NBA Season 2025-26

[Moranis]

I look at last year?s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg,? Mashburn said. ?If I was to put him on that list [of 2026 draftees if Flagg hadn't reclassified] he would be sixth? Just from a skill set and also elevation, a level of where they can get to? I just think this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year, those guys would still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game.?

Hot take culture, presumably mixed with a healthy dose of racism.

I don't know if that is true.  A lot of people have the top of this draft much higher than they had Flagg and they have a lot more of them ranked that highly.  6 seems low, but Flagg at 4 in this upcoming draft class is entirely reasonable all things equal.  I think that is one of the main reasons Flagg reclassified.  This draft is projected to be awesome.  See if it holds true, but it is being projected as the best draft class since Lebron's by many people (no Lebron in the class, but potentially several Anthony/Wade/Bosh level players).

That is the main reason I was willing to tank this year.  Obviously not now, but I thought Boston would more like a play in level team and if that was the case, thought tanking was the way to go given the projected quality of this draft.

I mean here is Kevin O'Connor from November

"To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth," O'Connor reported Friday. "That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we're already seeing teams bottom out so hard."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25294436-nba-execs-discuss-where-cooper-flagg-would-be-picked-special-2026-draft-class

Obviously some people feel better about Flagg than the guys next summer, but it is far from a sure thing he would have even been a top 3 pick.

There are some really interesting players in this draft, but I would have taken Cooper Flagg first.

Cooper Flagg, as a proven producer in the NBA at age 18/19, is head and shoulders over any pick in the 2026 draft.  He's neck and neck with LeBron for the best age 18 season ever.

Well we've seen him in the NBA, but that isn't what would have happened if he hadn't reclassified.  Before the last draft, right after the draft, and early in this season A LOT of people would not have had Flagg first in the 26 draft.  Obviously he just dropped 40+ in the NBA and is doing quite well, but that doesn't mean he would have gone 1st if he was in the 26 draft.  It also doesn't mean Peterson, Dybantsa, or Boozer won't be better than Flagg throughout their NBA careers either.

The same Cooper Flagg that swept the Player of the Year awards as a 17 year old and led Duke to the Final Four?  Even disregarding his performance in the NBA, who in this class is matching that?

It's just a hot take.  The equivalent of "Jaylen Brown doesn't contribute to winning", etc.  People say outrageous things to seek attention

I'll take the draft experts opinion on this one over the fanboy from Maine.

And for the record, Boozer is leading Duke to a 20-1 record averaging 23.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 4.1 apg.  Flagg had 4.2 apg, but didn't score or rebound like Boozer.  And Boozer is a similar shooter from deep, but a much better interior scorer.  Dybantsa has BYU at 17-4 scoring 23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.5 apg, playing on a team with far less overall talent than Duke either of the prior 2 years.  Peterson has missed a bunch of time (played just 11 games), but is still scoring 21.1 ppg on excellent shooting percentages (43.2% from 3, 57.3% from 2).  These guys aren't scrubs.  They are high level players with much better athleticism than Flagg.  It isn't a hot take to say they would have been better prospects than Flagg if he hadn't reclassified.  He reclassified to avoid those guys and have an easy path to the #1 pick.

Lol.  I'll take the stats and the opinion of people who aren't shouting hot takes to get attention.

Jamal Mashburn is an "expert"?  And, I think the next story KOC is right on will be the first one.  His "insider" history hasn't exactly been accurate.

And...  "much better athleticism" than Flagg?  Did you look beyond his skin color?  His athleticism / fluidity on the court is superb.  He reclassified because he was the best teenager in the world and wanted to get into the NBA as soon as possible.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career while Dybantsa was still a high school senior.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career?  Your trolling game is off, man.  Try harder.

that is when the article was written with the quotes from the head of scouting at 247 sports.  You know a guy that is paid to know those things.  Dybantsa has been a better prospect than Flagg was at every step of their careers.  And Dybantsa isnt even a given as the top pick in this draft. That is how good this draft is.

Or, 10 games in college wasn't enough to judge a 17 year old Cooper Flagg in college.  Through 10 games he was averaging 15.9 points on only a .459 eFG%.  For the rest of the season -- including the NCAA Tournament -- he averaged 20.4 points / .560 eFG%.  Looking at actual evidence rather than projections, Flagg separated himself as an absolutely elite prospect.

