The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery is finally here, and tonight will decide the fate of all the NBA teams who are in the running for the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. Flagg has been the undisputed No. 1 overall pick since he arrived at Duke. ESPN insider Brian Windhorst believes Flagg is the no-brainer selection, whoever the top team ends up being. Stephen A. Smith’s opposing view led to a heated argument between the two analysts.
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The argument sparked a discussion about Giannis Antetokounmpo, who Shams Charania recently reported is willing to consider options outside of Milwaukee. The First Take panel debated who would be the better option for lottery teams, Flagg or Antetokounmpo.
A few teams in the lottery, like the San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets, have a timeline that aligns with Antetokounmpo. Windhorst acknowledges Giannis’ fit with those franchises but firmly believes that if any of them gets the top pick, they won’t pass up Flagg.
“I would be stunned if anyone who wins the Draft Lottery tonight doesn’t take Cooper Flagg,” Windhorst said.
Smith couldn’t sit in silence while Windhorst shared his take. He does agree that it depends on the franchise. But young talent doesn’t mean much if there is no hardware to show for it.
“Are you going to give me a ring?” Smith asked. “If you’re in ownership like that, of course, you’ll take Cooper Flagg. Of course, you’ll pass up on Giannis because it’s not a priority.”
Emotions began to rise between the two. Windhorst says Flagg’s upside is enough to give teams confidence that he can turn a franchise around. Smith attests that, despite his older age, Antetokounmpo has proven that he can lead a team to the promised land.
They both make compelling arguments, but Windhorst’s may hold the most validity. If a team like the Washington Wizards wins the Draft Lottery, it would make no sense for them to trade that pick for Giannis.
The Milwaukee Bucks superstar is 30 years old. He desires to win a title, but Washington wouldn’t have anywhere close to a contending roster with Giannis at the helm. It wouldn’t equate to much team success.
On the other hand, Flagg is only 18 years old and has plenty of years to develop into a potential superstar. It doesn’t accelerate an organization’s timeline and doesn’t put pressure on players who aren’t in a stage to handle it.
Both Windhorst and Smith made great arguments, but it seems that Windy got the best of the First Take star in this instance.
