In only a day’s wait, the biggest question about the immediate future of the NBA will be answered. The NBA draft lottery is around the corner, and every team is praying for a miracle. That’s the kind of prospect Duke’s Cooper Flagg promises. The pros have seen his enhanced abilities, and he is arguably one of the most tantalizing prospects in recent history. And as high as his ceiling is perceived, there’s every chance that he bursts through. What’s necessary, though, is the right opportunity.

The Hoop Collective crew gathered to discuss the various teams that could capture Flagg in the draft. Despite the low odds, they do give teams such as the Houston Rockets a chance. However, their prediction is that the sinking Washington Wizards will walk away with this year’s biggest name.

“The team where I think Cooper Flag might have a remarkable lane would be if Washington wins. Because that’s a franchise that has been in the wilderness for a long time and is basically a dead market right now,” Brian Windhorst noted.

The Wizards are among the three teams with the highest odds (14%) of the number one draft pick. They share the likelihood with the Charlotte Hornets and the Utah Jazz. Favorable positions don’t always work out, as it happened last year with the Hawks swooping the top pick.

But Tim Bontemps feels that if one of these teams can land Flagg, their franchise could see a quick turnaround.

“He’s the kind of guy that any one of these teams that gets him, Utah, Charlotte, Washington, Brooklyn, any of them, it’s going to change the course of the franchise to get some. Just like, look at the Spurs. You could say the Spurs are in a great position now… And this guy’s got a chance to be that kind of players,” he said about Flagg.

Bontemps drew parallels to the Spurs, who witnessed vehement improvements since Victor Wembanyama joined their franchise. With just a few pieces moved around, the team seemed to be in position for a Play-In Tournament appearance before Wemby’s season-ending injury. Flagg carries the same weight.

Although not a prospect with the same buzz as Wembanyama, the Duke forward could end up being a pioneer. And the team that drafts him will have more than just their franchise future.

Cooper Flagg is more than a basketball phenom

For the entire NCAA season and even before, the name Cooper Flagg had become an addiction. This was a transcendent forward who played against the best of the NBA during the Team USA training camp. Several players had bright words for the 18-year-old. Devin Booker hailed his mentality. “He wants it, you see how bad he wants it,” he said about Flagg.

And his freshman season was a reflection of the same. Cooper Flagg became an instant attraction in the NCAA universe. In terms of viewership, four of the top ten watched NCAA games featured Flagg and Duke. Their Final Four clash against Houston attracted 16 million viewers, the most for any NCAA game since the 2022 championship game, according to Front Office Sports.

Likewise, with the top three odds residing with small-market teams, their business would boom instantly with the arrival of Flagg.

During the regular season, all of the Jazz, Hornets and Wizards combined only had one nationally televised game. From the seven worst teams, only the Philadelphia 76ers had more than three. Flagg’s allure and credentials have made the basketball world curious. Hence, for any team that drafts him, thir viewership and national exposure are bound to increase.

The same happened with Victor Wembanyama. In the French phenom’s rookie season, the Spurs had 11 nationally televised games. A year prior, they only had a single one. Hence, with Cooper Flagg comes a complete turnaround for any franchise if he is utilized in the right way. Obviously, his performance will matter too.

But in his first season, Flagg carries immeasurably more value in comparison to his peers.