Raising the Flag(g): NBA Prospects and What Could go Down During the 2025 Draft
- Elsa Olano
- Jun 20
- 5 min read
It’s a busy week for the world of basketball in the USA right now. NBA Finals are coming to an end with Game 7 this Sunday, and we are just a few days away from the 2025 NBA Draft. The first round is set to take place at Barclays Center in Brooklyn on June 25, while the second round will be held the day after, on June 26.
Draft Lottery Recap
One of the key events surrounding the whole draft process is the Draft Lottery. This year, it happened on May 12 in Chicago, and some would describe it as surprising, messy or even scripted. Given the fact they had the worst regular-season record, the Utah Jazz, the Washington Wizards or the Charlotte Hornets were expected to win the lottery and obtain the first pick. However, it ultimately came down to the Dallas Mavericks taking home the first pick with them, even if the odds were only 1.8% in their favor. Online, people were quick to link that very good luck to the Luka Doncic trade that hit earlier this year and involved the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Considered one of the biggest and most unexpected trades in NBA history, the reasons - and the logic - behind that deal remain vague, and for many fans, that lottery win could explain it (or at least part of it).
On top of that, the San Antonio Spurs get to pick second, while the Philadelphia 76ers will have the third pick. Unfortunately, the Hornets, the Jazz and the Wizards will respectively make their choice in fourth, fifth and sixth place. So, for any team that didn’t have any chance to make it to the playoffs and purposely lost their last games to increase their chance at the lottery - while risking being fined by the league, it doesn’t seem to be a rewarding strategy!
Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg is THE talk of this year’s draft. Fans were so excited by the idea of him joining their favorite team that they sometimes wished for a bad regular-season record in the hopes of securing the top pick during the lottery. Flagg is a 6’9 forward who played for the Duke Blue Devils. He has won several awards in the past season like AP Player of the Year, NABC Player of the Year, and was named 1st Team AP All-American. For his first - and only - college year, he averaged 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG and 4.2 APG with a 48.1 FG%.
Media already list Flagg as one of the best NBA Draft prospects of the last decade, among players like Victor Wembanyama, Cade Cunningham and Karl-Anthony Towns.
There is little to no doubt that the soon-to-be former Duke forward will land on the Mavericks court. Although there was the possibility of him deciding to withdraw from the draft and choosing to stay one more year at Duke, it’s currently almost impossible to think of any other scenario that could happen in his case. There are rumors that Flagg had dinner with the actual Mavericks players. In a since-deleted post, the Dallas team also wished a premature welcome to Flagg. Jeremy Beren via Athlon Sports declared: “DLLS Mavericks reporter Kevin Gray posted on X a screenshot from Mavs' official website that displayed Flagg in Dallas' white home jersey.”
Still, even the best players are not protected from injuries and that is an unknown factor that could interfere with his career development and his success. Take Zion Williamson, for example, who was the first pick in the 2019 draft and joined the New Orleans Pelicans while being seen as one of the most promising and captivating prospects ever. The hype quickly faded when injuries kept on going and started messing with his chances of playing at an all-star level.
During the ACC Tournament, Flagg suffered a left ankle sprain that looked really painful. Luckily for him, he was ruled out for the tournament semifinals but made it back on the court just in time for the NCAA Tournament.
Let’s just hope it’s not a glimpse of what’s coming for Cooper Flagg when he officially makes it in the league!
Top 5 Prospects
Besides Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, VJ Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Ace Bailey and Jeremiah Fears are players whose names are among the ones projected to be called early on Draft night.
Dylan Harper is a 6’6 guard from Rutgers. His best qualities are his frame, his ball handling and his finishing at the rim, which would allow the Spurs to build a strong young core around him, Wemby and Castle if he was selected by the team as the second pick.
VJ Edgecombe is a 6’5 guard from Baylor. He would be a great pick, thanks to his athleticism (we’re talking explosiveness here) and his defensive playmaking ability. It would be no surprise to hear his name called in fourth or fifth position.
Tre Johnson is a 6’6 guard from Texas. He would be a perfect match for any team that is looking for an all-around scorer, as he is probably one of the best that can be found in the 2025 class. He has an interesting combination of dynamism, speed and mobility, resulting in a good perimeter shooting and making him a catch-and-shoot threat.
Ace Bailey is a 6’10 forward from Rutgers also. He could be characterized as a gifted shotmaker that runs the floor. He handles his size well and can score from anywhere on the court. His versatility is highlighted as one of his strengths as well, meaning that he can play multiple positions in offense and defense.
Jeremiah Fears is a 6’4 guard from Oklahoma. From all five prospects mentioned here, he’s for sure the outsider. At only 18, he does not have any standout traits yet, but he has huge potential and attributes that are essential to progress at an elite level in the NBA. He is creative, has scoring instincts, confidence and plays with audacity. Despite not being a consistent shooter for now, he has proven to be excellent at free throws. He knows how to draw fouls and convert them.
Previous Drafts
In the history of the draft, elite star players have been selected as the number one pick. Some of them include Shaquille O’Neal in 1992, Allen Iverson in 1996, LeBron James in 2003, Derrick Rose in 2008, Kyrie Irving in 2011, and most recently, Victor Wembanyama, who was chosen by the Spurs in 2023.
Even if last year’s class was defined as a “weak” one with no big names apparently standing out, a few players have still left their mark as solid rookies this season. Before his injury, Jared McCain (number 16 pick by the 76ers) was ranked at the top of the rookie ladder, with an impressive statistic of seven consecutive 20-point performances. Stephon Castle (number 4 pick by the Spurs) ended up winning the Rookie of the Year title. The first two picks, Zaccharie Risacher (Hawks) and Alex Sarr (Wizards), both had a good season with their team and made it to the All-Star Weekend as rookies.
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