And, lol at "a guy that is paid to know these things".  So are a lot of people, who are wrong way more than they are right.

And at that same time AJ was a senior in high school, yet the senior in high school was the better prospect according to the head of scouting of a major publication. Through 21 games of college, AJ is averaging 23.3 ppg on an eFG% of 56.5.  Unless I've learned things wrong my whole life that is better than Flagg. 

Caleb Wilson, the guy Mash focused on in his spiel is averaging 20 ppg on an eFG% of 60.1%, while throwing in 9.9 ppg and he has legit big man size. Not exactly a scrub.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I don't know how to post a picture on here. So I will just send the link:

https://imgflip.com/i/aj1yfk

[Phantom255x]

I don't know how to post a picture on here. So I will just send the link:

https://imgflip.com/i/aj1yfk

Got you



It is crazy though that the deadline is in 3 days. Time flies

[Roy H.]

I look at last year?s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg,? Mashburn said. ?If I was to put him on that list [of 2026 draftees if Flagg hadn't reclassified] he would be sixth? Just from a skill set and also elevation, a level of where they can get to? I just think this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year, those guys would still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game.?

Hot take culture, presumably mixed with a healthy dose of racism.

I don't know if that is true.  A lot of people have the top of this draft much higher than they had Flagg and they have a lot more of them ranked that highly.  6 seems low, but Flagg at 4 in this upcoming draft class is entirely reasonable all things equal.  I think that is one of the main reasons Flagg reclassified.  This draft is projected to be awesome.  See if it holds true, but it is being projected as the best draft class since Lebron's by many people (no Lebron in the class, but potentially several Anthony/Wade/Bosh level players).

That is the main reason I was willing to tank this year.  Obviously not now, but I thought Boston would more like a play in level team and if that was the case, thought tanking was the way to go given the projected quality of this draft.

I mean here is Kevin O'Connor from November

"To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth," O'Connor reported Friday. "That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we're already seeing teams bottom out so hard."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25294436-nba-execs-discuss-where-cooper-flagg-would-be-picked-special-2026-draft-class

Obviously some people feel better about Flagg than the guys next summer, but it is far from a sure thing he would have even been a top 3 pick.

There are some really interesting players in this draft, but I would have taken Cooper Flagg first.

Cooper Flagg, as a proven producer in the NBA at age 18/19, is head and shoulders over any pick in the 2026 draft.  He's neck and neck with LeBron for the best age 18 season ever.

Well we've seen him in the NBA, but that isn't what would have happened if he hadn't reclassified.  Before the last draft, right after the draft, and early in this season A LOT of people would not have had Flagg first in the 26 draft.  Obviously he just dropped 40+ in the NBA and is doing quite well, but that doesn't mean he would have gone 1st if he was in the 26 draft.  It also doesn't mean Peterson, Dybantsa, or Boozer won't be better than Flagg throughout their NBA careers either.

The same Cooper Flagg that swept the Player of the Year awards as a 17 year old and led Duke to the Final Four?  Even disregarding his performance in the NBA, who in this class is matching that?

It's just a hot take.  The equivalent of "Jaylen Brown doesn't contribute to winning", etc.  People say outrageous things to seek attention

I'll take the draft experts opinion on this one over the fanboy from Maine.

And for the record, Boozer is leading Duke to a 20-1 record averaging 23.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 4.1 apg.  Flagg had 4.2 apg, but didn't score or rebound like Boozer.  And Boozer is a similar shooter from deep, but a much better interior scorer.  Dybantsa has BYU at 17-4 scoring 23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.5 apg, playing on a team with far less overall talent than Duke either of the prior 2 years.  Peterson has missed a bunch of time (played just 11 games), but is still scoring 21.1 ppg on excellent shooting percentages (43.2% from 3, 57.3% from 2).  These guys aren't scrubs.  They are high level players with much better athleticism than Flagg.  It isn't a hot take to say they would have been better prospects than Flagg if he hadn't reclassified.  He reclassified to avoid those guys and have an easy path to the #1 pick.

