Cooper Flagg, the star shooting guard of the Duke Blue Devils, has received every praise possible for a rising basketball star. He’s called a generational talent and has even garnered the attention of NBA legend LeBron James, calling him a “big-time player” with a stellar career ahead.
Basketball analysts and fans are univocal that the former McDonald’s All-American will be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Does anyone disagree? It turns out that veteran Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George has someone else as the favorite for the coming NBA Draft.
Ace Bailey (Not Cooper Flagg) Should Be NBA’s No. 1 Pick Says Paul George
The 76ers forward laid down his pick on the latest episode of his “Podcast P” show on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Interestingly, George’s views widely differ from the general perception. Instead of the Blue Devils standout, Flagg, George thinks Rutgers Scarlet Knights’ Ace Bailey should be this year’s No. 1 pick.
“If I had to pick, I would probably go with Ace Bailey… I would probably go with Ace Bailey. I think Ace Bailey is a little bit more raw talent with still a ton of upside. I think Cooper Flagg, not to say he doesn’t have upside, has amazing upside as well. But I think Ace Bailey has a little bit more upside to him,” George said.
"I would go Ace Bailey. I think Ace is a little bit more raw talent with still a ton of upside… I think he can scratch a little bit more off his surface than Cooper Flagg can."
Paul George says he'd draft Ace over Flagg 😳
(via @PodcastPShow)pic.twitter.com/VvAor59qPn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 26, 2025
Flaggs, who was the third-best prospect in the 2025 recruiting class, has been phenomenal in his collegiate career, averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.1 assists with the Blue Devils this season.
Currently, Duke is on a five-game winning streak, and Flagg has been the leading scorer in two of them. Conversely, Bailey, the Knights’ standout, has impressed with his athleticism and basketball prowess as well. A consensus five-star recruit and one of the top players in the 2024 class, Bailey is the highest-ranked recruit in Rutgers’ basketball history.
Moreover, the nine-time NBA All-Star thinks that Bailey might have more skills or abilities that he hasn’t fully developed yet, suggesting he could improve even further, which could put him ahead of Flagg.
“I think he can scratch a little bit more off of his surface than Cooper Flagg can, which I think both will be All-Stars, both will be superstars once they develop, like get to the NBA. I think both of them will be superstars. I think, definitely, those two will be the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird comparison,” George then added.
The first round of March Madness will be on March 20 and 21. While the Blue Devils are favorites for a deep run, the Knights are trailing at 14-14 overall with a 7-10 conference record.
Meanwhile, the 2025 NBA Draft is slated for Wednesday, June 25, and Thursday, June 26. Fans will eagerly await to see who gets the No. 1 pick — Flagg or Bailey.
