The discourse around the 2025 NBA draft begins with Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, the top prospect in the ESPN Top 100 rankings and the projected No. 1 pick in June.

The NBA has been watching the promising forward closely over the past several years, including Flagg’s ascent from a top high school prospect to him reclassifying in August 2023 so he could enter college at 17 years old. At Duke, Flagg has become a star, currently averaging 15.9 points and 3.6 assists through 10 games for the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils.

“If he couldn’t score a lick and was just a finisher and transition guy, he’d still be a top-10 pick,” said one NBA Eastern Conference general manager.

So what are NBA teams saying about him behind closed doors six months out from the draft? With the aim of better understanding how front offices are evaluating Flagg, ESPN spoke to 10 general managers, executives and scouts, granting anonymity in exchange for their candid opinions.

Here’s what our panel of NBA executives had to say about Flagg and his prospects at the next level:

Jump to a question:
What’s so unique? | Expectations on offense?
Comps to recent No. 1s? | College/NBA comps?
Could someone else go No. 1?

1. What makes Flagg a unique prospect?

Flagg has earned plaudits for his productivity, versatility, defensive prowess and maturity for a player who turns 18 on Dec. 21. His most impressive contributions have come in areas other than scoring — he has averaged 9 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks through his first 10 games. Measuring at 6-foot-8 with a 6-11 wingspan in April at the Nike Hoop Summit, Flagg’s all-around profile has won NBA teams over in short order.

After a strong high school career at Montverde Academy (Florida) led to him reclassifying to enter the 2025 draft — accelerating his pro timeline by a year — Flagg earned an invitation to Team USA’s training camp in Las Vegas over the summer. He was given major exposure to NBA scouts in a challenging environment, thrown into the fray scrimmaging against Team USA’s Olympic team, and he held his own.

“There’s not many guys with a combination of size, mobility, skill and basketball IQ,” one veteran scout said. “A lot of high-level prospects have two or three … [Flagg has] all of them. His versatility defensively is elite, the way he changes the game on that end.”

Scouts echoed that the perceived level of maturity with Flagg — noted as a focused, consistent competitor who has won at every stop — adds a layer of security when projecting him long term. Most agree he’s ready to play major minutes in the NBA already.

“You know what you’re going to get every night — he can get you 15 [points] and 10 [rebounds] right now just because he plays so hard,” one Eastern Conference general manager said. “But his ball skills and ability to shoot makes him No. 1. He could play on any team right now and be in the rotation because of how much he does without scoring.”

A different general manager called out Flagg’s combination of size and defensive wiring as traits that aren’t always easily projectable. “Generally rookies are a disaster defensively, but he’ll be good right out of the gate. … People are drawn to big playmaking forwards, he has the capacity for that. It’s not the best piece of his game right now, [but] that’ll evolve because he’s so young.”

2. What are realistic expectations for Flagg’s offensive growth?

What NBA teams are working hardest to project about Flagg’s game — and where there’s the most difference of opinion in his evaluations — is the type of player he’ll develop into offensively. Flagg’s shooting splits — 50.5% on 2s, 22.6% from 3 and 72.5% from the foul line through 10 games — offer room for long-term improvement. What caliber of player he turns into hinges heavily on how much he can grow as a scorer and offensive focal point.

Duke’s schedule allows Flagg a big stage on which to succeed (or fail), giving him opportunities to create shots for himself, and to go score late in games. Those decisions haven’t always paid off in the short term — Flagg turned the ball over twice in the final 12 seconds, on back-to-back possessions, at the end of Duke’s loss to Kentucky at the Champions Classic in November, and he scored 13 points in the three-point loss to Kansas in the Vegas Showdown — but the responsibility placed upon him should be valuable.

“It looks like [Duke head coach Jon] Scheyer has been intentionally putting him in situations where it’s, ‘OK, go, get a basket,'” one Western Conference executive said. “It doesn’t look like the primary creation is there for him quite yet. There’s a hope that he can be a go-to guy on offense. It seems like he’s got the vision and passing, but the individual scoring stuff has to get better.”

Another NBA scout noted that teams shouldn’t bank on Flagg being the primary shot creator for himself and others all the time, but could be an excellent secondary option. “Maybe you hope that, but it’s more realistic that he’s a 20-point-per-game scorer minimum. … He’s going to really impact the game and fill the stat sheet regardless.”

The Eastern Conference general manager was unsure whether Flagg turns into a No. 1 franchise type of player on a championship-caliber team, but felt that adding strength to his 205-pound frame would go a long way. “Once [he gets stronger] the rest of his game will open up. …I mean, if he’s your third guy, you’re still really good.”

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Is Cooper Flagg still the top pick in the NBA draft?

Seth Greenberg breaks down what he’s seeing from Duke’s Cooper Flagg and what he thinks of Flagg’s NBA prospects.

The Eastern Conference general manager says he doesn’t know if Flagg can be a No. 1 franchise type of player on a championship team. “I can’t say that right now. But I mean, if he’s your third guy, you’re still really good.”

