What Does Cooper Flagg's Re-Classification Mean for the Oklahoma City Thunder?

When 7-foot-4 forward Victor Wembanyama entered the NBA Draft, the idea that he'd go to any team without the top overall pick seemed to be almost laughable.

A 19-year-old with his size and ball-handling ability makes for a potential higher than anybody has seen before, especially if he can develop his talent effectively in the first few seasons, and under San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich, Wembanyama has a strong shot of accomplishing that.

But who's next?

Modern-day NBA tends to move onto the next big thing as soon as it can, with its fans often declaring top prospects busts before giving them a chance to play — as has been the case with Wembanyama — but while Wembanyama does have a lot to prove, he seems to be sticking around for the long run.

That doesn't have to stop us from looking forward, however.

After Wembanyama, the league's "next big thing" is a rising senior in high school who's already made headlines both on and off the court. Monteverde Academy's Cooper Flagg, a 6-8 forward, has taken social media by storm because of his impressive scoring ability and pure size.

The 16-year-old made a recent appearance at Nike's Peach Jam event, where his draft stock only rose. Flagg averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 6.8 blocks per game, the latter stat drawing the most attention. He seems to dominate the game in a way that some of the league's top talent did, and still does, making him a top prospect to join the NBA in a few years, which is another reason he's made headlines.

Originally slated to graduated high school in 2025 and enter the 2026 NBA Draft, Flagg took to social media in a surprising move that saw him reclassify to the high school class of 2024. All that means is he'll be draft eligible one year sooner, but to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it could mean a lot more.

No, the Thunder isn't expected to sit at the bottom of the league in this upcoming season or the next, but Oklahoma City's overhaul of draft picks spanning the next several seasons makes Flagg's announcement intriguing, to say the least.

In 2026 — the year Flagg was originally set to be draft eligible — the Thunder has three first-round draft picks. Aside from its own, it also has the rights to the Los Angeles Clippers' and the Houston Rockets', though that one is protected Top-4.

So, if Houston was to continue to sit near the bottom of the league standings, Oklahoma City certainly has a shot to draft high regardless of its finish, though not likely Flagg, given that the highest they could get for the Rockets would be pick No. 5.

Because of Flagg's re-classification, that won't matter. The Thunder may be set to draft another prospect in 2026, but it won't be Flagg. But here's what the Thunder's 2025 draft board looks like:

Thunder 1st-Round Pick (Own)

Thunder 1st-Round Pick (Miami, Top-14 Protected)

Thunder 1st-Round Pick (Philadelphia, Top-6 Protected)

Thunder 1st-Round Pick SWAP (Own, Houston, Top-10 protected, Clippers)

Four first rounders await the Thunder, the most favorable likely being Houston's assuming it falls outside the top-10 protection window. And while there are plenty of protections to work around for the Thunder, the pick swap with the Clippers is certainly something to watch, given its non-protected status.

Oklahoma City could pick as high as No. 7 in Flagg's new draft class, but again, it isn't likely that he'd still be up for grabs. But if the Clippers do end up in a rebuilding situation over the next few seasons now that Kawhi Leonard and Paul George are starting to enter the last phase of their careers, there could be potential there.

Yes, drafting Flagg is wishful thinking, especially for a Thunder team who has no plans of tanking, but rather building around its young core. Yes, it's unlikely that the Clippers not only put themselves low in the lottery, but also win the No. 1 overall pick in two seasons, but there is a chance.

And that's what Flagg's re-classification gives many teams: hope.

The Thunder can only wait and see if it will be among the teams with a shot at landing the 6-8 forward, otherwise known as the NBA's "next big thing."

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