2025 Draft Prospect Thread

[Braggins]

Cooper Flagg ~ PF/SF
6'9" 205 ~ 17.9 yrs
per75*: 23.0 pts ~ 13.0 reb ~ 5.2 ast ~ 2.3 stl ~ 2.0 blk
50.5% 2pt ~ 22.2% 3pt ~ 72.5% ft
+29.3 net ~ +11.8 bpm

Dylan Harper ~ PG/SG
6'6" 215 ~ 18.8 yrs
per75*: 28.8 pts ~ 6.3 reb ~ 5.7 ast ~ 1.2 stl ~ 0.6 blk
59.6% 2pt ~ 33.3% 3pt ~ 77.8% ft
+18.2 net ~ +10.9 bpm

* ~ per 75 possessions

[JustBuzzin]

Flagg has red flags with his 3pt shooting. Tonight he had 6 points and 8 rebounds vs a scrub team. I like his playmaking ability and defense, but he hasn't shown he can be that #1 scoring option. He has had trouble keeping his dribble in crunch time. He's not living up to the hype from what I have seen so far.

What crunch time? They played Incarnate Word and won by 26 pts, Flagg played 22 mins because the game didn't matter.

I don't need to see him score 30 pts every game to see if he will be a good scorer in the NBA. He has shown up bigtime in everyone of Dukes big games, if you are nitpicking him because he hasn't made every single play in crunch time as a 17 yr old vs top 25 teams then you need to re-evaluate your scouting process.

Dylan Harper is the straw that stirs the drink for Rutgers, who are now 6-4. Are we going to pretend he is playing perfect winning basketball?

I like both guys, but Flagg is a much more rare prospect as a 6-8 forward who impacts the game on both ends and is showcasing an elite playmaking ability at his age. He is averaging close to 4 assists, most forwards who are picked top 5 are lucky to average 2.2 apg.

I'm not doubting Flagg is a more rare prospect. He's the Ben Simmons type build. Right now that shot better improve because he looks more like Ben Simmons did at LSU.

I'm just putting the hype to the side. Harper looks like a better pro prospect as of now. He's giving me Harden vibes.

[KembaWalker]

Simmons was a much better prospect than James Harden

[EmpireFalls]

Flag’s a better fit for our team than Harper but we’re never gonna sniff the #1 pick anyways.

I am focusing on that next tier of guy, Edgecombe, Jakucionis (again another questionable fit), Demin, Traore, Maluach, Tre Johnson etc.

Not sure if I actually like any of them yet.

[JMAC3]

The Shooting for Harper is probably more concerning for me than it is with Cooper. Cooper is going to play the 4 in the NBA, if he shoots 34% on 4 attempts a game that will be plenty good enough. If Harper is going to be a heliocentric guard with the ball in his hands as much as he does in college him shooting 30% from three isn't going to work.

He was at 28% from three though 8 games, before the last two games where he shot 6/13 from 3.

[wilson115]

Read on Twitter

[Braggins]

The last two times Flagg got a deluge of criticism on here (this sub and the draft sub) were after blowout wins where he was on cruise control and barely played over 20 minutes. Hes starting to get weird haters who box score watch and spazz out every time they see a low number of points. His production this season has been insane for his age and generally spectacular.

[JustBuzzin]

The last two times Flagg got a deluge of criticism on here (this sub and the draft sub) were after blowout wins where he was on cruise control and barely played over 20 minutes. Hes starting to get weird haters who box score watch and spazz out every time they see a low number of points. His production this season has been insane for his age and generally spectacular.

No he's getting people who are watching the games and saying hey the play doesn't match the hype.

Maybe stop over hyping him and people will judge him accordingly. Y'all can't be watching this dude play and think he's worth the hype he has received. He's a good prospect, but he's not going to be a franchise changing player like we all thought.

He's going to be a great 3rd option on a contender. If he can develop that jumpshot there is a chance he can be your 2nd option in the future. Right now he's #2 on my big board behind Harper.

Hopefully his jumpshot improves that's the only thing holding him back from what I have seen. He's more Ben Simmons as of right now.

[yosemiteben]

He's **** 17 and has only played 10 games.

I do not understand how folks make such certain predictions of who he is given where he is at his stage of development.

[JustBuzzin]

He's **** 17 and has only played 10 games.

I do not understand how folks make such certain predictions of who he is given where he is at his stage of development.

You guys getting so angry over people saying he's not the best prospect.

This is what comes with the hype. Flagg doesn't get any passes. If he simply played like the hype suggest this would be a non story.

Sorry but he has to earn it. I'm not crowning a kid without him showing it on the court. I was literally expecting this kid to be a big deal. He hasn't looked like it so far. There is nothing wrong with telling the truth.

