NBA Draft Analyst Explains Cooper Flagg’s Potential Fit on Sixers

Unlike last year’s NBA Draft Lottery, the basketball world knows who the winner will select once the order is revealed. Duke’s Cooper Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick next month.

The Philadelphia 76ers don’t have the highest chance of landing Flagg, but they have a chance. In a system that can reward teams with randomness, the Sixers aren’t in a bad spot. In fact, they were recently revealed to be a pretty lucky lottery team, according to numerous metrics.

Still, going from being fifth in the lottery standings to first is going to take some serious luck. Heading into lottery night on Monday, the Sixers hold a 10.5 percent chance of getting the opportunity to add one of the biggest names in college basketball in recent times.

Leading up to the event, The Athletic’s NBA Draft analyst, Sam Vecenie, laid out how Cooper Flagg would fit on a Philly team that still has an attractive core.

NBA Draft Analyst Considers Flagg to be a Solid Fit for the Philadelphia 76ers

“It’s hard to overemphasize the degree to which Flagg is the player the 76ers need on this roster. They have a loaded backcourt with Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain as high-level scorers, both under the age of 25. The tremendous Quentin Grimes trade this deadline gives them a terrific two/three wing to pair next to that duo, assuming they can retain him in restricted free agency, and Paul George is likely in Philly for the next couple of years, given his contract. Hopefully he’s able to rebound from his tough season. More than anything, though, the specter of Joel Embiid’s health hangs over this organization like a festering wound”

“… Flagg is perfect positionally within their potential long-term starting five as a real playmaking four with size and ball skills, along with monster defensive traits. But more than that, he also gives them a long-term out if they want to move in a different direction from the Embiid era.”

Since his high school days, Flagg was expected to get attention as a potential No. 1 overall pick once he got to Duke. Unsurprisingly, he’s a one-and-done prospect.

During his freshman effort with the Blue Devils, Flagg started in 37 games. He averaged 19 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. The forward made 48 percent of his shots from the field and hit on 39 percent of his threes on four attempts per game.

After prioritizing “win-now” veteran types, Daryl Morey’s front office recognized they had made a major mistake during the 2024-2025 roster-building process. Too many seasoned veterans equaled guys out of their primes, who would spend the season battling injuries.

The Sixers will keep the experienced core in place, having their star trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George remain on the roster. Beyond that, younger pieces will be prioritized. Flagg—or any other top-five pick for that matter—would have a shot at taking on a big role for the Sixers in 2025-2026.

Going into Monday’s lottery, the Sixers have a 10.5 percent chance to land the No. 1 pick. That percentage is the same for picks two and four, while pick No. 3 has a slight bump to 10.6 percent. Pick five is the lowest at 2.2 percent, while pick six is the highest at 19.6 percent. Anything beyond that, and the Sixers would have to give their pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

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