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2025 NBA mock draft: After Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper, a whole lot of questions
All told, this is not shaping up to be the monstrous class that was projected in some corners.
www.nytimes.com1. New Orleans Pelicans
Cooper Flagg | 6-9 forward | 18 years old | Duke
There is at least a real conversation surrounding No. 1, but Flagg is consistently the name I get more often than Harper, and there are a few reasons for that.First, Flagg has been terrific this season while playing most of his freshman year at 17 years old. He’s averaging 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists with nearly two steals and over one block per game. He’s a two-way force, defending exceptionally well as a switchable power forward for Duke as well as providing some real rim protection as a weakside rotational presence. The offensive efficiency doesn’t look particularly great, but he’s showcased a bit more as a creative force with ball in hand than expected from scouts this year, operating in midrange areas and generating a ton of shots as a primary option with a handle that continues to improve. His passing is terrific, and he plays well off the ball.
Scouts continue to point to Flagg’s demeanor and competitiveness. This certainly isn’t to question anything in that regard with Harper — the Rutgers guard not only passes but excels in answering all of the off-court questions that teams have with flying colors — but Flagg is seen as truly elite for a young player in how he approaches the game. He’s seen as a winner, the kind of player who can lift his team’s level in terms of aggression and competitiveness from day one because he doesn’t take any possessions or days off. He also plays a premium position as a big wing that teams continue to covet league-wide. Two-way, shot-creating wings are the hardest player types to find.
They have us taking Flagg, y’all approve?
