The 2025 NBA Draft is a few months away, but some of the projected lottery prospects have been discussed more than the NBA’s incoming rookie class. Chief among these players is Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg, who many anticipate will be the first player off the board next June. The Rutgers-bound duo of Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper has also received a lot of fanfare.
However, it may be Baylor freshman VJ Edgecombe who gets the last laugh.
Meet Cooper Flagg’s No. 1 Contender In 2025 NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg Scouting Report
A lot has been made about Flagg’s confidence, even fearless, if you will. To be sure, those are intangibles that can help separate a good player from a great one. For example, a player like Ben Simmons is on an entirely different level when he’s not being passive or overthinking.
However, the real draw is that Flagg has a combination of size, skill, and basketball IQ that’s difficult to find. Listed at 6-foot-9 and 195 pounds as a senior, he plays the game like a true small forward.
He can score from all three levels. He has both a passion for and prowess in playmaking. Defensively, he’s menacing because of his tangible and intangible traits, from his technique to his timing.
The biggest questions about Flagg are his 3-point efficiency and his athletic ceiling. Though his potential beyond the arc is fascinating, his percentages are far from pristine. He also doesn’t take them at a particularly high volume, making his outside jumper more than a tool than a weapon.
Cooper Flagg 3-point shooting percentages.
2022 Nike EYBL: 30% (9 games)
2022 FIBA USA U17: 50% (7 games)
22-23 Montverde: 25.7% (20 games)
2023 Nike EYBL: 33% (24 games)
23-24 Montverde: 39.2% (27 games)
2024 McDonald’s AA: 25% (1 game)
Overall: 33.7%, 84/249 (88 games) https://t.co/LRb3Eqp9Pq
— Global Scouting (@GlobalScouting_) April 13, 2024
Physically, Flagg is gifted and certainly capable of playing above the rim. Yet, in a league with the best athletes in the world, his explosiveness won’t stand out the way it does against high school hoopers.
Ultimately, Flagg projects to be a pretty good player with star potential. Nonetheless, there are reasons to believe he may be more of a star in his role than an All-Star at the NBA level, or at least somewhere in-between.
VJ Edgecombe Scouting Report
In high school, Edgecombe was characterized as more of an athlete than a player. While playing for The Bahamas’ men’s national team in the 2024 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, he proved that those reports were a bit off base. Edgecombe is definitely an incredible athlete, rising from the floor with ease and seeming to glide to the rim. However, he’s much more than just someone who can run fast and jump high.
Edcecombe can score from all over the floor, thanks not just to his athleticism but his touch and footwork. Though he often finishes above the rim, he has a soft touch under it and an innate feel for how to score around bodies. He’s more of a connective passer than playmaker, but still makes great decisions with the ball.
At the other end, he breaks on the ball like a defensive back when jumping passing lanes. His aggressiveness helps him be a noteworthy weakside shot-blocker as well. With his physical tools and mindset, he could truly develop into a lockdown on-ball defender.
Edgecombe, like Flagg, has star potential. However, there are concerns about his shooting mechanics. He also needs to continue working on his playmaking, especially at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds.
Prototype or Archetype?
The choice between Flagg and Edgecombe could come down to hype. One would think front office executives being paid millions of dollars for talent evaluation would be above the noise, but they often digest it like a regular NBA fan. This how players like Markelle Fultz ended up being selected No. 1 overall instead of Jayson Tatum, or how someone like Deandre Ayton was picked over Luka Doncic.
The decision could also be based on schema. Again, Flagg is a prototypical small forward. His archetype is similar to that of several players who have gone on to have terrific careers, including Tatum.
Edgecombe is shorter than teams would like a shooting guard to be. He isn’t as strong of jump shooter as they would want either. Yet, he has a level of athleticism that’s shared by multiple Hall of Fame players. In fact, his closest player comparison may be Dwyane Wade, a three-time NBA champion and 13-time NBA All-Star.
The Last Word On The No. 1 Pick
The decision on Flagg or Edgecombe doesn’t have to be made today, nor should it.
Both players have at least one season of college ball in front of them, which will help separate the cream of the crop. After that, there may not even be a need to split hairs, depending on how they fare. However, if the competition is still close ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, teams in position to draft one of them might need to target whoever is a better fit.