Lol.  I'll take the stats and the opinion of people who aren't shouting hot takes to get attention.

Jamal Mashburn is an "expert"?  And, I think the next story KOC is right on will be the first one.  His "insider" history hasn't exactly been accurate.

And...  "much better athleticism" than Flagg?  Did you look beyond his skin color?  His athleticism / fluidity on the court is superb.  He reclassified because he was the best teenager in the world and wanted to get into the NBA as soon as possible.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career while Dybantsa was still a high school senior.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career?  Your trolling game is off, man.  Try harder.

that is when the article was written with the quotes from the head of scouting at 247 sports.  You know a guy that is paid to know those things.  Dybantsa has been a better prospect than Flagg was at every step of their careers.  And Dybantsa isnt even a given as the top pick in this draft. That is how good this draft is.

Or, 10 games in college wasn't enough to judge a 17 year old Cooper Flagg in college.  Through 10 games he was averaging 15.9 points on only a .459 eFG%.  For the rest of the season -- including the NCAA Tournament -- he averaged 20.4 points / .560 eFG%.  Looking at actual evidence rather than projections, Flagg separated himself as an absolutely elite prospect.

And, lol at "a guy that is paid to know these things".  So are a lot of people, who are wrong way more than they are right.

And at that same time AJ was a senior in high school, yet the senior in high school was the better prospect according to the head of scouting of a major publication. Through 21 games of college, AJ is averaging 23.3 ppg on an eFG% of 56.5.  Unless I've learned things wrong my whole life that is better than Flagg. 

Caleb Wilson, the guy Mash focused on in his spiel is averaging 20 ppg on an eFG% of 60.1%, while throwing in 9.9 ppg and he has legit big man size. Not exactly a scrub.

Michael Beasley averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds as a freshman.  Clearly he was a better prospect than Kevin Durant, no? 

But, go on record:  which five prospects will be better than Flagg, since you seem invested in this.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

I look at last year?s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg,? Mashburn said. ?If I was to put him on that list [of 2026 draftees if Flagg hadn't reclassified] he would be sixth? Just from a skill set and also elevation, a level of where they can get to? I just think this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year, those guys would still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game.?

Hot take culture, presumably mixed with a healthy dose of racism.

I don't know if that is true.  A lot of people have the top of this draft much higher than they had Flagg and they have a lot more of them ranked that highly.  6 seems low, but Flagg at 4 in this upcoming draft class is entirely reasonable all things equal.  I think that is one of the main reasons Flagg reclassified.  This draft is projected to be awesome.  See if it holds true, but it is being projected as the best draft class since Lebron's by many people (no Lebron in the class, but potentially several Anthony/Wade/Bosh level players).

That is the main reason I was willing to tank this year.  Obviously not now, but I thought Boston would more like a play in level team and if that was the case, thought tanking was the way to go given the projected quality of this draft.

I mean here is Kevin O'Connor from November

"To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth," O'Connor reported Friday. "That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we're already seeing teams bottom out so hard."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25294436-nba-execs-discuss-where-cooper-flagg-would-be-picked-special-2026-draft-class

Obviously some people feel better about Flagg than the guys next summer, but it is far from a sure thing he would have even been a top 3 pick.

There are some really interesting players in this draft, but I would have taken Cooper Flagg first.

Cooper Flagg, as a proven producer in the NBA at age 18/19, is head and shoulders over any pick in the 2026 draft.  He's neck and neck with LeBron for the best age 18 season ever.

Well we've seen him in the NBA, but that isn't what would have happened if he hadn't reclassified.  Before the last draft, right after the draft, and early in this season A LOT of people would not have had Flagg first in the 26 draft.  Obviously he just dropped 40+ in the NBA and is doing quite well, but that doesn't mean he would have gone 1st if he was in the 26 draft.  It also doesn't mean Peterson, Dybantsa, or Boozer won't be better than Flagg throughout their NBA careers either.

The same Cooper Flagg that swept the Player of the Year awards as a 17 year old and led Duke to the Final Four?  Even disregarding his performance in the NBA, who in this class is matching that?

