The buzz around the 2025 NBA Draft is already heating up, and it all starts with Duke’s standout freshman, Cooper Flagg. Widely projected as the No. 1 overall pick in June, NBA scouts and executives have been keeping a close eye on the 17-year-old. His journey began as a top high school prospect before he made headlines by reclassifying in August 2023 to enter college early. Since arriving at Duke, he’s been making waves, averaging 15.9 points and 3.6 assists through his first 10 games for the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils. But is that enough?

While Flagg’s talent is undeniable, there’s a debate brewing about whether he’s a lock for the top spot. “If he couldn’t score a lick and was just a finisher and transition guy, he’d still be a top-10 pick,” an NBA Eastern Conference GM told ESPN. The takeaway? Flagg’s defense, size, and overall presence keep him elite, but if he’s to secure the No. 1 slot, he’ll need to level up his offense.

So far, Flagg’s shooting splits highlight both his strengths and areas for improvement—42.9% on two-pointers, 22.2% from beyond the arc, and 72.5% at the free-throw line.

Some scouts believe Duke head coach Jon Scheyer is intentionally pushing Flagg into difficult offensive situations. “It looks like Scheyer’s saying, ‘OK, go, get a basket,’” a 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.”

Duke’s schedule provides Flagg with a massive stage to showcase—or test—his skills. From creating his own shots to stepping up in clutch moments, he’s had opportunities to learn. Take Duke’s loss to Kentucky in the Champions Classic—Flagg turned the ball over twice in the final 12 seconds of a close game. Then there were single-digit scores, 8 and 9, despite logging in near 30-minutes.

However, the other side of Flagg has also been his career third double-double in his 9th game with the Duke and a massive dunk on debut to secure season-opener win. Coach Scheyer agrees the ups and downs are part of the process and Flagg has it in him to soar above. “There’ll be moments where he has to adjust and gets knocked back. But that’s what this whole thing is for, and he’s wired for it. He’s made to play [at Duke], but he’s also made to play on the biggest stage,” he says, highlighting his habit to play freshman who have turned iconic.

So while not all the results have always gone his way, the experience could prove invaluable as the season progresses. Does this storyline sound familiar? It should.

NBA scouts compare Flagg to one of Duke’s greatest legends

It’s Grant Hill. “I kind of like the Grant Hill comp,” an Eastern Conference scout said. “Grant wasn’t a great shooter early on but could get to his 12-15 footer, play downhill, and finish well. I like the frame.”

It’s a fair comparison. In Hill’s rookie NBA season, he shot just 14.8% from three-point range and 47.7% from the field, yet still averaged 19.9 points per game in over 38 minutes of action. Hill’s athleticism and ability to impact the game without relying on elite shot creation made him a star. Similarly, Flagg’s current 15.9 points and 9 rebounds per game show that he’s contributing even though long-range shooting isn’t his strong suit—yet.

“Cooper might be a little bigger,” the scout added. “Grant was maybe a better raw athlete, but Cooper’s on a path to being impactful in ways that don’t require creating space or being a knockdown shooter.”

With six months to go before the draft, Flagg still has plenty of time to fill in the gaps in his game. The question is—will he rise to the challenge and lock in his status as the No. 1 pick?

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