WVU’s Javon Small Labeled ‘Sleeper’ by NBA Draft Insider

WVU’s Javon Small may not be the focus of the NBA Draft for most fans, but he’s being labeled a sleeper a day before the event.

When asked for his round two sleeper, Bleacher Report NBA Draft insider Jonathan Wasserman mentioned Small as one of those players flying under the radar.

Wasserman’s response comes weeks after Small impressed scouts at the NBA Combine.

Javon Small, Kobe Sanders, Amari Williams, Brice Williams. Believe my final big board comes out later today. https://t.co/uyvgI7gM4k

— Jonathan Wasserman (@NBADraftWass) June 24, 2025

The NBA Combine saw Small draw attention and earn praise, leading many to believe the former WVU star increased his draft stock.

After opening the week by putting his shooting touch on display by making 46-straight threes, the video below shows Small showing off his complete game at his Hazan Sports Pro Day on Thursday night in Chicago.

“Gritty playmaker coming off an awesome senior year at West Virginia. He’s made noticeable strides as a shooter through his college career,” said Jacob Meyers, who identifies himself as someone who tracks basketball players working to become pros, when posting the video on X.

Javon Small’s solo Hazan Sports Pro Day last night in Chicago drew a strong NBA crowd. Gritty playmaker coming off an awesome senior year at West Virginia. He’s made noticeable strides as a shooter through his college career. pic.twitter.com/37R6q1EYW9

— Jacob Myers (@League_Him) May 15, 2025

ESPN has the former Mountaineer star being selected at No. 56 by the Memphis Grizzlies. That spot is one of the last in the 59-pick draft.

Small, West Virginia’s point guard during the 2024-25 season, led the Mountaineers to a 19-12 record, just missing out on the NCAA Tournament. He finished second in the Big 12 in scoring, averaging 18.6 points per game while earning first-team All-Big 12 honors. He was also third in the league in assists (5.6 per game) and sixth in three-point shooting (35.3%). Small scored double-digit points in all but two games this season. He reached 20 points 14 times and had a season-high 31 points in the team’s upset win over Gonzaga in The Bahamas. He played at Oklahoma State prior to transferring to West Virginia.

Small’s draft position has been difficult to pin down. While ESPN now projects him to be selected at the end of the second round, other outlets — like CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports and The Ringer — don’t even rank him as a draftable prospect. Last month, ESPN ranked Small as the 65th-best prospect in the draft.

If selected, Small would be just the second former Mountaineer to be drafted since Jevon Carter was taken in the second round in 2018. Deuce McBride went No. 36 to the New York Knicks in 2021. WVU has produced five draft picks since 2000.

The NBA Draft will be held on June 25 and 26 at the home of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Find more coverage of Javon Small at WV Sports Now.

For a related story, Small’s official measurements slightly differ from how WVU had him listed.