Back by popular demand, the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament mock! 

64 of the top senior prospects in college basketball will have the chance to showcase how their games translate to the professional level in front of onlooking NBA, G League, and international front office scouts/executives.

Three weeks ahead of the event, I have once again linked up with the man, the myth, the legend, Sam Meyerkopf, to mock out a field of 64 invitees. This isn’t simply a ranking of the top 64 seniors in college basketball. We have taken into account historical precedent of who typically declines invitations, the molds of prospects who tend to be invited, the PIT’s preference for positional balance, and a lot of intel legwork in order to best project how a realistic 2025 PIT field might shake out.

This was a particularly difficult exercise this year since the pool of candidates is effectively doubled with most fourth year seniors and fifth year COVID seniors exhausting their eligibility concurrently.

After much contemplation, here is the field we landed on (with regular updates logged below as we obtain new intel).

ProspectDraft AgePre-Draft TeamPositionHeightWeightAgencyPIT Team
Wooga Poplar22.5VillanovaCombo Guard6'5"192OctagonSales Systems Ltd.
Nolan Hickman22.1GonzagaCombo Guard6'3 ¼"190KlutchK&D Rounds
Saint Thomas22.2USCForward6'7"200OctagonJani-King
Jamiya Neal22.2CreightonCombo Guard6'5"190Mike Duman Auto
Jonas Aidoo22.5ArkansasBig6'11"240ADSK&D Rounds
Johnell Davis24.1ArkansasCombo Guard6'4"191Roc NationSales Systems Ltd.
Kobe Johnson22.4UCLAWing6'6 ½"196KlutchRoger Brown's
Earl Timberlake24.6BryantWing6'6"220EdgePortsmouth Sports Club
RJ Felton23.1East CarolinaCombo Guard6'3"200Portsmouth Partnership
Ian Schieffelin22.3ClemsonForward6'8"240SlanSales Systems Ltd.
Julian Reese22.0MarylandBig6'9"230ADSRoger Brown's
Oumar Ballo23.0IndianaBig7'0"260WassermanPortsmouth Partnership
Kadin Shedrick23.9TexasBig6'11"231ExcelRoger Brown's
Jahmai Mashack22.6TennesseeWing6'4"192Young MoneyPortsmouth Partnership
John Poulakidas22.2YaleWing6'6"205ExcelMike Duman Auto
Tamar Bates22.3MissouriWing6'5"193ExcelNorfolk Sports Club
Jaemyn Brakefield24.5Ole MissForward6'8"215Mike Duman Auto
Wade Taylor IV22.1Texas A&MLead Guard6'0"185GoodwinMike Duman Auto
Chase Hunter24.2ClemsonLead Guard6'3"204AssistK&D Rounds
Nelly Junior Joseph23.6New MexicoBig6'9 ¼"240ComsportJani-King
Erik Reynolds II22.8Saint Joe'sCombo Guard6'3"175OctagonNorfolk Sports Club
Curtis Jones23.7Iowa StateCombo Guard6'4"195NEXTJani-King
Gabe Madsen24.2UtahWing6'6"200VerusJani-King
Darius Johnson23.4UCFLead Guard6'1"200Mike Duman Auto
Matthew Cleveland22.8MiamiForward6'7"200LIFTPortsmouth Partnership
Igor Miličić Jr.22.8TennesseeForward6'9"220OctagonJani-King
Andrew Carr23.4KentuckyForward6'11"230GershPortsmouth Sports Club
Jonathan Pierre22.2BelmontWing6'9"210GSEK&D Rounds
Bez Mbeng22.1YaleLead Guard6'4"195PriorityJani-King
Chucky Hepburn22.4LouisvilleLead Guard6'2"190ProdigyPortsmouth Sports Club
Viktor Lakhin23.9ClemsonBig6'11"245TernopolNorfolk Sports Club
Zach Freemantle24.7XavierForward6'9"225RizeK&D Rounds
Zeke Mayo22.5KansasCombo Guard6'3"185ADSPortsmouth Partnership
Tyson Degenhart22.7Boise StateForward6'7"232WassermanNorfolk Sports Club
David N'Guessan25.0Kansas StateBig6'9"220WassermanPortsmouth Partnership
Khalif Battle25.0GonzagaWing6'5"185KlutchRoger Brown's
Moussa Cissé22.8MemphisBig6'11 ¾"229LIFTPortsmouth Sports Club
Daniel Batcho23.5Louisiana TechBig6'10"220UNLTDSales Systems Ltd.
Chance McMillian24.4Texas TechCombo Guard6'3"190LifePortsmouth Sports Club
Great Osobor22.5WashingtonBig6'8"250GSLPortsmouth Partnership
Cam Matthews23.5Mississippi StateForward6'7"230LAMFPortsmouth Sports Club
Terrence Edwards Jr.23.1LouisvilleWing6'6"190EZRoger Brown's
Ty Johnson21.9UC DavisLead Guard6'3"190OctagonSales Systems Ltd.
Chris Youngblood23.4AlabamaCombo Guard6'4"218KBAJani-King
Cam Carter22.3LSUCombo Guard6'3"190OctagonNorfolk Sports Club
Nate Santos23.6DaytonForward6'7"215ADSK&D Rounds
CJ Huntley23.5Appalachian StateBig6'11"225DMLNorfolk Sports Club
Samson Johnson22.9UConnBig6'10"225UNLTDMike Duman Auto
David Joplin22.6MarquetteForward6'8"225Sales Systems Ltd.
Joe Bamisile23.5VCUCombo Guard6'4 ¼"200SiegelPortsmouth Sports Club
Cesare Edwards22.5Georgia StateBig6'10"235NoBroMike Duman Auto
J'Wan Roberts23.8HoustonForward6'8"235SAGASales Systems Ltd.
Patrick McCaffery25.3ButlerForward6'9"215PriorityMike Duman Auto
Steven Ashworth25.1CreightonLead Guard6'0"175PriorityJani-King
Kobe Sanders23.1NevadaWing6'9"207On TimeSales Systems Ltd.
Jahmyl Telfort24.2ButlerForward6'7"230LifeNorfolk Sports Club
A.J. Hoggard23.7VanderbiltLead Guard6'3 ½"215540Roger Brown's
Ace Baldwin Jr.24.0Penn StateLead Guard6'1"190Portsmouth Partnership
Jaden Akins22.3Michigan StateCombo Guard6'3 ½"190PriorityK&D Rounds
Sebastian Thomas22.7Rhode IslandLead Guard6'1"175Roger Brown's
Obinna Anochili-Killen23.7MarshallForward6'8"220EdgeRoger Brown's
Adama Bal21.5Santa ClaraWing6'6 ¾"197WassermanPortsmouth Sports Club
Sean Pedulla22.7Ole MissLead Guard6'1"190K&D Rounds
Deivon Smith23.3St. John'sLead Guard6'0"175WeShallNorfolk Sports Club

