The Duke Blue Devils looked unbeatable through four rounds of the NCAA Tournament, so naturally, we were gifted one of the most stunning collapses in college basketball history in the Final Four.
Duke was up 67-61 on Houston with 1:14 on the clock. The Cougars proceeded to score nine unanswered after a couple errant inbound passes, several poor rebounding efforts, and a questionable foul call on projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.
The magnitude of Duke's meltdown cannot be overstated. The Blue Devils went several minutes without a defensive rebound to end the game. Houston's tallest starter was 6-foot-7 J'Wan Roberts. The Blue Devils also logged one field goal in the final 10 minutes. Pure, unmitigated choke job. We won't see many like it at any level of basketball.
Now we look to the future, which holds Cooper Flagg as the consensus top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. It doesn't matter who wins the NBA Draft Lottery in May, Flagg will come off the board first. That said, if the hand of fate were to intervene — or if Adam Silver were to exercise his powers behind the scenes — a few outcomes are more preferable than others.
The NBA does not rig the lottery. This is not a conspiracy post. But, for the sake of argument and entertainment, here are the best landing spots for Flagg if the league was able to hand-pick his destination.
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5. Charlotte Hornets
When was the last time you thought about the Charlotte Hornets? Exactly. The league cannot afford too many dud franchises at once. Charlotte has the talent, and even a bright young coach in Charles Lee, but the team feels stuck in neutral. Flagg puts them into overdrive on day one.
The Hornets are so close to being a good, fun team. So close! The offensive personnel is excellent on paper. LaMelo Ball is a wizard-esque playmaking engine who elevates those in his orbit. Brandon Miller is the shot-making secondary star everyone said he was. Mark Williams is a hyper-efficient lob threat and post scorer.
What Charlotte needs most is a well-rounded, high-IQ wing to bring it all together. Flagg gives the Hornets a defensive backbone while also connecting dots on offense. He can hit spot 3s and attack closeouts. He can operate as the primary creator when need be. Or, he can run pick-and-rolls with LaMelo, operate out of the dunker's spot, and catch lobs.
The Hornets need more quality decision-makers on the floor. Flagg processes the game quickly and tends to bring a steadfast composure to offensive possessions. That, combined with the expansiveness of his skill set, puts Charlotte on the right track immediately.
4. Dallas Mavericks
I say this as a Sixers fan... the Dallas Mavericks fanbase deserves Cooper Flagg the most. Nico Harrison and that front office absolutely do not, but those fans are still hurting from the inexplicable Luka Doncic trade. If anything can shake Dallas fans from their stupor and reinvigorate their faith in the organization, it's the godsent arrival of an 18-year-old superstar.
The Mavs are still a good team on paper if we can table our Doncic-related criticisms for a minute. We should never forgive that front office for one of the worst trades in NBA history, but Dallas with Cooper Flagg is a contender. Straight up. We should temper immediate expectations for an 18-year-old going pro, but Flagg does so much at a high level that he's sure to impact winning straight away.
Anthony Davis is not Luka Doncic, but he's still a top-10 player. Kyrie Irving, when healthy, is the NBA's most dazzling self-creator. He can still prop up an offense. Flagg brings high-level defense (something Nico Harrison loves), and he's a perfect secondary creator to help Irving and Davis shoulder the offense. With efficient three-level scoring and a high basketball IQ, it shoudn't take long for Flagg to find his niche and produce. Dallas would generate a ton of stops and pose a varied threat on the other end.
Make the Mavs Great Again.
3. New Orleans Pelicans
Someone has to vouch for Zion Williamson. Might as well be me.
It has been a disastrous season for the New Orleans Pelicans, but the bones are... promising, if not strong. Williamson has been snakebitten on the injury front ever since his debut. It's fair to wonder if he'll even put a front-to-back healthy campaign under his belt. Still, when he's on the floor, Williamson remains one of the very best offensive players in the world. The type you can build a winner around.
New Orleans has a ton around Zion, too, with fringe All-Stars in backcourt in Dejounte Murray and CJ McCollum, as well as a budding star wing in Trey Murphy. The Pelicans have depth, a faint whiff of defensive identity, and more than enough ammo to contend next season if luck favors them. Flagg would help the cause.
More than giving New Orleans a second star, Flagg can help ease the burden on Williamson. The Pelicans probably need to reshuffle the deck a bit this offseason — that Murray trade feels foolish in hindsight — but the pieces are mostly in place. Flagg gives them another versatile offensive weapon and a legitimate defensive anchor to run alongside Yves Missi and Herb Jones in the frontcourt. Fun stuff could happen here.
2. San Antonio Spurs
This should not happen if the basketball gods hath mercy, but honestly... we'd all like to see it. The San Antonio Spurs have a way with lottery luck. Tim Duncan arrived right after David Robinson. Why not add Cooper Flagg after Victor Wembanyama? It takes the Spurs to the next level expeditiously.
With all due respect to Jeremy Sochan and Keldon Johnson, Flagg gives the Spurs exactly what they've been lacking from their forward rotation — physical defense, steady 3-point shooting, and sharp connective passing, all in the same package. He's another proficient self-creator who has even earned stray Kawhi Leonard comps. He'd make life easier on both Wemby and De'Aaron Fox.
The Spurs would need need to spam extra shooting in free agency, but there would be no better core in the NBA than Wemby and Flagg. That is two generational talents at the very beginning of their careers. There aren't too many comparisons across NBA history. San Antonio would be must-watch television for the next decade. Neither Wemby nor Flagg have any ego, too. It's a great partnership.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
I know I said the Mavs deserve him most, but man... the Philadelphia 76ers fanbase sure could use a pick-me-up.
It has been a relentlessly grim campaign in South Philly. Joel Embiid is undergoing knee surgery for the second time in a two-year span, Tyrese Maxey is down for the count with a finger injury, and Paul George has suffered every manner of bump and bruise since touching down on Pennsylvania soil. Jared McCain, two months into a runaway Rookie of the Year campaign, tore his meniscus. The list goes on. And on.
Something has to change in Philly. This is starting to feel like the Titanic approaching the iceberg. Maybe it has already struck. But, while the door isn't big enough for two, Flagg might be able to carry the entire Sixers franchise to safety. Just imagine the starting five of Embiid, Flagg, George, Grimes, and Maxey, with McCain serving as sixth man. It's enough to bring a tear to one's eye.
Philadelphia would once again have one of the best lineups in basketball on paper. Whether it stands up to the stress test of an 82-game season is up to higher powers, but they'd at least have a chance. Plus, Flagg gives Philadelphia a building block for the post-Embiid era, whether it starts next season or five years from now.