Cooper Flagg is the top prospect and will be the No. 1 pick in ESPN's latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft

It's no secret that Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg is one of the most hyped prospects of the last century, as he was considered the favorite to go No. 1 in the 2025 NBA Draft as soon as he reclassified to the 2024 class.

With the college basketball season starting in just over a month, ESPN recently released its latest 2025 NBA Mock Draft, which had Flagg as the heavy favorite to go No. 1 overall. The list also predicted that Flagg has a 51 percent chance of becoming the No. 1 overall pick at this point.

Flagg is truly a generational youngster with outstanding versatility at 6'3″ tall and 200 lbs. He has a unique ability to pass and score while also making defense a priority. Flagg has the initiative to put defense first and take advantage of it. With the overwhelming position size and length that this Duke basketball team boasts this season, there is no reason why it can't be the best defensive team in the ACC can.

ESPN's Jonathan Givony also emphasized that while it almost looks like Flagg is the first choice right now, there are other players who could potentially dethrone him, such as Rutgers' Ace Bailey or Baylor's VJ Edgecombe. He mentioned that some NBA executives aren't convinced that Flagg is the true number one scorer on a championship-winning team and that they could see him as a “superstar role player” at the next level rather than as second or third goalscorer on a great team.

There have been rumors within the Duke program that Flagg will not only play as a small forward, but that he is expected to play a four- or five-man forward at times. With his ability to guard anyone on the court and his improved three-point jump shot, there's no reason to believe Flagg will struggle all season.

The biggest influence on Flagg's chances of becoming No. 1 next June is the expectations themselves. Flagg doesn't turn eighteen until December 21st, and as a seventeen-year-old in the atmosphere that comes with playing for Duke , and with the insanely high expectations, that could be a lot for a young player. Flagg has all the skills in the world to be successful and is already an extremely talented candidate. At his age, one of the biggest things for him in his first and likely only season in Durham will be developing mentally while playing in a crowded arena.

Five other Blue Devils are also selected in this latest mock draft: Khaman Maluach (#6 overall), Kon Knueppel (#17 overall), Tyrese Proctor (#28 overall), Caleb Foster (#39 overall) and Sion James (#44 in total).