Bold Cooper Flagg-led 2025 draft class take will have NBA GMs celebrating
Yesterday at 07:52 PM
The 2025 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be one of the best ever, according to Jonathan Givony of ESPN. Headlined by Duke basketball’s Cooper Flagg and Rutgers’ Ace Bailey, Givony believes there are four different players with at least 10% chance to be the No. 1 overall pick.
"This is the best group of prospects I've seen in my 20 years of covering the draft."
—@DraftExpress on Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and the 2025 NBA draft class pic.twitter.com/b7Ht1JEyuq
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 4, 2024
Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer is trying to tap the brakes on the Flagg hype.
"I have total belief when we step on the floor that we feel we have the best player on the court right away," Scheyer said. "He’s going to have a terrific season, but there’s going to be moments where he has to grow, and that’s what it’s all about. We’ve had 18 years olds, we’ve had 19 years olds. But being a 17-year-old, it’s going to be a process.
An anonymous NBA executive had a red-hot take bout Flagg.
"I haven’t studied this class deeply enough yet and I’m sure our boards will all change, but from what I saw at Hoop Summit and in Vegas with USA Basketball, good luck catching that guy," one voter told Givony and Woo. "[Flagg] could start for our team tonight and make a huge impact with his toughness, feel and instincts on both ends. His shooting looks good also."
With the entire college basketball season still to play and not beginning until November, the 2025 NBA Draft doesn’t happen for another seven months.
Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey and the rest of the 2025 NBA Draft class
Flagg is just 17 years old. Bailey turned 18 in August. There’s hype for every draft class, and bold takes drive media engagement. Rutgers basketball, ranked No. 25 in ESPN’s preseason rankings, has Bailey and another impressive freshman Dylan Harper. Expectations are, of course, through the roof.
People are talking about Flagg possibly winning the Wooden Award, given to the nation’s best player. Only three freshman have ever accomplished that feat: Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson. That’s the level of hype for Flagg.
Even though he has tamped the freshman’s expectations, Scheyer acknowledges how special Flaggcould be via coverage from The Athletic’s Grace Raynor.
"I've seen a lot of different seasons, different hype, different expectations. With Cooper, I don't know if we've ever had a 17-year-old with as much attention around him — and a lot of it rightfully so with the high school career he's had and what he's done," Scheyer said.
"But we talk about all the things we can control. And that's been our focus," Scheyer continued. "Cooper does an amazing job of coming to practice to work every day. I don't think he likes the attention, to be honest. I think he's all about, he wants to be just like the other guys in terms of not caring about the attention, wanting to win, wanting to compete."
Duke basketball begins their season on November 4 against Maine. Rutgers tips off their season on November 6 against Wagner.
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