It's just a hot take.  The equivalent of "Jaylen Brown doesn't contribute to winning", etc.  People say outrageous things to seek attention

I'll take the draft experts opinion on this one over the fanboy from Maine.

And for the record, Boozer is leading Duke to a 20-1 record averaging 23.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 4.1 apg.  Flagg had 4.2 apg, but didn't score or rebound like Boozer.  And Boozer is a similar shooter from deep, but a much better interior scorer.  Dybantsa has BYU at 17-4 scoring 23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.5 apg, playing on a team with far less overall talent than Duke either of the prior 2 years.  Peterson has missed a bunch of time (played just 11 games), but is still scoring 21.1 ppg on excellent shooting percentages (43.2% from 3, 57.3% from 2).  These guys aren't scrubs.  They are high level players with much better athleticism than Flagg.  It isn't a hot take to say they would have been better prospects than Flagg if he hadn't reclassified.  He reclassified to avoid those guys and have an easy path to the #1 pick.

Lol.  I'll take the stats and the opinion of people who aren't shouting hot takes to get attention.

Jamal Mashburn is an "expert"?  And, I think the next story KOC is right on will be the first one.  His "insider" history hasn't exactly been accurate.

And...  "much better athleticism" than Flagg?  Did you look beyond his skin color?  His athleticism / fluidity on the court is superb.  He reclassified because he was the best teenager in the world and wanted to get into the NBA as soon as possible.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career while Dybantsa was still a high school senior.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career?  Your trolling game is off, man.  Try harder.

that is when the article was written with the quotes from the head of scouting at 247 sports.  You know a guy that is paid to know those things.  Dybantsa has been a better prospect than Flagg was at every step of their careers.  And Dybantsa isnt even a given as the top pick in this draft. That is how good this draft is.

Or, 10 games in college wasn't enough to judge a 17 year old Cooper Flagg in college.  Through 10 games he was averaging 15.9 points on only a .459 eFG%.  For the rest of the season -- including the NCAA Tournament -- he averaged 20.4 points / .560 eFG%.  Looking at actual evidence rather than projections, Flagg separated himself as an absolutely elite prospect.

And, lol at "a guy that is paid to know these things".  So are a lot of people, who are wrong way more than they are right.

And at that same time AJ was a senior in high school, yet the senior in high school was the better prospect according to the head of scouting of a major publication. Through 21 games of college, AJ is averaging 23.3 ppg on an eFG% of 56.5.  Unless I've learned things wrong my whole life that is better than Flagg. 

Caleb Wilson, the guy Mash focused on in his spiel is averaging 20 ppg on an eFG% of 60.1%, while throwing in 9.9 ppg and he has legit big man size. Not exactly a scrub.

Michael Beasley averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds as a freshman.  Clearly he was a better prospect than Kevin Durant, no? 

But, go on record:  which five prospects will be better than Flagg, since you seem invested in this.

Just to jump in here --

A professional and focused Beasley might be a great comp for Dybantsa.

But you guys can resume

[Moranis]

I look at last year?s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg,? Mashburn said. ?If I was to put him on that list [of 2026 draftees if Flagg hadn't reclassified] he would be sixth? Just from a skill set and also elevation, a level of where they can get to? I just think this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year, those guys would still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game.?

Hot take culture, presumably mixed with a healthy dose of racism.

I don't know if that is true.  A lot of people have the top of this draft much higher than they had Flagg and they have a lot more of them ranked that highly.  6 seems low, but Flagg at 4 in this upcoming draft class is entirely reasonable all things equal.  I think that is one of the main reasons Flagg reclassified.  This draft is projected to be awesome.  See if it holds true, but it is being projected as the best draft class since Lebron's by many people (no Lebron in the class, but potentially several Anthony/Wade/Bosh level players).

That is the main reason I was willing to tank this year.  Obviously not now, but I thought Boston would more like a play in level team and if that was the case, thought tanking was the way to go given the projected quality of this draft.

I mean here is Kevin O'Connor from November

"To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth," O'Connor reported Friday. "That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we're already seeing teams bottom out so hard."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25294436-nba-execs-discuss-where-cooper-flagg-would-be-picked-special-2026-draft-class

Obviously some people feel better about Flagg than the guys next summer, but it is far from a sure thing he would have even been a top 3 pick.

