All eyes have been on Duke University freshman phenom Cooper Flagg this season. Once Duke’s season wraps up, Flagg is expected to declare for the NBA Draft and go No. 1 overall.
That’s why plenty of people are watching to see which team lands the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Whoever gets Flagg could be set up for more than a decade. Which team might have the honor to take the highly touted prospect?
5 NBA Teams That Could Draft Cooper Flagg
Several teams have been tanking this season to boost their lottery odds. While there are other strong players in this class, Flagg is considered the prize. Here are five teams that could end up drafting him.
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards have hit hard times lately. They’ve been one of the worst teams in the league over the last two years, and before that, they spent years stuck in mediocrity. Flagg would give the franchise its most hope since the John Wall era.
Washington already has a promising frontcourt with Bilal Coulibaly and Alex Sarr, plus NBA veterans like Khris Middleton, Marcus Smart, and Jordan Poole. Adding Flagg could push them back into playoff contention — and that’s just the start.
Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz haven’t traditionally built their playoff teams with high lottery picks, but this year’s different. Utah’s youth movement is interesting. They might not have a sure-fire star, but they have a bunch of guys like Walker Kessler, Kyle Filipowski, and Isaiah Collier who would fit perfectly next to one.
The Western Conference is a gauntlet, so Flagg wouldn’t instantly make them a playoff team, but they’d be one of the most exciting young squads in the league.
Philadelphia 76ers
This wasn’t how the Philadelphia 76ers drew it up, but they could be big winners if they land Flagg. He’d give them a potential franchise cornerstone, either alongside Joel Embiid or as a safety net if they decide to reset.
It’s wild to think Philly could land the No. 1 pick in a year they were supposed to contend, but injuries have dismantled an otherwise promising roster. It’s worth noting that the 76ers’ pick goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder if Philadelphia finishes outside the top six teams.
New Orleans Pelicans
Of all the teams with strong odds to land Flagg, the Pelicans might get the biggest boost. Zion Williamson, Herbert Jones, and Trey Murphy III already form a solid core that could make serious noise in the West, especially if they are fully healthy. However, that’s easier said than done for New Orleans as of late. Their biggest issue is availability.
If they can stay on the court and add Flagg to the mix, they could be an instant contender.
Miami Heat
This would be one of the wildest outcomes. Just two years removed from a Cinderella NBA Finals run, the Heat have stumbled, especially after trading Jimmy Butler III. Landing Flagg would change everything, though.
He’d join a battle-tested core with Tyler Herro, Bam Adebayo, and Andrew Wiggins, not to mention Erik Spoelstra, one of the league’s best coaches. There may be no better fit for Flagg and no better reset for the Heat.
The NBA lottery has seen its fair share of franchise-altering talent in recent memory (Victor Wembanyama, Williamson, Cade Cunningham, and Anthony Edwards, among others), and Flagg is primed to put his name very close to the top of that list.
