Interesting. In addition to two of Cooper's current teammates, three of his high school teammates from last year are in the top 24- Derik Queen, Liam McNeeley, and Asa Newell. The only last year starter missing is Rob Wright III, who replaced Jeremy Roach as Baylor's starting PG about mid-season and who is having an excellent season. Montverde went 33-0 last year, and is considered by some pundits to be the best high school team in the history of the sport. Maybe Cooper really does make the players around him better....Not exactly a draft post, but this thread seems like a reasonable place to leave this. Evan Miya ranks the top freshmen in the country. Cooper, Kon, and Khaman are the top three:
Evan Miyakawa (@evanmiya.bsky.social)
Top Freshmen in the Country at EvanMiya.com (minimum 900 possessions played). Duke has the top 3 most impactful freshmen in the country.bsky.app
2025 NBA Draft
- Thread starter scottdude8
- Start date
SkyBrickey
Member
I think those 5 could beat the Heels this year.
And Doug Gottlieb famously, and incorrectly, claimed last year that they wouldn't be able to beat a single D1 school.
I’d put ‘em up against Green Bay.
JasonEvans
Host, The Duke Basketball Roundup
Flagg - 19.4ppg
Queen - 15.7ppg
Newell - 15.1ppg
McNeeley - 14.2ppg
Wright - 11.7ppg
Flagg is ACC POY, Queen is 1st team All Big 10, McNeeley was 3rd team All Big East, Wright was Honorable Mention All Big 12, Newell made the SEC All-Freshman team.
"Beat the Heels?!?!?!" If we don't account for the fact that you have to have some kind of bench, a team that started these five dudes would almost certainly be ranked in the top 10 nationally... perhaps even the top 5.
SkyBrickey
Member
Touché. Yes I think I almost went with "top 10" but didn't feel like debating anyone. I knew no one would argue that the Heels could beat these guys...
arydolphin
Member
Two-round NBA mock draft: Predicting all 59 picks, with risers and fallers
As March Madness begins, ESPN projects landing spots for NBA prospects such as Tre Johnson, Derik Queen and Cooper Flagg in Rounds 1 and 2.
Flagg 1, Maluach 7, Knueppel 8, Evans 42, Proctor 43, James 47
bluedevilwildcats
On Holiday
I remember thinking in Dec that Flagg was going to get passed in the draft because of his poor shooting. Then he shoots 45% from 3 and 85% FT the next couple of months. Have we ever had a frosh improve their shooting that much so fast? To me more than anything else, his ability to get better at EVERYTHING points to almost unlimited potential in the NBA, especially given his prodigious work ethic.Two-round NBA mock draft: Predicting all 59 picks, with risers and fallers
As March Madness begins, ESPN projects landing spots for NBA prospects such as Tre Johnson, Derik Queen and Cooper Flagg in Rounds 1 and 2.www.espn.com
Flagg 1, Maluach 7, Knueppel 8, Evans 42, Proctor 43, James 47
Also, shout out to Skybrickey on Kon, great call.
brevity
Member
A few people in the transfer portal have also mentioned testing the NBA Draft waters as an option, but Georgia Tech's Duncan Powell, a 6-8 redshirt junior forward, is the first I've seen to declare for the draft and not the portal. "He is testing the waters and can return to GT. He will get feedback on his NBA stock per sources."
Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15
Member
How quaint and old school.
brevity
Member
The Portsmouth Invitational takes place Wednesday, April 16 through Saturday, April 19. Not sure if it's being streamed or televised.
64 college seniors (or players out of eligibility) are invited and split up into 8 teams. Those who stand out might get invited to the G-League Elite Camp and/or the NBA Combine. This is what happened to Hunter Tyson (2023) and Enrique Freeman (2024). They started in Portsmouth, worked their way up, and eventually became 2nd round draft picks.
Invited names had been coming in piecemeal over the weekend, but full rosters are now available. Former Duke player Jaemyn Brakefield is there, along with the following recent ACC players:
Chase Hunter, Clemson
Viktor Lakhin, Clemson
Ian Schieffelin, Clemson
Terrence Edwards Jr, Louisville
Chucky Hepburn, Louisville
Matthew Cleveland, Miami
64 college seniors (or players out of eligibility) are invited and split up into 8 teams. Those who stand out might get invited to the G-League Elite Camp and/or the NBA Combine. This is what happened to Hunter Tyson (2023) and Enrique Freeman (2024). They started in Portsmouth, worked their way up, and eventually became 2nd round draft picks.
Invited names had been coming in piecemeal over the weekend, but full rosters are now available. Former Duke player Jaemyn Brakefield is there, along with the following recent ACC players:
Chase Hunter, Clemson
Viktor Lakhin, Clemson
Ian Schieffelin, Clemson
Terrence Edwards Jr, Louisville
Chucky Hepburn, Louisville
Matthew Cleveland, Miami
MChambers
Member
accfanfrom1970
Member
MChambers
Member
The Onion (@theonion.com)
Cooper Flagg’s Agent Negotiates 10% Increase In Textbook Buyback Value At Duke Bookstore https://theonion.com/cooper-flaggs-agent-negotiates-10-increase-in-textbook-buyback-value-at-duke-bookstore/
bsky.app
And Coward at 47 (exhale)
SkyBrickey
Member
ManMan has been up and down on the draft boards but I'm sticking with a top 6 surprise. I think he's ahead of Lively and Williams at this same age and he's been playing for a lot fewer years. His shooting touch is real.
If there's a team picking in that 5-8 range that needs a Center, I think he goes.
If there's a team picking in that 5-8 range that needs a Center, I think he goes.
Hands and agility are the big question marks IMHO - I think he rates behind Lively and Williams on both dimensions but is longer, improving quickly and already more skilled in some respects, especially shooting (as you note).
FWIW, my Class of '28 son says Khaman is easily the most popular of the freshman hoopsters among their classmates. Though Big Pat has a very engaging personality as well.
Trending much higher than that these days.
Former ESPNer Zach Lowe recently relaunched his podcast at the ringer, and today's episode has an NBA draft preview with their in house draft guy Kyle Mann. Starts around 56 minutes in here:
Passing discussions of Coop (he's awesome) and Man Man (he's huge). Longer discussion of Kon. Zach (who admits he watches no college hoops and just did some YouTube research on the prospects) was really surprised by the versatility and nastiness of his game
Unfortunately, per Zach, the name he says he has heard in hushed times from multiple GMs as if he's a hidden gem only they know about is Cedric Coward. Mann had heard similar and gave him a physical comp to SGA. They didn't say it, but based on that discussion it sounds like Coward is a good candidate for a late first round promise at least.
Playoff Comeback or Collapse?! NBA Breakdowns With Fred Katz and Adam Mares. Plus, a Draft Lottery Preview With J. Kyle Mann. - The Ringer
As the shocking NBA playoffs continue, Zach is joined by Fred Katz to discuss what went down in Boston last night (1:07), as well as the Warriors’ game plan without Steph Curry tonight (30:00) and more…
www.theringer.com
Passing discussions of Coop (he's awesome) and Man Man (he's huge). Longer discussion of Kon. Zach (who admits he watches no college hoops and just did some YouTube research on the prospects) was really surprised by the versatility and nastiness of his game
Unfortunately, per Zach, the name he says he has heard in hushed times from multiple GMs as if he's a hidden gem only they know about is Cedric Coward. Mann had heard similar and gave him a physical comp to SGA. They didn't say it, but based on that discussion it sounds like Coward is a good candidate for a late first round promise at least.