Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, as many scouts and analysts see his immense potential. However, not everyone has fully bought into the hype surrounding the 17-year-old swingman.
“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,” the executive said via Jonathon Givony of ESPN.
To the anonymous executive’s point, who most likely works for a lottery team, Cooper Flagg still has more to prove before declaring for the NBA Draft since he has yet to play a game for the Duke Blue Devils.
However, there are encouraging signs that he is on his way to stardom, especially after becoming the first college player to be invited to the USA Basketball select team since Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart in 2013, earning rave reviews from his peers.
Cooper Flagg opens up on being a part of the Duke Blue Devils
Cooper Flagg comes to the Duke Blue Devils with an impressive resume, making him the school’s most hyped player since Zion Williamson.
He was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, the Naismith Player of the Year, and a McDonald’s All-American as a senior. Many scouts have Andrei Kirilenko and Franz Wagner as Cooper Flagg’s NBA comps.
“There’s always eyes everywhere. When I first got here, some of the students were kind of going crazy. But it’s a compliment that shows all the hard work you’ve put in, and people are wanting to see you and support you,” Flagg said via ESPN’s David Hale.