The 2025 NBA Draft takes place at the end of June and is expected to bring some high-level talent into the league. The most notable of these new players is Duke University forward Cooper Flagg, who has been one of the most hyped prospects since his high school days and has been the surefire No. 1 pick in this draft for years. He is among the most hyped No. 1 prospects since Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James.
Flagg joins Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson in that category of top overall picks. Everyone is highly anticipating what the versatile, do-it-all forward will be able to do in the NBA. And he’s excited for the challenge of making that next step.
The Duke star was answering some standard pre-draft questions about favorite players and what fans can expect from his on Day 1, and within that he cited LeBron as the player he’d most like to face off against, via NBA Future Starts Now:
Cooper Flagg = hardworking on and off the court 💪
Watch him participate in the 2025 @NBA Draft Combine beginning Sunday, May 11th on ESPN and ESPN2! pic.twitter.com/dg1nRyq3Iz
— NBA Future Starts Now (@nbafuturenow) May 8, 2025
James is one of the most legendary players in the history of the game, so it stands to reason that anyone entering the league today might want to be on the same court as him. Flagg is not going to the Lakers, so his only way to do that is by facing off against LeBron, if he chooses to continue playing in his 23rd NBA season.
Flagg wasn’t born until three years after James was drafted, so it’s possible that he barely even remembers LeBron’s stint with the Miami Heat, let alone his original Cleveland Cavaliers tenure. That only adds to James’ legendary nature.
Flagg is likely to get his opportunity next season regardless of what team he winds up on, as long as James continues playing for at least one more year.
LeBron James discusses no subs in Game 4 vs. Timberwolves
There were questions surrounding some of the decisions head coach JJ Redick made throughout the Lakers series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Most notable was his decision to stick with the five-man group of LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith for the entire second half of Game 4.
With the Lakers desperate to tie the series, Redick made the call to not make a single substitution and go with the group he trusted most. With the Lakers ultimately crumbling down the stretch, some felt he was to blame as L.A. looked gassed in the final minutes. But James himself completely disagrees.
LeBron made it clear in the latest episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash that he felt fine in the moment and was only tired afterwards because all that he puts into a playoff game.
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