Meet Kobe Sanders, a sleeper first round pick in 2025 NBA Draft

At 6-foot-8 Kobe Sanders is a swingman with guard skills and a defensive edge, as he turned heads all year at Nevada. Sanders solidified his stock at the 2025 Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, where his feel, size, and maturity stood out leading to an invitation to attend the 2025 NBA Draft Combine. Sanders grinded his way through Cal Poly, evolving from a role player into the team’s engine by his senior year. The move to Nevada gave him the stage and system to scale up as he thrived in a hybrid role

Sanders isn’t just a former mid-major hidden gem climbing draft boards, he’s the latest chapter in North Dakota State’s storied Driscoll athletic lineage. His mother, Sara Sanders (née Driscoll), was a high school hooper, and her brothers, Pat and Mike, are NDSU Hall of Famers. Tom also played basketball and tennis at NDSU, while Jim excelled in football and later became a college head coach. The next generation kept it going. Mike’s son Jake played at Minnesota State Moorhead (MSUM), and Jim’s son Jordan became the first freshman starter at MSUM in 20 years, lighting it up from deep. Their cousin, Amber Abraham, daughter of Kobe’s aunt Kathy, scored over 900 points at MSUM, set multiple three-point records, and later transferred to D1 Arkansas State before injuries cut her run short.

Several teams have already gotten a closer look per HoopsHype’s Draft Workout Tracker. Sanders has worked out with the Celtics, Clippers, Hornets, Magic, Pistons, Raptors, Spurs, Thunder and Warriors.Those organizations holding picks squarely in his projected range (picks No. 24 to No. 45), and each presents an intriguing landing spot. Among that group, Phoenix at No. 29, Boston at No. 28, and Golden State at No. 41 stand out as natural fits. With a high floor as a rotational wing and the tools to do more, Sanders trending up as a name to watch late in the first round.

In a sit-down with HoopsHype, Sanders opened up about battling through the lows at Cal Poly, embracing the reset in Reno, how his game evolved under a brighter spotlight and more.