The difference in the hype surrounding this year’s NBA Draft and last year’s is quite dramatic, and it’s mostly due to Duke standout Cooper Flagg. His stellar all-around play has received heaps of praise in NBA circles, with a lot of focus on his similarity to Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.
Advertisement
Although Flagg gets a lot of the talk, he isn’t the only outstanding prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft. Rutgers star Ace Bailey is in the same conversation, currently projected to be a top-three pick.
Carmelo Anthony and Paul George are incredibly high on Bailey’s ability to thrive at the NBA level. Unfortunately, they are in the minority pushing the Bailey agenda. Anthony points to one specific reason why Bailey’s hype isn’t as high despite his impressive talent.
“We’ve seen Ace before,” Anthony said on the 7PM in Brooklyn podcast. “We’ve seen [Paul George], we’ve seen [Kevin Garnett], we’ve seen [Tracy McGrady]. That’s why he’s not being talked about.”
The former Knicks star believes Bailey’s not getting the hype because of his play style. It’s amazing and effective, but it’s nothing new.
On the other hand, the NBA hasn’t seen a player like Flagg in several decades. Anthony isn’t a big fan of bringing up the race card, but he believes it applies to this particular situation.
“Not to make this black and white, but we haven’t seen a white boy like that in a long time,” Anthony professed. George shared the same sentiment. The last comparable player they could think of was a league-altering legend.
“It’s got to be [Larry Bird]. As far as that star power,” George said, and Anthony agreed.
Flagg differs from Bird in one vital aspect. “He doesn’t do any [one] thing great,” Anthony proclaimed. “He just does a lot of sh*t very good.” Anthony then highlighted Flagg’s shooting, playmaking, defense and rebounding as areas of strength.
Flagg’s college stats back up Anthony’s claim. The 18-year-old led the Blue Devils in all five major statistical categories as a freshman. Many rookies struggle to adjust to the NBA, but Flagg has shown that he can perform at every level he has played.
The Dallas Mavericks have the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and are expected to select Flagg. The 2025-26 season will reveal whether Flagg lives up to the hype or fails to reach these lofty expectations.
