Fantasy basketball roundtable: Should you draft Cooper Flagg in the third round?

Cooper Flagg is the rookie everybody is talking astir this season, and expectations are entity precocious for Dallas' versatile guardant aft 1 standout play astatine Duke.

But volition the accumulation lucifer the hype for the talented 18-year-old?

We asked our phantasy hoops experts André Snellings, Eric Moody, Eric Karabell, Jim McCormick and Steve Alexander what they expect retired of the 2025 No. 1 wide prime and whether they are successful connected drafting him astatine his existent draught presumption (right astir 31).

Snellings: I'm successful connected Flagg. I was intrigued earlier I scouted the Las Vegas Summer League, but aft watching him unrecorded I'm adjacent much convinced that helium has the game, the size and the mentality to nutrient astatine the NBA level close away. Flagg has an all-around game, arsenic evidenced by him starring Duke successful each 5 large counting categories past season, and that operation of scoring, discourtesy instauration and antiaircraft strength should play good for a squad afloat of talented large men that person a spread connected the perimeter with the Kyrie Irving injury. But much than that, helium has the ultra-competitive mindset that leads large players to marque the leap to pro level close away. I won't contention idiosyncratic to instrumentality Flagg if they privation him successful the archetypal mates of rounds of phantasy hoops drafts, but by Round 3 oregon after, I deliberation his upside is worthy consideration.

McCormick: It's tempting to play things harmless and presume that the marketplace is overpricing and overhyping a young, if generational, prospect. The crushed I'm consenting to put astatine the going draught terms with Flagg is that helium provides thing astir helping prospects haven't; perchance elite antiaircraft accumulation from the archetypal tip. As ESPN's Kevin Pelton has noted passim the years, antiaircraft stats from collegiate levels are often "sticky," successful that they construe astatine a beardown complaint to the NBA. Flagg's defence besides passes the oculus test; helium leverages his wingspan perpetually successful passing lanes and astir the rim. The imaginable for passing upside connected a squad starved for instauration adds to the fun, but I'm mostly banking connected steals and blocks arsenic the driving unit here.

Karabell: Flagg is going to beryllium a invaluable phantasy enactment this season, possibly the lone first-year subordinate we tin truly number on. I americium successful connected Flagg playing large minutes (that is fractional the battle, really) and contributing crossed the statistical committee for roto/categories investors and finishing among the apical 50 players, though I bash deliberation expectations are a spot excessively precocious based connected aboriginal ADP figures. Perhaps idiosyncratic successful your league pounces successful Round 2 oregon 3, but Flagg astir apt won't mean 20 PPG, oregon 10 RPG, oregon artifact shots arsenic helium did astatine Duke. He should beryllium bully successful Year 1, a top-50 player.

Moody: Flagg should beryllium an instant-impact subordinate successful phantasy hoops, truthful I'm in. He's the Rookie of the Year favourite and brings a large all-around game, averaging 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.2 APG and 1.4 BPG astatine Duke past season. Pair that with Dallas' post-Luka rebuild, and helium should person a precocious usage complaint and dense minutes from Day 1. In fantasy, you privation a subordinate who tin score, rebound, walk and lend defensively, and Flagg fits the bill. Even arsenic a rookie, his ceiling is excessively precocious to walk up.

Alexander: I americium successful connected Flagg, who has an aboriginal manufacture ADP successful the mid-30s. Flagg should transportation a immense workload this season, particularly with Irving apt retired for the year. He's the savior that's expected to marque Dallas fans hide astir the Luka Doncic trade, and GM Nico Harrison is hoping he'll instrumentality immoderate of the vigor disconnected of him by playing astatine a precocious level. I spot averages of 22.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.0 artifact and 1.5 3-pointers, which should instrumentality immoderate coagulated worth connected a third-round selection. Sign maine up.