Cooper Flagg is considered a generational young talent in college basketball right now. The Duke forward has the potential to be one of the best NBA players with proper development, and several teams are hoping to lose more games to secure the opportunity to draft him. It is easier said than done, given how many teams are at the bottom of the standings this year.
What Is Tanking?
To put it simply, tanking in the NBA refers to a team’s intentional effort to lose more games throughout the season. The more games this team loses, the higher the odds they have of obtaining the number one overall pick in the upcoming draft, meaning they would select the best available player entering the league. This season, that player happens to be Cooper Flagg.
The league has done everything it can to crack down on tanking, but some teams still choose to lose. The Philadelphia 76ers suffered several key injuries throughout the season, and now they have essentially called it quits for the season, losing more games to improve their lottery position. Meanwhile, the Washington Wizards are 16-58, the Charlotte Hornets are 18-56, and the Utah Jazz are 16-59.
Is Cooper Flagg Worth It?
To put it simply, yes. Cooper Flagg has averaged 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game this season with the Duke Blue Devils. The same Duke team, which went 35-3 throughout the regular season, is currently competing in the NCAA tournament’s Final Four.
Flagg also got the chance to compete against NBA players during a few scrimmages runs during the Olympics. Putting all this information together makes it even crazier that this kid is just 18 years old. He doesn’t even turn 19 until December 2025 either. Whichever NBA team drafts him, it has all the time in the world to mold him into one of the best number one draft picks of all-time. It’s no wonder that multiple NBA teams have their fingers crossed, hoping to be the team to secure the top pick.
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