The NBA Draft is quickly approaching. In just a few weeks, mock drafts will no longer matter—it’ll be time for the real draft board. Everyone knows who the first overall pick will be: a generational talent in Cooper Flagg, who led Duke to the Final Four before falling to Houston.
Flagg is set to become the youngest first overall pick in NBA Draft history. While there were initially some question marks about whether the Mavericks would keep the pick, Dallas confirmed their intentions earlier this week when it was revealed that Flagg will be the only draft prospect they work out.
“The Mavericks have no plans to work out any other prospects for the No. 1 pick and have made clear publicly and privately that they plan on selecting Flagg when Adam Silver puts them on the clock to open the 2025 NBA Draft,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony wrote.
Flagg’s favorite player is LeBron James, and he carries the expectations of becoming the face of the league—just like his idol. The future star is eager for the chance to play against him.
“Somebody that obviously [I wanna play against] I think [is] LeBron. I think that would just be cool to be able to play against him,” said Flagg to The Deep 3.
While there's plenty of hype and belief surrounding Flagg—especially in terms of his potential impact on the NBA—not everyone is convinced. Some believe he may fall short of the lofty expectations. Not necessarily a bust, but perhaps a player who doesn’t quite live up to the projections.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
On The Ringer, Bill Simmons was joined by Chuck Klosterman, who expressed skepticism about Flagg's ceiling.
“I don’t see him as a dominating player. I think he will be the second best player on a good team or third best player on a great team. Nothing I saw made me think he is going to be unstoppable,” Klosterman wrote.
Flagg is projected to have a storied career filled with prestigious accolades, but for Klosterman, the hype just doesn’t add up.