There are typically some PIT invitees who decline their invitations. This is often driven by agency strategy if a player is deemed likely warrant an NBA Combine or G League Elite Camp invitation. It’s possible that the collegiate NIL draw will further drive down the volume of underclassmen testing the waters, leading to agents anticipating more spots in the G League Elite Camp for seniors.

While declining is a clear decision for draftable NBA Combine shoe-ins, more prospects decline year to year than really should. We’d advocate in favor of PIT participation for the majority of this list, but took our best stab at projecting potential declined invitations.

Projected Declines

Nique Clifford (Colorado St)                Kam Jones (Marquette)

Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton)            Johni Broome (Auburn)

Maxime Raynaud (Stanford)               Chaz Lanier (Tennessee)

Hunter Sallis (Wake Forest)                Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida)

Brice Williams (Nebraska)                  Oscar Cluff (South Dakota State)

Miles Kelly (Auburn)                            Kadary Richmond (St. John’s)  

LJ Cryer (Houston)                              Will Richard (Florida)

Jamal Mashburn Jr. (Temple)              Caleb Love (Arizona)

Alijah Martin (Florida)                           Lamont Butler (Kentucky)

Matt Murrell (Ole MIss)                       Dawson Garcia (Minnesota)

Norchad Omier (Baylor)                       Arthur Kaluma (Texas)

Hunter Dickinson (Kanss)                    Vlad Goldin (Michigan)    

Dylan Cardwell (Auburn)                     Micah Peavy (Georgetown)  

Malik Thomas (San Francisco)            Javon Small (West Virginia)

Cliff Omoruyi (Alabama)                       Jalon Moore (Oklahoma)    

Eric Dixon (Villanova)                           Tyon Grant-Foster (Grand Canyon)

Payton Sandfort (Iowa)                        Mark Sears (Arizona)

Sion James (Duke)                               Coleman Hawkins (Kansas St)

Koby Brea (Kentucky)                           Grant Nelson (Alabama)

RJ Davis (North Carolina)                     Amari Williams (Kentucky)

Ryan Nembhard (Gonzaga)                  John Tonje (Wisconsin)

 

The injury bug unfortunately plagues some seniors during their pre-draft process. There are typically a few players who are unable to participate at PIT due to their injury status, but sometimes these prospects will still make the trip down to Portsmouth to interview with team personnel.

