Paul George does not stay with Cooper Flagg for the 2025 Draft: "I think he has more potential"
The Philadelphia 76ers' superstar spoke on the latest episode of his podcast about two young talents who will be coming to the NBA in a few months.
Cooper Flagg is widely considered the presumptive number 1 in this summer's NBA Draft, but a couple of basketball experts have another candidate in mind. According to Paul George, star of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Casey Jacobsen, former player from Stanford and current Fox analyst, Rutgers Ace Bailey's potential surpasses that of the Duke gem.
"I think Ace Bailey has a bit more raw talent with still a ton of upside," said George in the latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George. "I think Cooper Flagg, not to say he doesn't have potential, he also has incredible potential, but I think Ace Bailey has a bit more potential."
"I think Ace Bailey can scratch a bit more beneath his surface than Cooper Flagg. I think both will be All-Stars, both will be superstars as they develop and make it in the NBA. I think both will be superstars. I think both will definitely be compared to Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in terms of similar body types and the parity between the two. But I stick with Ace Bailey."
Jacobsen echoed similar thoughts about Fox. "I actually think Cooper Flagg will go number 2," Jacbosen said. "I believe Ace Bailey should be seriously considered by NBA general managers, and here's why. Although Cooper Flagg may have the better floor, I think Ace Bailey has the higher ceiling as a scorer. I wouldn't be surprised at all if in a couple of years Ace Bailey averaged 25-30 points per game as a scorer. He has that offensive talent."
This season, Flagg is averaging 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Bailey averages 18.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 assists. Both ESPN.com and Tankathon.com have Flagg as the current number 1, followed by Rutgers star Dylan Harper at 2 and Bailey at 3.
Possible Destinations for Flagg and Bailey
Around 25 NBA scouts, including two from the Brooklyn Nets, were in Piscataway on Sunday night, when Harper exploded with 25 points, 9 assists, and 6 steals in a 95-85 victory over USC. Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, and Utah Jazz each have a 14% chance of securing the number 1 pick, but an NBA executive noted that the two teams with the highest chance of securing the number 1 pick already have key players in Cooper and Ace's positions.
The executive mentioned that Washington has Khris Middleton, Kyshawn George, and Saddiq Bey, while New Orleans has Zion Williamson. "I'm sure Washington would trade all of them to free up space for Cooper, but many teams don't have space to take on those contracts," the executive said. "A lot can happen between now and the draft."
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Paul George no se queda con Cooper Flagg para el Draft de 2025: "Creo que tiene más potencial"
