Cooper Flagg Sent Shockwaves Through the NBA Combine — Is He the #1 Pick Lock in the 2025 NBA Draft?
June 4, 2025 — Chicago, IL
Cooper Flagg came into the 2025 NBA Draft Combine with a target on his back and a fire in his chest. Considered the top prospect in his class for nearly two years, the Duke phenom arrived in Chicago with one mission: to remind everyone exactly why he’s the name at the top of every NBA front office’s draft board.
Mission accomplished.
The 6-foot-9 forward turned heads, raised eyebrows, and dropped jaws with a dominant all-around showing at this year’s combine. Scouts, executives, and analysts alike left the Windy City convinced that Flagg didn’t just belong in the NBA — he might be ready to take it over.
A Show of Strength, Skill, and Swagger
From the moment drills began, Flagg looked locked in. He crushed the agility tests, posted elite vertical leap numbers, and dazzled in the shooting drills — but it was his performance in live scrimmages that separated him from the pack.
He looked every bit the modern NBA star: long, athletic, switchable on defense, and supremely confident with the ball in his hands. Whether it was pulling up off the dribble from deep, initiating offense in transition, or blocking shots into the third row, Flagg was the best player on the floor — and it wasn’t particularly close.
“He’s already playing like a pro,” one Western Conference scout told ESPN. “His timing, his reads, his motor — it’s all off the charts. And the scary part is, he’s still 18.”
Proving a Point
Flagg’s appearance at the combine wasn’t guaranteed. As a projected top-3 pick — and likely No. 1 — he could’ve skipped the event entirely like many top prospects before him. But he showed up with a purpose.
“I wanted to compete,” Flagg said in a post-scrimmage interview. “I wanted to show teams that I’m ready. This isn’t just hype. This is who I am.”
And he backed it up in every possible way.
There were whispers in recent months — the kind that come with being on top — suggesting other prospects like Isaiah Collier, Nikola Đurišić, or Matas Buzelis might have closed the gap. Flagg silenced that talk with authority.
#1 Pick Lock?
With the 2025 NBA Draft set to begin Wednesday, June 25 at 8:00 PM ET on ABC and ESPN, the conversation around who will go first overall is heating up. But after this week, that discussion may already be over.
Multiple league insiders now believe the team holding the top pick — currently projected to be the Detroit Pistons — will make Flagg their franchise cornerstone.
“He checks every box,” an Eastern Conference GM said. “Talent, maturity, work ethic, marketability. You don’t pass on a guy like this unless you’re trying to get fired.”
Beyond the Numbers
What stood out most during the combine wasn’t just Flagg’s skillset — it was his demeanor. He carried himself like a veteran, communicated constantly with teammates, and competed like someone who wanted to prove he deserved everything that’s been said about him.
“He’s got that edge,” said former NBA player and current analyst J.J. Redick. “It’s not just talent — it’s the mindset. He’s a killer, plain and simple.”
Countdown to Greatness
As June 25 approaches, the basketball world will continue dissecting tape, re-watching scrimmages, and predicting mock drafts — but one thing is clear:
Cooper Flagg didn’t come to Chicago to participate. He came to dominate.
And after this week, it feels more and more like the 2025 NBA Draft will be the official start of something special — not just for Cooper Flagg, but for the franchise lucky enough to call his name first.
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