Scouts view Flagg as an excellent transition player, offensive rebounder and finisher, capable of impacting the game even when plays aren’t drawn up for him. Although his 3-point range is inconsistent, Flagg has flashed a comfort level getting to his jumper in the midrange, on display in Duke’s recent 84-78 win against No. 2-ranked Auburn. Against the No. 2-ranked Tigers, Flagg scored 22 points, had 11 rebounds and went 7-for-14 on 2-pointers.

Teams are keeping the early struggles in perspective, as Flagg is among the youngest players in college basketball, and facing defenses often composed of older players who aim to stop him each night is the stiffest test he has faced. As Duke moves into the thick of its conference play, he might be further pushed to take over as a scorer.

“The thing I like about [Flagg’s] shot is he’s confident enough to get to something, whether it’s dribble pull-ups or jumpers out of the post,” a Western Conference scout said. “He doesn’t act like he’s a non-shooter. It’s that confidence level — if you have to rewire mechanics, cool, but if you have to develop mechanics and also the brain, that gives me more pause.”

Another element at play, according to our panel of executives, is the variable of where Flagg lands in the NBA. It was noted that top picks typically receive developmental investment from their teams to succeed, something teams can address on the staff side. Over the summer, the Detroit Pistons hired away well-regarded shooting coach Fred Vinson from the New Orleans Pelicans to work with their group of talented but shooting-deficient young prospects.

The personnel around Flagg will play a role in his career arc. If he goes to a team replete with scorers, he could start in a secondary or tertiary role where he can commit his energy on defense. If he winds up on a team prepared to give him the ball right away and let him work through his mistakes and be aggressive, there are outcomes in which his offensive production could skyrocket, our panel noted. A different executive used examples such as Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes, who weren’t go-to scorers in their college playing days but broke out in the NBA when given opportunities.

“This might be ignorant to ask, but does he go in [to an NBA team] and say, ‘F— it, I’m going to be the alpha on my team’ and in Year 2 he’s averaging 20?,” the exec said. “Or is he content sharing the ball and being [an elite] second-best player?”

3. How does Flagg stack up to recent No. 1 picks?

Asking this question is a bit more in the eye of the beholder, as evaluators and teams inevitably value different things. The consensus from our panel of executives said it’s not fair to put Flagg, much less anyone, at the same level as French star Victor Wembanyama, whom the San Antonio Spurs drafted No. 1 in 2023. Scouts viewed Wembanyama as a singular, once-in-a-generation prospect because of his mix of traits on the physical, skill and mental levels. And those evaluators were proven right as Wembanyama was named the NBA’s Rookie of the Year, garnering all 99 first-place votes.

Scouts are more willing to put Flagg on par with other top picks, citing the simple fact that he already has put a hold on the consensus top spot in this class, something that doesn’t happen in every draft. The 2024 draft — in which most believe Flagg would have gone first had he been eligible — lacked a clear-cut top prospect. Anthony Edwards‘ selection at No. 1 by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2020 draft looks much simpler in hindsight, but at that time, LaMelo Ball and James Wiseman were part of the discussion.

Referencing previous No. 1 picks, including Zion Williamson (New Orleans Pelicans in 2019), Cade Cunningham (Pistons in 2021) and Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks in 2024), one Western Conference executive said: “At this stage, [Flagg is] probably a tier below Wemby, maybe even Zion, but on par with Cunningham and above the tier of Edwards, Risacher, those guys in drafts where we weren’t sure who was going to go 1.”

“Wemby was a different physical specimen, Zion was a different level of athlete. [Flagg is] below that. I say Cade because that was a year where it was just assumed he was going No. 1, with some minor caveats. [Flagg is] as impressive a second-tier kind of top prospect as I can think of.”

While Flagg doesn’t have the uncommon physical skills that have historically separated the highest-caliber prospects such as Wembanyama and Williamson, his range of traits stack up well and have still solidified his No. 1 status, according to our panelists.

“I don’t think he’s a generational guy — I think that word started getting used too frequently,” another executive said. “[But] when you look back at this draft, if he goes at 1, regardless of if other people end up better, nobody is going to say that was a bad pick.”

Some of these different labels amount to semantics in the end, but it’s his consistency and reliability that have become driving factors, creating belief that he’ll maximize his talent. Other than Wembanyama, the only recent No. 1 picks whose defensive impacts were well ahead of their offense have been Ben Simmons (2016 No. 1 pick by the Philadelphia 76ers) and Anthony Davis (2012 No. 1 pick by New Orleans).

A different executive said he has no reservations about Flagg’s ability to step in at the next level: “[He’s] as NBA ready as any of the guys in the past 10 drafts, if not more. The physicality is there. He’s a blank canvas.”

