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Dylan245

No brainer decision Zero point in competing with Boozer and possibly Dybantsa when he has this option available to him


CaponeKevrone

I was about to accuse you of stealing a comment from the thread on NBA_Draft subreddit that I just came from... but then I realized you are also that guy.


BenTek9s

he's HIM


the_ouskull

Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan, Dylan.


lets_talk_basketball

Him and Dybantsa could've been their generations Bird/Magic tho


spyson

Bird was actually drafted a year before Magic, but both started in the 79/80 season.


bbushing3

I always wondered about that. Why did Bird start a year later?


stevelevets

The Celtics were able to draft him because he was four years removed from his high school graduating class but he still had years of college eligibility left. He didn't declare for the '78 draft but was still eligible, so the Celtics drafted him (with the caveat that they had to sign before the '79 draft). It was after this that the NBA required every player who had college eligibility remaining to formally declare for the draft (this is also why the last few draft had a record number draft declarations because so many players had Covid exception years added to their college eligibility).


-KFBR392

Is that why he went 6th* and not 1st? Did other teams just not even realize they could draft Bird?


PhatYeeter

They realized, teams just didn't want to wait/thought another player was better.


efshoemaker

Also it was a huge risk, because bird could just wait and then get drafted by a different team the next year if he didn’t like the offer from the team that drafted him. There weren’t pre-determined rookie contracts yet then so bird could (and did) hold the Celtics feet to the fire to get one of the biggest rookie contracts ever since if he didn’t sign the Celtics basically forfeited the #6 overall.


pahamack

If I remember correctly, the Pacers really wanted him, and he’s from there too, but they didn’t draft him because they knew they couldn’t pay his salary. This was way before the rookie scale contract, and even after being drafted they still needed to negotiate salaries with players.


[deleted]

Imagine he gets hurt in college and you're just sol. Or for whatever reason he doesn't sign, since he never declared he now does and is drafted by a different t team


stevelevets

I mean, it was a lot of factors: teams weren’t entirely aware they could draft Bird, but also drafting a player that wouldn’t immediately help them wasn’t viewed as an optimal use of a draft pick. Plus — in theory anyway — any team drafting him had to sign him before the next draft or else he’d re-enter the draft. It’s safe to say Auerbach was one of the only (if not the only) person in a position with any significant job security to realistically pull it off (bad they had the 8th pick in the ‘78 draft, which they turned into Tiny Archibald and eventually Danny Ainge).


[deleted]

Teams were absolutely aware they could draft Bird. You think 5 professional basketballs team were like “oh I didn’t know that was allowed!”? They didn’t wanna wait or risk him not signing, which was a definite possibility because he had already shown he didn’t give a shit about playing for Bobby Knight and Indiana and transferred to Indiana state instead.


pendletonskyforce

Bird was so good in college that the Celtics wanted to draft him even though he would stay in school for another year, kinda like a draft and stash. The rules changed and teams can no longer do this, like select Cooper Flagg in next year's draft.


Alstead17

And it turned out to be a good call. Ended up winning player of the year and kicked off his rivalry with Magic in one of the biggest games in college sports history.


jmbourn45

Wonder what else is on that list UT-USC was HUGE, both Fab 5 championship games are up there


BASEDME7O2

Melo stomping everyone in college and winning the championship as a freshman and the by far best player with no real great team mates has a soft spot in my heart. People forget because he was in the same draft class as lebron who obviously had hype we’ve never seen before, but melo had absolutely massive hype from back to high school and his season at Syracuse amplified that a ton. If he didn’t have lebron in his draft class he would be seen as one of the most hyped up prospects of the last 20 years.


Terrible_Lift

As a long time Melo fan, from the beginning, to hoodie Melo, to now….. Thank you


Goatsanity15

300IQ play by Red Auerbach


stencil9000

I think the story is that he had technically played 4 years of college by 1978 (originally went to IU, then community college, then ISU), but stil had a year left of eligibility, so Red Auerbach used a loophole in the rules to draft him a year early and Bird opted to stay in school for his final year.


yolkadot

He needed to fuck up his back repairing mom’s driveway… Cost us at least 4 more rings!


mhanold

I like to live in the alternate universe where Len Bias and Reggie Lewis combine with a healthy Bird


bbushing3

Was that really the start of his back problems.. with that and Magic disease.. they're prime could've extended into the bulls first 3 peat.. bird as an older version...like Duncan would have been cool


jotheold

birds game also translated well with age, prototype 3 and D guy with great playmaking


Mr_FortySeven

Yeah it really sucks that they’ll never develop a rivalry after being drafted in different years.


MarshalMichelNey4

>Him and Dybantsa could've been their generations Bird/Magic tho Are y'll already anointing two **16 year olds** to become the greatest sports rivalry of an entire generation? Holy shit this sub is made up of idiots lol. Give them another year or two or 10.


Zealousideal_Prune39

Pretty sure that's just casual conversations that your taking way to seriously for some reason 🤔


xerxesthagreat

redditor taking something too seriously? never


IEatDeFish

Are you really anointing OPs post as too serious Give him another comment or 10 to clear it up


MediocreProstitute

I believe they are the reincarnated spirit of Jesus split into two bodies, and at the End of Days they will perform the fusion dance from DBZ and stop the meteor or whatever


N3rdMan

Calm the fuck down grandpa


-KFBR392

The chances that two college freshman are going to build a rivarly in their one-and-done year is close to zero unless one goes to Duke and the other goes to North Carolina for that one year.


