One of the most talented prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft is Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg, who is averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game. Listed at 6'9", 205 pounds, Flagg has a great blend of size, skill, and athleticism. He's really the whole package out there, which is why many mock drafts have him going number one overall.
Having watched Flagg play a bit since I cover Stanford for Rivals.com and thus am tuned into ACC hoops, I have to say he looks like the real deal to me. The most impressive aspect of his game is what I said at the beginning, namely his combination of size, skill, and athleticism. He is capable of playing multiple positions on the floor and with the NBA really valuing guys who can play a variety of spots on the floor, that makes Flagg especially exciting.
The other thing about Flagg that shouldn't go unnoticed is the fact that he's the go to guy on a national championship contending team. Duke is on pace to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament and in my opinion should be favored to win the NCAA tournament. The fact that Flagg is doing all that he's doing while playing winning basketball makes him all the more impressive. It's one thing to put up big numbers on a bad team. But to produce like he's doing while having your team in the national championship conversation? That's a whole different matter.
The final thing that stands out about Flagg is his efficiency. He's 49.1% from the field, 37.5% from 3-point range, and 82.1% from the foul line. Those are very solid shooting percentages. He is averaging 2.9 turnovers per game, so that's something he can improve, but aside from that he's playing clean basketball on both ends of the floor, averaging just 2.6 fouls per game.
If you are the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets, you should absolutely feel vindicated in stinking it up this season if it means you end up with Cooper Flagg. He's undoubtedly a player worth tanking for. It'll be fun to see who wins the sweepstakes for the Duke superstar and how deep he'll guide the Blue Devils in the NCAA tournament.
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