As the Golden State Warriors enter the second night of the 2025 NBA Draft, they now have the opportunity to make their lone selection this year, picking 41st overall in a relatively shallow draft class.
However, there is still plenty of talent left on the board, and the Warriors could still have the opportunity to pick center Maxime Raynaud out of Stanford, pulling off yet another miracle in the later stages of the draft.
Raynaud, 22, was one of the most impactful players in college last season, and, were he to fall to Golden State, it could be the ideal draft scenario for the franchise.
Maxime Raynaud could be the Warriors' next diamond in the rough
Raynaud, who averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists as a true Senior at Stanford last season, boasts a 7'1", 235 lb frame and an athletic build that makes him a bona-fide threat on the offensive end of the floor.
He is a solid outside shooter for his height, having 34.7% from 3-point range in his four years in college, and also possesses a good feel for passing both in the high and low post.
According to Kevin O'Connor, Yahoo Sports' Lead NBA Analyst, Raynaud's handle is also excellent, as he "has a tight crossover, mixes in euro-steps, and can get into soft floaters, touch layups, or ferocious tomahawk dunks."
Overall, Raynaud is an explosive offensive force with a creative scoring package. However, his draft stock has been limited by two factors that are common throughout every draft: age and questions about fit.
As a a seven-footer, Raynaud can alter shots based on his size alone, but he lacks the athleticism and defensive acumen to be a true rim protector even at his size. Last season, he averaged only 1.4 blocks a game.
Yet, this number is offset somewhat by the 7.9 defensive rebounds he averaged, showing a feel for operating in the paint and using his size to his advantage.
In ESPN's final mock draft leading up to the first round, Raynaud was projected to be picked 28th overall by the Boston Celtics.
However, some serious surprises, including the shocking selection of Hansen Yang by the Portland Trailblazers in the middle of the first round, have led to Raynaud being available heading into the second night of the draft, and the Warriors have a chance to either stay put and steal the impactful player or perhaps trade up a few picks using limited draft capital to select him.