Injured Reserve

Tyrese Hunter (Memphis)                   Jacken Moni (North Dakolta St)

KJ Adams (Kansas)                            Jax Robinson (Kentucky)

Keshon Gilbert (Iowa St)                    Brooks Barnhizer (Northwestern)

Aaron Scott (St. John’s)                     Ian Martinez (Utah State)

Max Shulga (VCU)                             Augustas Marciulionis (St. Mary’s)

Some seniors on the PIT alternates list take the initiative to travel down to Portsmouth, conduct interviews with NBA teams, and be present as a potential replacement in case of injury.

Interview

Steve Settle (Temple)

Update Log

4/8/25 3:00 p.m. EST: Removed Steve Settle (Temple) from Mock and added David N’Guessan (Kansas State) to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:00 p.m. EST: Moved Aaron Scott (St. John’s) from Mock to IR and moved Max Shulga from Projected Declines to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:05 p.m. EST: Removed Samson Johnson (UConn) from Mock and moved Kobe Johnson (UCLA) from Projected Declines to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:10 p.m. EST: Removed Simas Lukosius (Cincinnati) from Mock and moved Wade Taylor IV from Projected Declines to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:15 p.m. EST: Removed Zhuric Phelps (Temple) from Mock and added Jaemyn Brakefield (Ole Miss) to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:20 p.m. EST: Moved Ian Martinez (Utah State) from Mock to IR and moved Matthew Cleveland (Miami) from Projected Declines to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:25 p.m. EST: Removed Jordan Gainey (Tennessee) from Mock and moved Andrew Carr (Kentucky) from Projected Declines to Mock per updated intel.

4/9/25 1:30 p.m. EST: Moved Lamont Butler (Kentucky) from Mock to Projected Declines and moved Igor Milicic (Tennessee) from Projected Declines to Mock per updated intel.

4/10/25 9:00 a.m. EST: Removed Zack Austin (Pitt) from Mock and added CJ Huntley (Appalachian State) to Mock per updated intel.

4/10/25 9:30 a.m. EST: Removed Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (UCSD) from Mock and added Chris Youngblood (Alabama) to Mock per updated intel.

4/10/25 10:00 a.m. EST: Removed Caleb Grill (Missouri) from Mock and added Bez Mbeng (Yale) to Mock per updated intel.

4/10/25 11:00 a.m. EST: Removed Matt Cross (SMU) from Mock and added Obinna Anochili-Killen (Marshall) to Mock per updated intel.

4/10/25 11:45 a.m. EST: Removed Jamiya Neal (Creighton) from Mock and added Deivon Smith (St. John’s) to Mock per updated intel.

4/11/25 9:00 a.m. EST: Removed Darius Hannah (Bradley) from Mock and added Moussa Cisse (Memphis) to Mock per updated intel.

4/11/25 9:15 a.m. EST: Removed Stevie Mitchell (Marquette) from Mock and added Sebastian Thomas (Rhode Island) to Mock per updated intel.

4/13/25 11:15 a.m. EST: Moved Malik Thomas (San Francisco) from Mock to Projected Declines and added Ty Johnson (UC Davis) to Mock per updated intel.

4/13/25 11:45 a.m. EST: Removed Cam Hildreth (Wake Forest) from Mock and added AJ Hoggard (Vanderbilt) to Mock per updated intel.

4/13/25 12:00 p.m. EST: Removed Ben Gregg (Gonzaga) from Mock and added Patrick McCaffery (Butler) to Mock per updated intel.

4/13/25 12:15 p.m. EST: Removed Andy Garcia (Texas A&M) from Mock and added Cesare Edwards (Georgia State) to Mock per updated intel.

4/13/25 2:15 p.m. EST: Removed Bent Leouchten (UC Irvine) from Mock and added Joe Bamisile (VCU) to Mock per updated intel.

4/14/25 1:15 p.m. EST: Removed Mitchell Saxen (St. Mary’s) from Mock and re-added Samson Johnson (UConn) to Mock per roster release.

4/16/25 3:15 p.m. EST: Moved Max Shulga (VCU) from Mock to IR and re-added Jamiya Neal (Creighton) to Mock per updated intel.

4/16/25 3:20 p.m. EST: Moved Augustas Marciulionis (St. Mary’s) from Mock to IR and added RJ Felton (East Carolina) to Mock per updated intel.