{"id":99022,"date":"2024-10-02T10:58:35","date_gmt":"2024-10-02T14:58:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=99022"},"modified":"2024-10-02T10:58:35","modified_gmt":"2024-10-02T14:58:35","slug":"nba-executive-question-duke-cooper-flagg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/10\/02\/nba-executive-question-duke-cooper-flagg\/","title":{"rendered":"NBA Executive Has Question For Duke\u2019s Cooper Flagg"},"content":{"rendered":"

The NBA\u2019s draft analysts \u2014amateurs to professionals \u2014have been raving about Duke incoming freshman Cooper Flagg for about a year. The hype surrounding Flagg is nothing like that of San Antonio Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama<\/a>, who quickly proved that he\u2019s an MVP-caliber talent<\/a>. It may not even match that of New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson<\/a>, whose physical tools, production, and playmaking led to him being compared to multiple Hall of Famers.<\/p>\n

However, if the 2025 NBA Draft began today, Flagg would be the favorite to go No. 1. He\u2019s playing for a prestigious program after being named the 2024 Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year. His guard skills and defense at 6-foot-9 has him in conversations<\/a> with players like Franz Wagner<\/a> and Andrei Kirilenko<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Yet, Wagner and Kirilenko were drafted with the No. 8 and No. 24 picks, respectively. Why then would Flagg be considered a lock for No. 1?<\/p>\n

NBA Executive Has Question For Duke\u2019s Cooper Flagg<\/h2>\n

The truth is that Flagg isn\u2019t a shoo-in to be<\/a> drafted first overall next summer. According to ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony, \u201csome NBA scouts tell ESPN that the door is open for them to consider other players depending on how the next nine months play out.\u201d Even executives are hesitant to say the Maine Event will be the main player they focus on in the draft.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m going into this year with an open mind about who the No. 1 pick might be,\u201d says one NBA executive. \u201cThis is how mistakes are made: getting anchored to an opinion and then closing yourself off to new, much more important information that we’ll be receiving in the coming months seeing how the season plays out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year there are surprises, new players pop up and others take an unexpected leap.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The anonymous executive, who will presumably have a legitimate shot to land the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, specifically wants to see if Flagg \u201cis indeed a No. 1-type offensive option\u2026 or if he’s more of a superstar role player who is better suited as your second- or third-best player.\u201d<\/p>\n

To that point, the difference between a player like Wagner or Kirilenko and a player like Paolo Banchero<\/a> \u2014who was drafted first overall in 2022 \u2014is their ability to consistently lead the team in scoring. As a three-level scorer, Flagg has the potential be his team\u2019s first option at some point. Yet, there are other factors that determine whether a player will be able to man that role.<\/p>\n

Will He Be A No. 1 Option?<\/h3>\n

Flagg\u2019s mental makeup \u2014his balance between passivity and aggressiveness \u2014will be a factor. So too will his ability to score off the dribble. Players who dominate in high school often do so because they have a physical advantage over their peers. Once Flagg is competing against bigger, better, and more seasoned players, it could diminish his impact.<\/p>\n