[yosemiteben]

I don't care, I have not watched one second of college basketball this season and don't expect to. I'll analyze prospects in early May.

I just think it's nuts to act like we are certain what this guy will be because he's played 10 college games at age 17.

[JustBuzzin]

Guys we can only judge prospects off what we have seen so far. I literally said this could change as the season goes. If he starts playing great I will praise him.

Nobody even trashed him. I just said Harper looks like the best prospect so far. Flagg is currently #2 on my board. Y'all act like people saying he's a bust lol

[Diop]

Are you watching the games or just going off the hype?

Flagg has red flags with his 3pt shooting. Tonight he had 6 points and 8 rebounds vs a scrub team. I like his playmaking ability and defense, but he hasn't shown he can be that #1 scoring option. He has had trouble keeping his dribble in crunch time. He's not living up to the hype from what I have seen so far.

Again I'm not writing him off, but if you asked me today who I would take it is Harper without a doubt.

This is no longer the Flagg or bust draft.

Pooty is a big Duke fan, so I'd bet he's watched every game

So he's a homer. Got it.

I like Flagg overall, but man the dude got over hyped if you ask me. I'm just browsing around other draft boards and people are legit saying Harper should be the #1 pick.

My eyes tell me Harper just looks like the better pro. We shall see how Flagg looks the rest of the season.

If Pooty was really a Homer he would be making a whole lot more noise about Jared McCain.

[GiggitySmalls]

Guys we can only judge prospects off what we have seen so far. I literally said this could change as the season goes. If he starts playing great I will praise him.

Nobody even trashed him. I just said Harper looks like the best prospect so far. Flagg is currently #2 on my board. Y'all act like people saying he's a bust lol

Out of left field, but i think Aj dybansta is the best prospect not named Victor wembanyama in almost 10 years. The kid is special, and while hyped is not hyped as much as flagg was. Also, I'd take Harper and flagg 2 as well, and I really like flagg. Harper is just better, in my opinion. But hey, if we end up top 3 or 3rd pick and get ace Bailey, I'll be ecstatic.

Sent from my SM-F936U using RealGM mobile app

[JMAC3]

Maybe stop over hyping him and people will judge him accordingly. Y'all can't be watching this dude play and think he's worth the hype he has received. He's a good prospect, but he's not going to be a franchise changing player like we all thought.

He's going to be a great 3rd option on a contender. If he can develop that jumpshot there is a chance he can be your 2nd option in the future. Right now he's #2 on my big board behind Harper.

Hopefully his jumpshot improves that's the only thing holding him back from what I have seen. He's more Ben Simmons as of right now.

Seems weird you are dragging him down and saying he is overhyped, but you still have #2 on your board. Which I assume is more so that you just like Harper more, who by all accounts has been very good as well.

Chet Holmgren is a 3rd option on a contender and went 2nd overall. Was he overhyped and been a guy we should have been more down on? What about Evan Mobley, 3rd option on a contender and went 3rd overall. Should we have been lower on him?

[JustBuzzin]

Maybe stop over hyping him and people will judge him accordingly. Y'all can't be watching this dude play and think he's worth the hype he has received. He's a good prospect, but he's not going to be a franchise changing player like we all thought.

He's going to be a great 3rd option on a contender. If he can develop that jumpshot there is a chance he can be your 2nd option in the future. Right now he's #2 on my big board behind Harper.

Hopefully his jumpshot improves that's the only thing holding him back from what I have seen. He's more Ben Simmons as of right now.

Seems weird you are dragging him down and saying he is overhyped, but you still have #2 on your board. Which I assume is more so that you just like Harper more, who by all accounts has been very good as well.

Chet Holmgren is a 3rd option on a contender and went 2nd overall. Was he overhyped and been a guy we should have been more down on? What about Evan Mobley, 3rd option on a contender and went 3rd overall. Should we have been lower on him?

Chet was nowhere hyped like Flagg coming out of highschool.

Hell I didn't hear about Chet until he showed up at Gonzaga. We have heard the Flagg hype years in advance.

The only thing is weird is people getting upset because they view Harper as a better prospect. Nothing weird about it if you actually judging them with their on court play. Harper without a doubt has been the best freshman in college basketball so far.

[Liver_Pooty]

Pooty is a big Duke fan, so I'd bet he's watched every game

So he's a homer. Got it.

I like Flagg overall, but man the dude got over hyped if you ask me. I'm just browsing around other draft boards and people are legit saying Harper should be the #1 pick.

My eyes tell me Harper just looks like the better pro. We shall see how Flagg looks the rest of the season.

If Pooty was really a Homer he would be making a whole lot more noise about Jared McCain.

I'm not even responding to his nonsense. Its ridiculous.

