The Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg's ceiling is extremely high, but it remains to be seen how well he will perform in his rookie season. ESPN ranked Flagg No. 52 overall among all players heading into the 2025-26 NBA campaign. Is ESPN's decision to rank Flagg No. 52 overall too high, too low or just right?
Tim MacMahon of ESPN suggested that Flagg “might be the most anticipated American prospect since LeBron James” in ESPN's rankings article. The Mavs are prepared to give Flagg plenty of opportunities to find success in his rookie season. There is reason to believe that he could finish the year ranked within the top 50 NBA players.
With that being said, it is important to remember that he is only 18 years old. Although his talent is immense, there will be a necessary adjustment period for the former Duke star. Transitioning from the college basketball level to the NBA often proves to be a challenge, even for the best prospects.
Draymond Green is just ahead of Cooper Flagg in the rankings. Alex Caruso is just behind him. Flagg's ceiling is unquestionably higher than both players. He is unproven at the NBA level, though, while fans know what to expect from the aforementioned veterans.
If Flagg can stay healthy, he should be able to move forward in the rankings. He looked ready to go during Summer League. There may be some inconsistency early in the year, but Flagg could certainly establish himself as a star as his first NBA season moves forward.
Final verdict on Cooper Flagg's ESPN ranking
So, is Flagg's ranking too high? Is it too low? Did ESPN get it right?
There are arguments to be made for each answer. One could say that Flagg needs to prove himself before being mentioned among proven stars. Others suggest that since the rankings work as a prediction, Flagg could be ranked even higher. However, Flagg being ranked around No. 50 makes sense.
The prediction is that Flagg will become a star-caliber player in his first season. No. 52 overall leans into that narrative without automatically assuming that the 18-year-old will become a true superstar in his first season.
Perhaps Flagg could have been ranked a bit higher, but it is difficult to complain about ESPN's No. 52 overall ranking for a player who has yet to officially appear in an NBA game.
