"I'm going into this year with an open mind about who the No. 1 pick might be," one NBA executive recently told ESPN. "This is how mistakes are made: getting anchored to an opinion and then closing yourself off to new, much more important information that we'll be receiving in the coming months seeing how the season plays out.
"I need to see if Cooper Flagg is indeed a No. 1-type offensive option who can be expected to carry a team at some point in his career, or if he's more of a superstar role player who is better suited as your second- or third-best player. Every year there are surprises, new players pop up and others take an unexpected leap."
by MegatronDon_
27 Comments
Even if Flagg is the second one I’d still be thrilled to have him.
Thats a reasonable attitude for an NBA scout or executive to have.
I got Ace Bailey, his body is too nice
A superstar role player? Is that even a real thing?
Executive is far from wrong on the importance on remaining open minded rather than locking into a player, who hasn’t played at the collegiate level yet. Let’s see how Cooper does.
If Cooper is a superstar role player from day 1, that would be hard to pass up at #1 generally, but this is a draft that isn’t your normal draft in the amount of high level talent that exists.
This is obvious. There are very few first option 4s that win championships
Pretty fair and balanced and reasonable take from this anonymous NBA GM TBH.
Flagg averaged 16.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 3.8 apg and 2.7 bpg as a Senior in HS. He’s shown he’ll be a good all-round player, but there really isn’t anything to indicate that he’s a sure-fire #1 scorer type that is worth mortgaging your future and tanking for.
Probably Wizards
I think people tend to over focus on guys being offensive numbers ones. Flagg projects to be your defensive number one while being a second option offensively. To me that’s more important than if he can be a 30 PPG scorer.
Particularly fair in this draft since there are a number of high upside players expected to declare for it after doing a year in college. And as hyped as Flagg is and as well as he has played to date, he isn’t the prospect Wemby was.
He reminds me a lot of Chet Holmgren.
A totally worthy top pick who would probably suck if you asked him to be your #1 scoring option.
Chet was immediately an impact player who drove winning because he can play alongside a star.
Is this supposed to be a hot take?
None of these guys have played a single college game yet. Of course we need to see more before being dead set on who goes number 1 overall
I think even if he’s the later that’s still worth the #1 pick.
I would take trade him for a trae young type player on draft night
This sounds like a urjri quote tbh, that or it’s one of pops guys.
Never heard of a superstar role player.
Please don’t take “Capture the Flagg” away from us!
The “better suited as your second best player” description applies to both AD and Kyrie and I don’t think anyone disagrees with those guys going 1st overall.
Probably an executive on the Detroit Pistons.
Chuck: “I need to see if he’s gonna ride the bus or drive it.”
If he wants to say something like that he should put his name on it. Cooper looks great. Of course everyone’s gonna use a season of college to further evaluate his talent lol
Sounds exactly like something someone dead set on trying to draft Cooper Flag would say.
I get it but those scrimmage highlights from team USA was enough to solidify himself as the early favourite for #1 imo. What he did to AD and Jrue at 17 years old was nuts
Something no one has mentioned is that in addition to being the best current prospect for the 2025 draft, Cooper Flagg is also the youngest prospect in the draft.
Flagg reclassified up a year so he doesn’t even turn 19 until after he’s drafted. If he were just 1 month younger, he would have been ineligible for the 2025 draft.
He’s so young that he’s 1.5 years younger than VJ Edgecombe. Age is something that GMs care a lot about so in addition to getting a great prospect, you are also getting the youngest prospect in the entire draft in Cooper Flagg.
“I need to see…”
Have you not scouted him?
Aight
Just in case they wind up with the number 2 pick every exec should leak that they aren’t sure so someone dumbass potentially passes on him at one