The NBA Draft is quickly approaching, and the Dallas Mavericks hold the first overall pick—thanks to a miracle in the draft lottery. The presumed top selection is Cooper Flagg, who has captivated the basketball world since his high school days at Montverde Academy.
Flagg declared for the draft just before the deadline, adding suspense to the process. There had been speculation he might return to Duke, especially after he expressed his love for Durham and the idea of coming back.
Now, with the first overall pick within reach, Flagg has been asked which NBA player he’s most excited to face. His answer: none other than basketball legend LeBron James.
“Somebody that obviously [I wanna play against] I think [is] LeBron. I think that would just be cool to be able to play against him. Obviously, I think his time is kind of coming to an end soon in the next couple of years or whatever. So I think just being able to play against him would be kind of a surreal feeling and just knowing that what he’s been able to do for the game and being able to accomplish is just insane. So I think it would be cool to play against him,” said Flagg to The Deep 3.
James, now 40 years old, appears to be nearing the end of his legendary career. However, ESPN’s Shams Charania doesn't believe retirement is imminent.
“I'm told he's likely to opt-in," Charania said on The Pat McAfee Show. "He's got a player option about $54 million. He's got a massive player option, that's the plan.”
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Flagg is widely considered the most anticipated prospect to enter the NBA since James himself, so it’s only fitting that he hopes to compete against the four-time NBA champion. Interestingly, Flagg is projected to join a Mavericks team that includes James’ former teammate and close friend Anthony Davis.
Flagg versus James is shaping up to be a must-watch moment—the king versus the prince.