The 2025 NBA draft is now just days away. On Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET, Adam Silver will take the stage at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, and announce the Dallas Mavericks‘ first overall pick.
Wisconsin fans have notable rooting interests entering this year’s draft. Star wing John Tonje is a likely second-round selection. His stock continues to rise in final mock draft projections, some of which see him going in the top-40.
Another notable former Badger hoping to hear his name called during the two-day event is point guard Chucky Hepburn.
The former Badger and Louisville Cardinal is lower-ranked than Tonje. He’s down at No. 77 in CBSSports’ latest top 100 player ranking, compared to Tonje’s No. 44 position. While a selection during the draft’s 59 picks may be a long shot for Hepburn, he’s gotten plenty of chances to showcase his ability in front of interested NBA teams.
Hepburn first participated in the G League Elite Camp. Then, according to RookieWire’s Cody Taylor, he worked out with both the Charlotte Hornets and Toronto Raptors. Workouts don’t necessarily guarantee a draft selection or a post-draft contract. For example, Wisconsin center Steven Crowl has worked out for seven teams, according to Taylor, though he is not projected to contend for a roster spot.
Hepburn may be in a different situation than Crowl, however. He just delivered a career year leading the Cardinals, averaging 16.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game while shooting 43% from the field, 33% from 3 and 84.4% from the free-throw line. Those tallies resulted in First Team All-ACC honors, as well as the ACC Defensive Player of the Year award. While the point guard is undersized at 6-foot-2, NBA teams value his rare combination of ball-handling, distribution and lock-down on-ball defense.
NBA sources: The Raptors hosted a predraft workout today that included Egor Demin (BYU), Chucky Hepburn (Louisville), Clifford Omoruyi (Alabama) and Hansen Yang (China).
More workout information ⬇️https://t.co/7Roz9x1Uo1
— Cody Taylor (@CodyTaylorNBA) June 17, 2025
Hepburn was a mainstay in Wisconsin’s lineup during his three years with the program. He appeared in 103 games during that time, averaging 32.1 minutes, 9.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game. Much of his time with the Badgers was spent as the No. 2 offensive option, behind shooting guards Johnny Davis (2021-22) and A.J. Storr (2023-24), respectively.
The Omaha, Nebraska, native flourished in an increased role with Louisville in 2024-25. We’ll see if that performance is enough to land him on an NBA roster.
Contact/Follow @TheBadgersWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion
This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Former Wisconsin guard Chucky Hepburn’s several pre-NBA draft workouts