There are some really interesting players in this draft, but I would have taken Cooper Flagg first.

Cooper Flagg, as a proven producer in the NBA at age 18/19, is head and shoulders over any pick in the 2026 draft.  He's neck and neck with LeBron for the best age 18 season ever.

Well we've seen him in the NBA, but that isn't what would have happened if he hadn't reclassified.  Before the last draft, right after the draft, and early in this season A LOT of people would not have had Flagg first in the 26 draft.  Obviously he just dropped 40+ in the NBA and is doing quite well, but that doesn't mean he would have gone 1st if he was in the 26 draft.  It also doesn't mean Peterson, Dybantsa, or Boozer won't be better than Flagg throughout their NBA careers either.

The same Cooper Flagg that swept the Player of the Year awards as a 17 year old and led Duke to the Final Four?  Even disregarding his performance in the NBA, who in this class is matching that?

It's just a hot take.  The equivalent of "Jaylen Brown doesn't contribute to winning", etc.  People say outrageous things to seek attention

I'll take the draft experts opinion on this one over the fanboy from Maine.

And for the record, Boozer is leading Duke to a 20-1 record averaging 23.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 4.1 apg.  Flagg had 4.2 apg, but didn't score or rebound like Boozer.  And Boozer is a similar shooter from deep, but a much better interior scorer.  Dybantsa has BYU at 17-4 scoring 23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.5 apg, playing on a team with far less overall talent than Duke either of the prior 2 years.  Peterson has missed a bunch of time (played just 11 games), but is still scoring 21.1 ppg on excellent shooting percentages (43.2% from 3, 57.3% from 2).  These guys aren't scrubs.  They are high level players with much better athleticism than Flagg.  It isn't a hot take to say they would have been better prospects than Flagg if he hadn't reclassified.  He reclassified to avoid those guys and have an easy path to the #1 pick.

Lol.  I'll take the stats and the opinion of people who aren't shouting hot takes to get attention.

Jamal Mashburn is an "expert"?  And, I think the next story KOC is right on will be the first one.  His "insider" history hasn't exactly been accurate.

And...  "much better athleticism" than Flagg?  Did you look beyond his skin color?  His athleticism / fluidity on the court is superb.  He reclassified because he was the best teenager in the world and wanted to get into the NBA as soon as possible.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career while Dybantsa was still a high school senior.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career?  Your trolling game is off, man.  Try harder.

that is when the article was written with the quotes from the head of scouting at 247 sports.  You know a guy that is paid to know those things.  Dybantsa has been a better prospect than Flagg was at every step of their careers.  And Dybantsa isnt even a given as the top pick in this draft. That is how good this draft is.

Or, 10 games in college wasn't enough to judge a 17 year old Cooper Flagg in college.  Through 10 games he was averaging 15.9 points on only a .459 eFG%.  For the rest of the season -- including the NCAA Tournament -- he averaged 20.4 points / .560 eFG%.  Looking at actual evidence rather than projections, Flagg separated himself as an absolutely elite prospect.

And, lol at "a guy that is paid to know these things".  So are a lot of people, who are wrong way more than they are right.

And at that same time AJ was a senior in high school, yet the senior in high school was the better prospect according to the head of scouting of a major publication. Through 21 games of college, AJ is averaging 23.3 ppg on an eFG% of 56.5.  Unless I've learned things wrong my whole life that is better than Flagg. 

Caleb Wilson, the guy Mash focused on in his spiel is averaging 20 ppg on an eFG% of 60.1%, while throwing in 9.9 ppg and he has legit big man size. Not exactly a scrub.

Michael Beasley averaged 26.2 points and 12.4 rebounds as a freshman.  Clearly he was a better prospect than Kevin Durant, no? 

But, go on record:  which five prospects will be better than Flagg, since you seem invested in this.

You brought up stats like they mattered. I guess they don't when they don't support your argument.  I'm not a director of scouting.  I have no idea where any of those guys will end up, I just know a very large amount of scouting people would have Flagg ranked from 2 to 4 in this draft with many also would have had him 1.  Maybe Flagg ends up the best player or maybe he doesnt.  And maybe crazy Jamal Mashburn is right and Wilson and Peat are also better than Flagg (even with Peat being pretty indefensible in my view at this point). 

