Charlotte Hornets Making Late Push for Cooper Flagg

With nine-straight losses, the Hornets are making a late push for the best odds at Duke’s Cooper Flagg.

Mar 3, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts as he heads to the bench during the second half against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 93-60. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

The 2025 NBA Draft class is shaping up to be a loaded one, offering a swath of five-star freshman and returnees that are sure to make an impact in the pros.

The grand prize, though, is undoubtedly Duke forward Cooper Flagg.

At 6-foot-9, Flagg’s taken the college basketball world by storm, cruising towards the National Player of the Year Award after starting his season at just 17. Across his 30 games so far, he’s scored 19.6 points, grabbed 7.5 rebounds and dished 4.2 assists, and his impending NCAA Tournament will likely only cement his dominance in his lone college season.

Suffice it to say, whichever teams land the No. 1 pick will be grabbing Flagg, and leaving with more talent than they entered the draft with.

Enter the Charlotte Hornets, who with just a month remaining in the season, are on a league-high nine-game losing streak, and now just two games back of the best odds at Flagg.

Charlotte has hovered near the bottom of the standings all season, but its recent stretch has put the team in position to again land a top draft pick. The Hornets are no strangers to the top of the draft, having drafted nearly all of its core in the lottery.

Of course, landing the Blue Devil is far from a guarantee. With the second-best odds, Charlotte has a shared 14% chance at landing No. 1, and can’t fall below the No. 6 pick.

Should the team actually cash out on their 14%, Flagg would immediate insure the Hornets with what they’ve been missing: a star talent on both ends at the true forward position.

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