Cooper Flagg: NBA Draft experts discuss his reclassification and draft potential

Cooper Flagg shook things up in the basketball recruiting world on Friday when he announced he would be reclassifying into the 2024 class. While this move was expected, his public claim immediately put him in the No. 1 spot in his new class. 

An interesting piece to this is that Flagg has a December 2006 birthday. His reclassification from the 2025 high school class and into 2024 will make him eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft. 

There is a mixed bag of precedence with players classifying up. GG Jackson and Emoni Bates are two recent players who opted to graduate high school a year early. So are the likes of Shaedon Sharpe, Jamal Murray, Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Marvin Bagley, Noah Vonleh, and others. 

With the uncertainty of the future, I wanted to give my thoughts, as well as reach out to other NBA Draft experts and see what they thought of Flagg as an NBA Draft prospect and have them give their early thoughts on where and how he projects to the league. 

Matt Babcock; “He has a chance to become a special player.”

Babcock Hoops: www.babcockhoops.com

Player Comparison: I don’t have a great comparison for Flagg because he does a little bit of everything. I feel like I’d be at risk of putting him in somewhat of a box.

Scouting Flagg: Although Cooper Flagg is only 16, he’s done some impressive things on the floor already. He has excellent size, at 6-foot-9, versatility, and plays with fiery competitiveness. Flagg also has a great pace; it seems like he constantly makes plays on both ends of the floor. If one were to nitpick Flagg’s game at this stage in his development, they’d like to point to his outside shooting, as he still has room for improvement. However, I’m not concerned. I think he’ll be fine long-term in that area of his game. 

There is plenty of time until the 2025 NBA Draft when Flagg will likely be draft eligible, but I’m already looking forward to him making that jump. His well-roundedness, style of play, and approach will likely translate to the NBA level seamlessly. And although I typically avoid making bold statements regarding draft status for young prospects, I think Cooper Flagg is the early front-runner for being the likely No. 1 pick when his time comes. He has a chance to become a special player.

Evan Tomes; “It’s easy to see his game translating…”

NBA Draft.net: www.nbadraft.net

Player Comparison: I think Jayson Tatum is good.

Scouting Flagg: Flagg’s reclass makes the 2025 NBA Draft stronger, which is underwhelming with talent. It lacked a surefire guy at the top. I feel pretty comfortable projecting him No. 1 at this point. 

It’s easy to see his game translating with his ability to create and make shots. He’s such a fluid athlete too, which translates on both ends as he covers ground and blocks shots very well. No one is ever a ‘sure thing,’ but you won’t find many prospects at that age as well-rounded as Flagg

Nathan Grubel; “he projects as one of the most versatile defensive forwards we’ve seen…”

No Ceilings: www.noceilings.com

Player Comparison: I’m not sure there are any one-to-one comps for him. I think the way he protects the rim from the weak side changes any comps I could throw out there. His block numbers are outrageous. I’d say he could become a very strong mix of Gordon Hayward and Andrei Kirilenko. The latter is a name I just don’t use for comps because he is one of the most unique defenders I’ve ever watched in the NBA.

Scouting Flagg: He will definitely be the surefire No. 1 pick for me.

I’m really intrigued to keep studying him as we enter into the 2025 cycle. As it stands now, he projects as one of the most versatile defensive forwards we’ve seen in a long time. He can cover ground, defend multiple schemes, hold his own in the post, show and recover, and switch. He has great hands and quick feet for his size. And offensively, he’s shown more every time I watch him.

If he keeps taking steps forward with his mid-range jumper and playmaking, as he did at Peach Jam, the sky is the limit, given how he is already comfortable as a transition threat and a finisher at the basket. There’s very little he can’t do on a basketball court today, with plus positional size and the ‘it-factor” to command his team. 

Bryan Kalbrosky; “I think his versatility makes him the best basketball prospect in the world.”

USA Today’s For the Win: www.ftw.usatoday.com

Player Comparison: I’m admittedly not great at player comparisons, but Kevin Garnett upside.

Scouting Flagg: Over a year ago, an NBA scout texted me: “Cooper Flagg is the best player in the country regardless of class.” That was when he was 15 years old before he ever even played a game at Montverde Academy or enjoyed another breakout campaign at Nike EYBL. His defensive impact is out-of-this-world, and I think he is the most likely player to record a 5×5 (at least five points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks in a single game) in the NBA.

I think his versatility makes him the best basketball prospect in the world, and I’d take him No. 1 overall if he were in the 2024 NBA Draft, 2025 NBA Draft, or if he had opted to stay in the 2026 NBA Draft. I’m a huge fan of his game, and I can’t way to see where he ends up next.

My take; “He is one of the best true defensive prospects I have scouted…”

Player Comparison: After watching him last summer win gold with USA Basketball in the FIBA World U17 Championships, I made the Andrei Kirilenko comparison. While it is not one-to-one, I’ll stay on that for now. 

Scouting Flagg: Cooper Flagg is a lengthy forward prospect with a straight-line burst and a high basketball IQ. His instincts on the defensive end stand out immediately. He understands angles and rotations and has excellent anticipation both in passing lanes and as a weak-side shot-blocker. His hips are loose, and he can open up and slide or recover. He is one of the best true defensive prospects I have scouted in over a decade in the industry. 

Flagg is a good spot shooter with a consistently high release point. The shot can be a bit slow at times which can call for some inconsistencies off the bounce. He is much more consistent in the mid-range than he is from three at this point. He is a smart off-ball cutter and can handle the ball well in open space. I would like to see him tighten the handle some in tight spaces. The passing has really started to pop. At the NBPA Top 100 Camp, he showed comfort on the ball, initiating the pick-and-roll. Throughout the summer, he showed excellent passing ability with both hands, multiple angles, off-live dribble, and on target.