Nets Land Franchise-Altering Talent in Recent 2025 NBA Draft Projection

Cooper Flagg would transform the Brooklyn Nets' rebuild.

Oct 20, 2023; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils recruit Cooper Flagg during Countdown to Craziness at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

With the Brooklyn Nets opting to rebuild, finding success in the NBA Draft is going to be uber-important. It will define their future as a franchise. With it being the first year of the Nets' rebuild, they're projected to earn a solid pick through the draft lottery.

NBA Draft on SI's Derek Parker recently projected the 2025 NBA Draft, using a lottery sim to determine the order. In the simulation, the Nets earned the No. 1 overall pick. With this, Brooklyn lands a franchise-altering talent in Cooper Flagg, who Parked dubbed "the draft’s top prize."

"Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward set to play his upcoming season at Duke, is currently and will likely remain the draft’s top prize," Parker wrote.

Throughout the upcoming season, the Nets will essentially be on "Flagg watch." On paper, Brooklyn has one of the worst rosters in the league. While they will need help from the lottery, they'll be well-positioned to land the top pick in the draft.

Ahead of the new basketball season, Flagg has been dominating headlines as he heads toward his freshman season at Duke. The Blue Devils forward will likely play just one season at the collegiate level before taking his talents to the NBA.

Flagg is a legitimate franchise-altering talent. The 6-foot-9 forward provides elite play on both sides of the ball. His improvement will be something to watch, but his ability to raise both the floor and ceiling of a franchise is incredibly intruiging.

As a player who projects to be elite on both sides of the floor, the Nets landing Flagg would position them very well for the future, as he is an easy player to build a roster around.

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