With the 2025 NBA Draft coming up in just a few months, the entire league is focused on who will win the sweepstakes for Cooper Flagg. The Duke forward is one of the most hyped prospects in recent memory. And according to one Western Conference GM who spoke to ESPN, scouts in the NBA are comparing Cooper Flagg to Kawhi Leonard in his prime, noting that they share a lot of the same skills.
“The best comp I’ve heard from our scouts is prime Kawhi Leonard. Now, that’s not perfect because they are very different players at the same age, but it’s the one I like in terms of their style of play, two-way versatility, passing, and the fact that they can both guard point guards, wings, and big men.”
“Kawhi’s defense was way ahead of his offense, and he has a lot of the same manufactured qualities [as Flagg] to his handle and shooting… But I think about his unwavering confidence and relentless work ethic combined with his physicality, IQ, and physical tools. That’s what helped him become an MVP candidate and the best player on a championship team.”
If Flagg lives up to the hype that surrounds him right now, he might become one of the best prospects to enter the NBA in this era. The big man is currently projected to be the number one overall pick in this year’s stacked draft class. However, there are some complications that could halt his arrival or selection at the top spot.
Flagg was recently injured during a Duke game and left the court in a wheelchair. So far, we haven’t heard anything about any long-term consequences of his injury. But with Duke looking to make a run in the March Madness tournament, Flagg could run the risk of hurting him during this campaign.
On top of that, Flagg has recently floated the idea of staying in Duke for another year, thus entering the draft in 2026. This decision would delay Flagg earning a $400 million payday by a year at least, if not putting things at risk should he suffer some sort of injury or have his career trajectory affected in any type of way.
Flagg is having a brilliant season with Duke this year, one that is even better than many expected him to have. At one point this season, Flagg was leading the entire Duke team in all major statistical categories, becoming the first player in Division 1 to do so. And currently, Duke is one of the expected favorites to win the NCAA National Championship. A big win like this will only boost his profile further.
Currently, the Jazz, Hornets, and Wizards have the best odds to land the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. However, after the Hawks earned the first pick despite not having the best odds. So conceivably, a surprise team could win the Flagg sweepstakes before the draft and change the future of their franchise.
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