NBA Scout Gets Real About Cooper Flagg And Ace Bailey

The NBA Draft cycle is one of the most intriguing to follow on a yearly basis. Draft boards and mocks consistently change throughout a year as prospects separate themselves from the rest of the pack, or as some don't live up to the potential they might have had prior.

For the 2025 NBA Draft cycle, Cooper Flagg is the most hyped-up prospect, taking the reins as the understood future No. 1 overall pick. It's not uncommon for players to separate themselves early. In recent history, players like Zion Williamson and Victor Wembanyama have done the same exact thing.

Flagg was the No. 1 prospect in his high school recruiting class, and he's taking his talents to Duke, where plenty of NBA prospects have been able to separate themselves from the rest of the class.

However, there's a freshmen duo up north at Rutgers in New Jersey that will make rounds in the draft cycle. Ace Bailey and Dylan Harper have some incredible potential.

Bailey is a 6-foot-10 prospect with incredible skills. He's going to be a top-three selection in the upcoming NBA Draft. An anonymous NBA scout, who attended his exhibition game on Thursday night, made a bold claim about Bailey and Flagg.

“He’s [among the] top-3 youth players in the world. Everyone has Cooper Fever, [but] he will challenge Cooper for No. 1," the scout claimed . "It’s not clear cut.”

Flagg has been understood to be a franchise-altering talent while being dubbed the top prospect in the upcoming draft cycle. Bailey rivaling the title as the projected top pick would make for an intriguing year of basketball.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer understands Flagg has to prove his potential during his season with the Blue Devils. The star forward understands he needs to find results with as many expectations as he has surrounding him.

“Of course he has to prove it,” Scheyer explained. "I’ve seen guys who have been projected [No. 1], that have gone there, and then guys that are projected that don’t go because you assume it’s gonna happen. So I don’t assume anything. I know Cooper doesn’t. His thing is going to be deserved, at the end of the day, based on what he does."

The upcoming draft cycle is going to be an interesting one, and seeing how the prospects fall on draft night based on a year of building their stock is going to provide for a chaotic night.