A participant from France has been chosen No. 1 in every of the previous two NBA Drafts — first Victor Wembanyama in 2023, then Zaccharie Risacher in 2024. That streak ought to finish subsequent 12 months as a result of, barring a shock, the primary participant chosen within the 2025 NBA Draft shall be Cooper Flagg, the projected one-and-done star at Duke.
He is American.
He is terrific.
He is been an plain star at the highschool degree (and on the grassroots circuit) for years, a lot in order that I actually do consider all 30 NBA franchises would take the 6-foot-9 ahead first general if subsequent 12 months’s draft have been held proper now. May issues change between now and subsequent June? Sure — they usually usually do. However Flagg is such a well-rounded and high-level prospect that it is troublesome to think about anyone changing him on the high of draft boards, particularly if he is so superior at Duke that he retains the Blue Devils close to the highest of the nationwide rankings all season. For what it is value, they’re at present ninth within the CBS Sports activities High 25 And 1 preseason faculty basketball rankings.
As you’ve got seemingly heard, tanking is not nearly as good of a technique because it as soon as was within the NBA with the lottery odds now flattened; even when you have the very best odds to get the No. 1 decide, you do not have good odds to get the No. 1 decide. That acknowledged, #TankForFlagg ought to be a preferred hashtag subsequent NBA season. The Brooklyn Nets are already headed that route. Anticipate extra franchises to affix them in due time.
(NOTE: Group wants weren’t thought-about when assembling this lottery projection as a result of it is inconceivable to know who shall be selecting the place this time subsequent 12 months. In different phrases, consider this as an enormous board greater than you consider it as a mock draft. The lottery order was set by this previous season’s lottery odds and shouldn’t be thought-about a prediction on how the 2024-25 NBA season will unfold.)
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