Edit: calls me a homer then ask if I watch games. Lol. It's just laughable and not worth my time anymore.

[MasterIchiro]

I'd faint if the Hornets land a top-2 pick because it guarantees Flagg or Harper.

I have watched minimal tape on both players but I've seen enough.

Sure, despite the higher FT%, Harper may not become the shooter Flagg will become. But both prospects would have a heck of a time tallying 3-pt attempts with the way our #1 and #2 options are launching them.

LaMelo has a 3 PT attempt rate of .526.
Miller is at .582.
Salaun, a rookie, is at a gross .673 while only connecting at .294. It's all he does and he sucks at it. If he ever makes it to the floor alongside both LaMelo & Miller, I hope Lee instructs him to stare at his MF belly button.

I'm more focused on rim pressure because the roster is missing this dynamic for its offense. I understand Lee's philosophy, but I'm sure he's well aware of the value of rim pressure Tatum, Brown, Jrue, and White all give that picturesque offense. A dose of rim pressure reduces the way the defense pressures the arc and runs shooters off the 3-pt line. The ball also moves around the perimeter more freely when there is some rim pressure on the floor.

LaMelo ranks 3rd in scoring. His FTAR as the offense's #1 option is .234. The #2 option in this offense (Miller) has a FTAR of .162.

You can see even if both players grow better at getting to the line, our offense is still F'd royally in a series where the lead shooters go cold.

Cooper has .383 FT attempt rate. LaMelo and Miller may never get there. Cooper could be the one creating the most significant level of rim pressure from POA. The centers on every roster get theirs finishing passes to the paint.

Harper is the superior ball handler and his FTAR sits at .456. He has great size for a playmaker so he can see over the defense. His father Ron Harper is a 5× NBA champion so I'm assuming high IQ and business approach through the most stressful game situations, and responsiveness to coaching.

Put the ball in his hands and he will either find his way to the rim like no one else can (including LaMelo & Miller) or locate LaMelo & Miller for the open 3.

Compare Harper .456 to the Hornets most recent lottery pick. Salaun has a FTAR of .188.

Knowing what you already knew about LaMelo & Miller, you'd think the new GM would be caught on camera musing about trading up for Steph Castle. He's at .324 and starting. Sheppard is buried on a deep bench and likes to launch bombs like our guy Tidjane Salaun. Castle can already get to the foul line at a greater rate than LaMelo Ball & Brandon Miller. And I don't think Salaun will ever catch him. And Castle might even turn out the better 3 point shooter.

Hey guys, is Castle someone we might consider trading up for? Yes, you MF dipstick. Indeed. This is coming from a big believer in Reed's shot. I love it. Strong buy.

Give me Harper or Flagg, but I can see an argument for Harper being the better skill fit in a position-less game.

There is one offense in the game that ranks dead last in FG%. It's the Charlotte Hornets. That offense creates zero rim pressure.

It's an issue.

[JMAC3]

Maybe stop over hyping him and people will judge him accordingly. Y'all can't be watching this dude play and think he's worth the hype he has received. He's a good prospect, but he's not going to be a franchise changing player like we all thought.

He's going to be a great 3rd option on a contender. If he can develop that jumpshot there is a chance he can be your 2nd option in the future. Right now he's #2 on my big board behind Harper.

Hopefully his jumpshot improves that's the only thing holding him back from what I have seen. He's more Ben Simmons as of right now.

Seems weird you are dragging him down and saying he is overhyped, but you still have #2 on your board. Which I assume is more so that you just like Harper more, who by all accounts has been very good as well.

Chet Holmgren is a 3rd option on a contender and went 2nd overall. Was he overhyped and been a guy we should have been more down on? What about Evan Mobley, 3rd option on a contender and went 3rd overall. Should we have been lower on him?

Chet was nowhere hyped like Flagg coming out of highschool.

Hell I didn't hear about Chet until he showed up at Gonzaga. We have heard the Flagg hype years in advance.

The only thing is weird is people getting upset because they view Harper as a better prospect. Nothing weird about it if you actually judging them with their on court play. Harper without a doubt has been the best freshman in college basketball so far.

Flagg also went to college a year early, he will be 18.5 when drafted. Both Chet and Mobley for example were 20 yrs old on draft night. He is also almost a full year younger than Harper.. I would bet Sophomore Cooper would be massively better than all three of those guys as freshman.

[JustBuzzin]

Keep an eye out for the Illinois kid Kasparas Jakucionis.

All around talent high IQ. Another player who can fit in between Melo/Miller.

This draft is shaping up to be pretty damn good. To the point getting a top 5 pick still gives us an opportunity to add a significant piece. I think there are at least 5 players who would have gone #1 had they been in last years draft.