Wizards Need Cooper Flagg to Justify Losing

Cooper Flagg could be the consolation prize for the Washington Wizards' historic losing season.
Jan 27, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) shoots during the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Cameron Indoor Stadium.  The Blue Devils won 74-64. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
Jan 27, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) shoots during the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 74-64. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards are 6-40 going into tonight's matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers, which is far and away the worst record in the league.

However, the losing could pay off in the long run if the Wizards get the No. 1 overall pick to take Duke freshman forward Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft.

"If there were any preseason questions about Cooper Flagg's potential to meet the hype, they revolved around self-creation and shooting. He's currently squashing those concerns. Flagg has hit 15-of-30 threes over Duke's last 10 games, and though nobody should confuse him for a wing scorer, he's generating offense for himself in so many different ways that fancy one-on-one play or step-backs aren't necessary for consistently getting good attempts," Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman writes.

"He's gotten comfortable spinning off defenders. He's been ultra effective attacking in line drives and using angles, height and strength off those drives. He's using force and finesse to earn close looks from the post," he continued. "And then there's the transition and off-ball finishing that he's able to score with just by tapping into his motor, physical tools and athleticism. Flagg just turned 18 last month and he's second in the nation now in box plus-minus behind 22-year-old Johni Broome."

Flagg has the potential to be an instant star in the league, something that very few, if any, of the other players in the draft have. Adding him to the Wizards core would give the team a true No. 1 option to go to, and that will immediately put the team on a track towards winning, though it will likely take a few more years to grow into a potential contender in the Eastern Conference.

Tipoff between the Lakers and Wizards is set for 7 p.m. ET from inside Capital One Arena.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.