All I know, is it certainly isnt crazy to believe that top 5 high school recruits putting up great stats at top level cillege programs are elite level prospects that could in fact be better prospects than a top 5 high school recruit that put up great stats at a top level program 1 season earlier. 

[mobilija]

I look at last year?s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg,? Mashburn said. ?If I was to put him on that list [of 2026 draftees if Flagg hadn't reclassified] he would be sixth? Just from a skill set and also elevation, a level of where they can get to? I just think this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year, those guys would still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game.?

Hot take culture, presumably mixed with a healthy dose of racism.

I don't know if that is true.  A lot of people have the top of this draft much higher than they had Flagg and they have a lot more of them ranked that highly.  6 seems low, but Flagg at 4 in this upcoming draft class is entirely reasonable all things equal.  I think that is one of the main reasons Flagg reclassified.  This draft is projected to be awesome.  See if it holds true, but it is being projected as the best draft class since Lebron's by many people (no Lebron in the class, but potentially several Anthony/Wade/Bosh level players).

That is the main reason I was willing to tank this year.  Obviously not now, but I thought Boston would more like a play in level team and if that was the case, thought tanking was the way to go given the projected quality of this draft.

I mean here is Kevin O'Connor from November

"To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth," O'Connor reported Friday. "That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we're already seeing teams bottom out so hard."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25294436-nba-execs-discuss-where-cooper-flagg-would-be-picked-special-2026-draft-class

Obviously some people feel better about Flagg than the guys next summer, but it is far from a sure thing he would have even been a top 3 pick.

There are some really interesting players in this draft, but I would have taken Cooper Flagg first.

Cooper Flagg, as a proven producer in the NBA at age 18/19, is head and shoulders over any pick in the 2026 draft.  He's neck and neck with LeBron for the best age 18 season ever.

Well we've seen him in the NBA, but that isn't what would have happened if he hadn't reclassified.  Before the last draft, right after the draft, and early in this season A LOT of people would not have had Flagg first in the 26 draft.  Obviously he just dropped 40+ in the NBA and is doing quite well, but that doesn't mean he would have gone 1st if he was in the 26 draft.  It also doesn't mean Peterson, Dybantsa, or Boozer won't be better than Flagg throughout their NBA careers either.

The same Cooper Flagg that swept the Player of the Year awards as a 17 year old and led Duke to the Final Four?  Even disregarding his performance in the NBA, who in this class is matching that?

It's just a hot take.  The equivalent of "Jaylen Brown doesn't contribute to winning", etc.  People say outrageous things to seek attention

I'll take the draft experts opinion on this one over the fanboy from Maine.

And for the record, Boozer is leading Duke to a 20-1 record averaging 23.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 4.1 apg.  Flagg had 4.2 apg, but didn't score or rebound like Boozer.  And Boozer is a similar shooter from deep, but a much better interior scorer.  Dybantsa has BYU at 17-4 scoring 23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.5 apg, playing on a team with far less overall talent than Duke either of the prior 2 years.  Peterson has missed a bunch of time (played just 11 games), but is still scoring 21.1 ppg on excellent shooting percentages (43.2% from 3, 57.3% from 2).  These guys aren't scrubs.  They are high level players with much better athleticism than Flagg.  It isn't a hot take to say they would have been better prospects than Flagg if he hadn't reclassified.  He reclassified to avoid those guys and have an easy path to the #1 pick.

Lol.  I'll take the stats and the opinion of people who aren't shouting hot takes to get attention.

Jamal Mashburn is an "expert"?  And, I think the next story KOC is right on will be the first one.  His "insider" history hasn't exactly been accurate.

And...  "much better athleticism" than Flagg?  Did you look beyond his skin color?  His athleticism / fluidity on the court is superb.  He reclassified because he was the best teenager in the world and wanted to get into the NBA as soon as possible.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career while Dybantsa was still a high school senior.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career?  Your trolling game is off, man.  Try harder.

This is your response to Moranis, Roy.

[Roy H.]

