Throughout the season, Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg has been considered the 2025 NBA Draft’s likely No. 1 pick.
At the start of the season, he was a highly touted prospect, but questions arose about his ability to be a truly elite prospect. However, since December, Flagg has been playing at an elite level, and NBA scouts are now confident that he will be the number one pick in the 2025 draft.
Flagg has shown significant improvement in his ability to create his own shot, particularly in half-court situations. He has developed a versatile skillset that allows him to score from all areas of the court. He can drive to the rim, hit midrange jumpers, and draw fouls.
Flagg has also made mechanical tweaks to his jump shot that have improved his accuracy. He started the season poorly from three, but over his last eight games, he has made 50% of his three-pointers.
Defensively, Flagg is an excellent player who communicates well and diagnoses his reads rotationally. He is an elite playmaker patrolling the back line to protect the rim in last-ditch moments. However, scouts question whether he will be an elite on-ball defender in the NBA, but he has the potential to be a great defender overall.
Flagg’s character and competitiveness have been cited as one of his greatest strengths by Duke coach Scheyer, who says that Flagg’s daily approach to the game is “straight up competitiveness.” This drive and work ethic are extremely valuable assets in a player.
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