Potential No. 1 Pick for 2025 NBA Draft Sets America Ablaze with His Dunking Abilities, Dubbed the "White LeBron"!
There has been much talk about teams tanking to secure the "Flagey Cup," but what level of talent does this year's potential No. 1 pick possess that warrants such attention across the United States?
Cooper Flagg, currently 18 years old and playing for Duke University, stands at an impressive 2.06 meters tall, weighs 93 kilograms, and boasts a wingspan of 2.24 meters, giving him the perfect dimensions for a forward.
In the 2022 U17 Men's Basketball World Cup final, he scored 10 points, grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out 2 assists, made 8 steals, and blocked 4 shots (including 4 blocks in 8 seconds), helping the American men's basketball team win the championship. He also won the 2022 American Basketball Male Athlete of the Year award, becoming the youngest recipient since the award was established in 1980.
During the 2023-24 season, he led Montverde Academy (high school) to an undefeated record and the national championship title. He was named Gatorade's National High School Player of the Year and Naismith's National High School Player of the Year, and was selected for the McDonald's All-American Team.
This summer, Flagg was included in the US men's basketball training squad, giving him the opportunity to be personally coached by several big-name stars. He is the only player in the squad who has not yet played professional basketball...
Under the influence of these experienced players, Flagg has shown rapid development, recently leading Duke University to an impressive 11-game winning streak!
In the New Year's Eve game where Duke University defeated Virginia Tech, Flagg scored 24 points, grabbed 3 rebounds, dished out 6 assists, made 4 steals, and had 1 block; on January 12th, in the victory over Notre Dame, he was even more spectacular, going 14 for 11 from the field, 6 for 4 from three-point range, and 17 for 16 from the free-throw line, exploding for 42 points, along with 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal.
The 42 points set a new personal career high and is also the scoring record for freshmen in the ACC conference where Duke University plays.
According to ESPN's scouting report:
Strengths: Possesses all the skills and physique of a wing player, with excellent dynamic talent. He can combine his outstanding physical abilities with high skill levels and high basketball IQ, capable of seamlessly transitioning between the roles of finisher and playmaker. He can handle multiple positions on both offense and defense and has the potential to become the next face of the NBA.
Weaknesses: Ball-handling skills still have room for improvement and are far from the level where he can create opportunities solely through ball-handling. Sometimes his decision-making with the ball can be too casual...
His draft templates include several predecessors: Tatum, McGrady, George, LeBron, and even Kirilenko...
From the simple scouting report, it's clear that Flagg is almost a six-sided warrior. However, judging from Duke University's performance this year, it's indeed the case...
He is a rare white player with exceptional athletic ability and physicality, capable of both offense and defense. He is basically an all-around ball-dominant core within the team, fearlessly charging through opponents without any regard for reason.
Furthermore, this hot prospect for the 2025 NBA draft has already signed a lucrative shoe endorsement contract with New Balance, securing his first pot of gold before even entering the NBA!