4. Who are Flagg’s best comps, both past and present?

Flagg is a hard player to find comparisons for, but we challenged NBA executives to try for the sake of this exercise. Some names that came up: Andrei Kirilenko, Jayson Tatum, Franz Wagner, Aaron Gordon and Grant Hill. Those comps establish a wide range of outcomes but also security Flagg provides as a likely top-level starter.

“I kind of like the Grant Hill comp,” a different Eastern Conference scout said about the Pistons’ No. 3 pick in 1994. “Grant, I don’t think was a great shooter to start. Could get to his 12-15 footer, play downhill, could finish well. I like the frame.

“Cooper is maybe a little bigger. [Hill] had a path to being impactful offensively in situations that didn’t require creating space/shotmaking. Grant, maybe a better raw athlete.”

Kirilenko, a 1999 first-round pick, one-time All-Star (2004) and three-time All-Defensive team selection (2004-06) for the Utah Jazz, was by far the most common name that our panel referenced because of Flagg’s defensive impact as a rebounder, shot-blocker and disruptor. Some scouts like that comparison, while others found it lazy.

“Two years ago, the shot blocking made me think of Kirilenko. Now that I’ve watched him more under the microscope, no way,” one Western Conference executive said. “[Flagg] is comfortable initiating offense when he needs to. Kirilenko didn’t have that. [Also], he has all the tools to be a great defender, but who is a great 6-9, 215-pound, great defensive forward right now at the NBA level? Is Flagg destined to be on All-Defensive teams?”

A Western Conference scout said now retired Andre Iguodala, a first-round pick by the 76ers in 2004, is a comp for the Duke freshman, though he was more of a guard. “[Flagg is] a big wing, defense first, better playmaker than scorer, but can do both.”

The two most popular names among active NBA players were Franz Wagner, in midst of a breakout season with the Orlando Magic, and Aaron Gordon, who has fashioned himself into one of the league’s top supporting players with the Denver Nuggets. Wagner has managed to be effective as a scorer without an elite 3-point shot (he was shooting 32% from deep before tearing an oblique Dec. 7). Gordon arrived in Denver (via a trade with the Magic in March 2021) with aspirations of being a wing scorer, but he has settled in as a versatile power forward who contributes in nearly every area.

“[Flagg] is really a forward more than a wing. Some guys you could compare him to at that position — Gordon, Wagner, they don’t all have the same physical tools,” one general manager said. “Gordon as a baseline is good … but there seems to be a higher range where he could go on offense.”

Another Eastern Conference scout said he likes the Wagner comp, but Flagg’s development could be situation dependent.

“He’s such a unique dude, you basically just want to say, like a smaller Giannis [Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks], but he’s not — and I don’t know if he’ll get that level of usage in the NBA because there are guys who are just so much better putting it in the basket.”

5. What’s the likelihood someone other than Flagg goes No. 1?

Rutgers guard Dylan Harper has emerged as the leading alternative, setting himself apart at No. 2 for many evaluators, including in ESPN’s Top 100. Outside of Harper dominating college basketball in a convincing enough manner to change the conversation, it seemingly would take something unexpected, such as an injury or other unforeseeable circumstance, to loosen Flagg’s hold on the top spot.

Much of this comes back to the aforementioned level of security teams feel with Flagg, which he has continued to establish while at Duke. His perceived floor is just as strong a selling point as his ceiling.

One Eastern Conference scout projected Flagg’s chances of going No. 1 at 90%, and, “it’s his to lose. If I’m making the No. 1 pick, my comfort level knowing the kid, his character, work ethic and talent, I’m sleeping easily all summer long.”

In most drafts, there’s pressure that comes with selecting at No. 1 because this is a high-leverage decision that determines the fate of a franchise. Several sources echoed that a big part of Flagg’s appeal is their confidence that he will maximize his potential.

“I don’t think you can pass on him, unless there is someone else who overwhelmingly blows that out of the water,” an Eastern Conference scout said.

There was still quite a bit of love for Harper, who came on strong in November with a pair of breakout performances (36- and 37-point games) in Las Vegas and in the eyes of many has positioned himself ahead of star teammate Ace Bailey, whose name also comes up in this conversation. Harper has averaged 23.1 points through 11 games, shouldering a high-usage role and turning in several spectacular performances. Teams view him as better prepared for an NBA adjustment than Bailey, who holds intriguing long-term upside as a scorer but likely needs more time to develop.

“I don’t think [Flagg] is going to be the best offensive prospect in the draft, and sometimes that’s just who goes 1, which is reasonable,” one Western Conference scout said.

One general manager envisioned a scenario in which a team in need of backcourt help could view Harper’s offensive prowess as a selling point.

“[Flagg] is in the driver’s seat and will be for a long time, but I think Dylan Harper will be the rookie of the year,” one general manager said. “He may not be better 10 years from now, but I think he’s the most ready. If you have a lot of wings or younger bigs already on the roster, just take him. [Harper] is the only guy that could threaten him.

“But again, I’d take Cooper at the end of the day, because if all the stars align, it’s not close.”