazz thought they knew enough about his game and profile to be willing to pick him anyway.