I look at last year?s No. 1 overall pick in Cooper Flagg,? Mashburn said. ?If I was to put him on that list [of 2026 draftees if Flagg hadn't reclassified] he would be sixth? Just from a skill set and also elevation, a level of where they can get to? I just think this freshman class and you contribute everybody from last year, those guys would still be at the top of the list. Cooper Flagg has some holes in his game.?

Hot take culture, presumably mixed with a healthy dose of racism.

I don't know if that is true.  A lot of people have the top of this draft much higher than they had Flagg and they have a lot more of them ranked that highly.  6 seems low, but Flagg at 4 in this upcoming draft class is entirely reasonable all things equal.  I think that is one of the main reasons Flagg reclassified.  This draft is projected to be awesome.  See if it holds true, but it is being projected as the best draft class since Lebron's by many people (no Lebron in the class, but potentially several Anthony/Wade/Bosh level players).

That is the main reason I was willing to tank this year.  Obviously not now, but I thought Boston would more like a play in level team and if that was the case, thought tanking was the way to go given the projected quality of this draft.

I mean here is Kevin O'Connor from November

"To put it into perspective, some executives around the NBA say that if Flagg had never reclassified and were instead part of this 2026 group, he probably would be the third pick at best but could go as low as fifth or sixth," O'Connor reported Friday. "That is how special this group could be, so the chance to acquire one of them is why we're already seeing teams bottom out so hard."

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25294436-nba-execs-discuss-where-cooper-flagg-would-be-picked-special-2026-draft-class

Obviously some people feel better about Flagg than the guys next summer, but it is far from a sure thing he would have even been a top 3 pick.

There are some really interesting players in this draft, but I would have taken Cooper Flagg first.

Cooper Flagg, as a proven producer in the NBA at age 18/19, is head and shoulders over any pick in the 2026 draft.  He's neck and neck with LeBron for the best age 18 season ever.

Well we've seen him in the NBA, but that isn't what would have happened if he hadn't reclassified.  Before the last draft, right after the draft, and early in this season A LOT of people would not have had Flagg first in the 26 draft.  Obviously he just dropped 40+ in the NBA and is doing quite well, but that doesn't mean he would have gone 1st if he was in the 26 draft.  It also doesn't mean Peterson, Dybantsa, or Boozer won't be better than Flagg throughout their NBA careers either.

The same Cooper Flagg that swept the Player of the Year awards as a 17 year old and led Duke to the Final Four?  Even disregarding his performance in the NBA, who in this class is matching that?

It's just a hot take.  The equivalent of "Jaylen Brown doesn't contribute to winning", etc.  People say outrageous things to seek attention

I'll take the draft experts opinion on this one over the fanboy from Maine.

And for the record, Boozer is leading Duke to a 20-1 record averaging 23.5 ppg, 9.8 rpg, and 4.1 apg.  Flagg had 4.2 apg, but didn't score or rebound like Boozer.  And Boozer is a similar shooter from deep, but a much better interior scorer.  Dybantsa has BYU at 17-4 scoring 23.3 ppg, 6.4 rpg, and 3.5 apg, playing on a team with far less overall talent than Duke either of the prior 2 years.  Peterson has missed a bunch of time (played just 11 games), but is still scoring 21.1 ppg on excellent shooting percentages (43.2% from 3, 57.3% from 2).  These guys aren't scrubs.  They are high level players with much better athleticism than Flagg.  It isn't a hot take to say they would have been better prospects than Flagg if he hadn't reclassified.  He reclassified to avoid those guys and have an easy path to the #1 pick.

Lol.  I'll take the stats and the opinion of people who aren't shouting hot takes to get attention.

Jamal Mashburn is an "expert"?  And, I think the next story KOC is right on will be the first one.  His "insider" history hasn't exactly been accurate.

And...  "much better athleticism" than Flagg?  Did you look beyond his skin color?  His athleticism / fluidity on the court is superb.  He reclassified because he was the best teenager in the world and wanted to get into the NBA as soon as possible.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career while Dybantsa was still a high school senior.

10 games into Flagg's Duke career?  Your trolling game is off, man.  Try harder.

This is your response to Moranis, Roy.

