NBA Lottery Watch: Illinois' Jakucionis continues to climb during stellar stretch

Christmas has come and gone, 2025 is right around the corner and kids are finally returning to college campuses after winter break, full from week-long feasts, hometown nostalgia and unwrapping gifts.

Speaking of gifts, college basketball is back!

Since we last checked in two weeks ago, well, not too much has changed in the college basketball landscape — a break from the action tends to do that — however, a few new players have seen their stocks rise.

And for fans of teams like the Toronto Raptors, amid a league-worst 10-game losing streak, at least the draft is only six months away. It's nearly a new year, let's be optimistic! Here's the latest look at how top prospects in the NCAA — set to hear their names called at the NBA Draft in June — are performing going into 2025.

1. Cooper Flagg, F, Duke — Six-foot-nine, 205 pounds, 18 years old 

Since we last wrote about Flagg, the Duke phenom has played two games, showcasing some of the good and a little bit of bad.

On Dec. 17, he dominated mid-major George Mason with 24 points, nine rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block while taking on a heavier ball-handling load for the Blue Devils. He went two of five from long-range, one coming off a pull-up from the wing while facing up his defender and the other off a pull-up in transition. In short, the types of shots you want to see from a guy who, despite his struggles from deep (shooting 25 per cent on the year), still has confidence in his jumper.

Then, on Dec. 21 (his birthday!) against Georgia Tech — Duke's second in-conference opponent — Flagg carried a lighter load, taking only 11 shots, but finished with 13 points, four rebounds and two assists. In all, it was an unimpressive offensive performance, but it was one where he understood his role and gave space for the rest of the Blue Devils to shine.

If you're just watching the box score, you're missing most of what Flagg brings. Duke's defence is rated No. 1 in the nation on KenPom for a reason, and that starts with Flagg. Next up for the Blue Devils is a visiting Virginia Tech, then they'll head to Texas to take on new ACC member SMU and their 20th-ranked offence.

2. Dylan Harper, G, Rutgers — Six-foot-six, 220 pounds, 18 years old

Speaking of small sample sizes since we last checked in, Harper and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights have played a whole one game these last two weeks — an 83-82 loss to the Princeton Tigers and Xaivian Lee (Toronto's finest!).

The lack of action did nothing to change Harper's place in the rankings, as the big-bodied guard showed out despite the loss, picking up 22 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals on nine for 18 shooting from the field.

Despite only shooting one for six from deep, Harper showed some serious three-level scoring ability, blending his speed, strength, solid ball-handling, soft touch and a sweet finishing package. If he continues to put his shoulder down to take guys off the dribble, at his size and with his confidence, he's the type of combo guard teams covet in the modern NBA.

Rutgers, who has struggled this season despite its best-ever recruiting class, is set to return from break against Columbia before getting into the brunt of its Big Ten schedule with a game against Indiana on Jan. 2. Games in the second week of January against Purdue and UCLA, two ranked opponents at the time of writing this, will be key to evaluating how Harper plays against tougher competition.

3. Kasparas Jakucionis, G, Illinois — Six-foot-six, 205 pounds, 18-years-old

I'm disappointed we didn't get to talk about Jakucionis last time around, so here's a rundown: A big-bodied European guard who cut his teeth playing with Barcelona and is now dominating the college game with a creative, surgical and rounded-out offensive skillset.

Since starting the year off quietly, focusing more on his playmaking and complementary offensive ability, he has taken off in the last month, notching six-straight 20-plus-point performances against opponents like the No. 1 ranked Tennessee, Wisconsin and Arkansas.

He's an incredible pick-and-roll operator, using his positional size to find rollers or open shooters on the perimeter off of help, or can take it himself and either step back to the three-point line and let it fly off the bounce, or attack his defender with speed or size.

He'll need to improve on his turnovers, as he's giving up 4.1 per game, but his ball security is also a matter of usage, with the Lithuanian point guard tasked with running the Illini's offence. His ability to understand more complicated pro-style sets should translate well, and as he continues to adapt to the speed of the collegiate game, his security should improve.

Illinois and Jakucionis' next test is a big one as they head to Eugene to take on the No. 9-ranked Oregon on Jan. 2.

4. Ace Bailey, F, Rutgers — Six-foot-10, 200 pounds, 18 years old

Bailey, like Harper, hasn't had a chance to do much in the last two weeks with his only game coming against Princeton. However, he drops a spot in these rankings after a six-for-16 shooting performance with four turnovers against the Tigers.

I don't want to take too much away from Bailey, who nailed a clutch three-pointer with 17 seconds left to put Rutgers up one late, but if you're taking him, you're taking him for one reason only: shot-making. That's obviously a key skill in basketball, but 0.7 assists per game in 33.7 minutes is rough, and it only looks worse when his shot isn't falling, like in the game against Princeton.

In fairness, his shot-making is ridiculously impressive, he can hit any look thrown his way and sometimes seems to want the harder shot. Bailey plays like a horse with blinders, and having a one-track mind when it comes to offence, no matter how creative he is at getting his own shot, isn't gonna help his standing.

As the Scarlet Knights get into the tough part of their schedule, it'll be important to see Bailey improve around the edges. The scoring is already there, we know it, Kevin Durant knows it, every scout knows it. What else can he bring?

5. Tre Johnson, G, Texas — Six-foot-six, 190 pounds, 18-years-old

When we last checked in, Johnson was sidelined with a hip injury, forcing him to miss two games. He returned to action on Sunday against Northwestern State, showing off his high-level scoring capabilities in an 18-point, four-rebound, four-assist performance.

Johnson has been a firecracker this year, leading the SEC with 19.9 points a game while adding 2.6 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He's also managing to do it efficiently, shooting 49.1 per cent from the field and 44.6 per cent from deep.

Though the Longhorns have yet to start their in-conference schedule, Johnson has shown out in games against Power-5 opponents, dropping 24 against UConn, 18 against NC State and 29 against Ohio State.

However, the same gripes I have with Bailey come up here, with the combo guard often tunnelling in on scoring and creating for himself rather than opening up shots for others. He'll use his gravity at times to find guys in the corner or on the wing, but his work in the pick-and-roll leaves much to be desired, while his ability to finish at the rim is lacking despite some nice touch.

Texas has a tough schedule ahead, opening the new year against No. 13 Texas A&M, No. 2 Auburn, No. 1 Tennessee and No. 15 Oklahoma (the SEC, basketball's new powerhouse conference?). How he fares as the top guy on the scouting report against serious opponents will stick in evaluators' minds from now until the draft.

Prospect to watch: Jeremiah Fears, G, Oklahoma — Six-foot-four, 182 pounds, 18-years-old

Not necessarily our sixth-ranked prospect, just one that has intrigued us!

Talk about carrying his team, Fears owns an absurd 31.5 usage percentage and has been an almost singular force behind the Sooners' 12-0 start to the season.

The freshman has been out of this world, averaging 18.0 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 2.2 steals on 49.3 per cent from the field and 32.6 per cent from three-point range.

Despite seriously bulking up before the start of the season in Norman, Okla., Fears' explosiveness hasn't skipped a beat, as he continues to play with every bit of speed, burst, shot-creation and nose for the basket you hope to see from a combo guard with his capabilities. You'd be shocked to find out he's only six-foot-four, as he plays with the confidence of a player a foot taller. As long as Oklahoma keeps winning, Fears' stock will keep rising.