I think that's an appropriate response to anybody who questions Flagg's athleticism.

Moranis wouldn't be the first person to question somebody's athleticism because they're white.  I'd say that falls more into buying into stereotypes rather than outright racism, but to each their own.

That said, anybody who doesn't think Flagg has excellent athleticism is an idiot.  (Reference:  Flagg had the same vertical leap at the combine as Blake Griffin.)  I don't think that Moranis truly believes that, though.  I think he's just playing his contrarian role.

[Moranis]

I didn't say Flagg wasn't athletic, I just think AJ, Darryn, and Cameron are more athletic or at least better NBA bodies for their positions.

I also believe Goldstar is correct in that Flagg has an incredible BBIQ.  Might even be ahead of where Lebron and Luka were at a similar age. At least in that discussion.  Brilliant instincts.

[Roy H.]

I didn't say Flagg wasn't athletic, I just think AJ, Darryn, and Cameron are more athletic or at least better NBA bodies for their positions.

Flagg is about the same size as Scottie Barnes in terms of an NBA body.  And, your current statement is different than "much better athleticism".

[Goldstar88]

I didn't say Flagg wasn't athletic, I just think AJ, Darryn, and Cameron are more athletic or at least better NBA bodies for their positions.

Flagg is about the same size as Scottie Barnes in terms of an NBA body.  And, your current statement is different than "much better athleticism".

I?m hoping that Flagg fills out like Hayward did. Barnes is a little shorter than Coop, but he?s around 240lbs. He put on a lot of muscle the last few years. I don?t expect Coop to get that big/heavy.

[Moranis]

I didn't say Flagg wasn't athletic, I just think AJ, Darryn, and Cameron are more athletic or at least better NBA bodies for their positions.

Flagg is about the same size as Scottie Barnes in terms of an NBA body.  And, your current statement is different than "much better athleticism".

it is the same thing.  AJ is a much better athlete than Flagg. Size and athleticism are not the same.  Flagg and Dybantsa have similar size measurements, I just think AJ looks like he has a better frame and I believe he is a better athlete i.e. quicker, faster, stronger, more fluid.  Cooper uses his size better though. Flagg plays smarter and makes decisions a bit quicker. 

I prefer the more athletic player, as do most nba scouts. 

[Goldstar88]

I didn't say Flagg wasn't athletic, I just think AJ, Darryn, and Cameron are more athletic or at least better NBA bodies for their positions.

Flagg is about the same size as Scottie Barnes in terms of an NBA body.  And, your current statement is different than "much better athleticism".

it is the same thing.  AJ is a much better athlete than Flagg. Size and athleticism are not the same.  Flagg and Dybantsa have similar size measurements, I just think AJ looks like he has a better frame and I believe he is a better athlete i.e. quicker, faster, stronger, more fluid.  Cooper uses his size better though. Flagg plays smarter and makes decisions a bit quicker. 

I prefer the more athletic player, as do most nba scouts.

I think you have to be athletic enough, but there are more important traits. BBIQ being one of them. I mean, Tatum isn?t the most athletic player.

[Moranis]

I didn't say Flagg wasn't athletic, I just think AJ, Darryn, and Cameron are more athletic or at least better NBA bodies for their positions.

Flagg is about the same size as Scottie Barnes in terms of an NBA body.  And, your current statement is different than "much better athleticism".

it is the same thing.  AJ is a much better athlete than Flagg. Size and athleticism are not the same.  Flagg and Dybantsa have similar size measurements, I just think AJ looks like he has a better frame and I believe he is a better athlete i.e. quicker, faster, stronger, more fluid.  Cooper uses his size better though. Flagg plays smarter and makes decisions a bit quicker. 

I prefer the more athletic player, as do most nba scouts.

I think you have to be athletic enough, but there are more important traits. BBIQ being one of them. I mean, Tatum isn?t the most athletic player.

That is true, but honestly work ethic is probably the most important thing that separates the good from great.  I mean look at a guy like Luka.  Very good size, elite skill, and an amazing BBIQ, but he just doesn't put the work in.  The thing that makes guys like Jordan and Lebron so great are they have the physical tools, the skill, the BBIQ, and the insane work ethic.