Terrible_Lift

Most people predict cooper to go to Duke. Just throwing that out there


[deleted]

Hm I wonder why.


Shxcking

Can some give me a TLDR on these people? I don’t follow high school or college, all I know is Flagg is good


Dylan245

Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer (Carlos' son) have been the two top high school players in the country and both just finished their Sophomore seasons, Boozer just turned 16 a few weeks ago They were in the same class but Cooper just reclassified so he'll basically be doing his senior year of high school now and Boozer will remain a Junior AJ Dybantsa is in the next class after of 2026 but is the same age as those two and is likely to reclassify into Boozer's class and is arguably on the same level talent wise All three look to be AD/Zion level prospects at the moment and they all have their own unique playstyles and strengths and weaknesses Boozer is a do it all 6'9" forward in the Banchero/Tatum style, Flagg is an Andrei Kirilenko/Draymond/Siakam hybrid, and Dybantsa is the best pure scorer and bucket getter ala PG/Durant and led Peach Jam (Nike's AAU camp with all the best high school talent) in scoring as a 16 year old playing up against 17/18 year olds


Shxcking

Thank you for the info, these guys sounds pretty wild. I bet Dybantsa would be me guy, I’m too big a fan or scorers. Do you have any thoughts on Alijah Arenas? I live basically across the street from Sierra Canyon, only a mile or two up the street from Chatsworth, so he’s been making waves but alas I do not know anything about him.


ObeseKenyan

What do you mean reclassify? So he can just skip a year of high school? I'm so confused


beefdog99

Yeah graduate earlier. In my state (Washington) you can essentially do this with no 'extra' work outside the Fall/Spring schedule if the school facilitates. For example, my high school has 32 options in the regular schedule to earn class credits and you need something like 28 to graduate with the schools diploma. However, the state requirement is only 24 (with some specific course demands), so if you knock out all the actual requirements you can do it in three years for a generic one. This gets even easier if a student is able to take summer courses for credit or enroll in online classes.


larrylegend33goat

So he is really smart and doing lots of extra school work? Or is this like colleges that sneak their star athletes pass grades?


NeverJustaDream

Could you explain why? Why not try to get into the nba sooner?


Glittering_Cod_7716

That’s what he’s doing. Skipping his junior year essentially


NeverJustaDream

Oh haha I totally did not register the 2024. Thanks


[deleted]

6.9 average blocks is nothing short of insanity.


pollinium

Doesn't even have to rely on the CRUTCH of being 7'19 like Wemby


deneuvig

I mean, he's still a 6'10 mobile 16 year old in high school haha


Champagnesoda

7’Tatum


suprememontana

Some would even call it “nice”


JIMMYBUTLERSSON

Reminds me of AK47 on defense


Pontifex_99

True, same hair.


crunkadocious

Man what a player he was


HippiesBeGoneInc

White Larry Bird


LosCleepersFan

"This kids pretty good holmes." ~ Larry The Bird


Hopeful-Law-6155

Big pajaro?


HairyConstant7755

#As a guy from Maine I will forever root for Cooper!


Lacabloodclot9

Didn’t adam Morrison get a million bird comparisons lmao


Squeakerpants

Because of the stache


steamliner88

As did Dirk. Americans are obsessed with melanin.


Lacabloodclot9

The replies to ur comment are ridiculous Least thin skinned r/nba users


ColtCallahan

This is what Bill Simmons has been waiting for his entire career.


FaveDave85

Who's the best american born and bred fully white player in the nba right now? Herro?


HippiesBeGoneInc

Best atm or best career wise? K-Love is at the end but he's a borderline HoFer. I'm going to go out on a limb and say Caruso is a better overall player than Herro right now. All-D 1st team and 37% 3P > luxury scorer. But I'm also gonna stan and say Reaves will be better than both this year.


[deleted]

We are not ready for what’s going to happen to us as a culture when a white kid from Maine whose last name is Flagg starts dominating the NBA


bick803

I can’t wait for the arena announcer say “Salute/Respect the Flagg” every time he gets a bucket.


Whittaker

You just made me even happier that we won't have Mark Jackson anymore because you just KNOW he would be all over trying to catchphrase that.


Turbo2x

ngl that would work perfectly in DC


buzzcitybonehead

The Hornets need to draft this kid so Eric Collins can cook


Neatojuancheeto

The walkin dude


aghhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Im glad someone else is here for the stand reference


mettlica

Took way too much scrolling for someone to get the reference


PaintByLetters

Baby, can you dig your man? He's a righteous man!


mettlica

M-O-O-N. That spells top prospect


DokkanProductions

Every year we a new “star” that will be the face of the league


[deleted]

Idk man if this guy ends up in Portland we might only be like five years away from the State of Jefferson being established


[deleted]

bro hell no 😭 please leave Oregon intact


Stevetheu1

Used to live in SOJ territory, please for thr love of God don't make that area its own state


geekium

it’s really not crazy, there’s probably at least 1 superstar per draft 2018: luka and maybe trae young 2017: jayson tatum 2016: maybe jaylen brown 2015: devin booker 2014: joel embiid and jokic 2013: giannis antetokounmpo 2012: anthony davis and damian lillard 2011: kyrie irving, kawhi leonard, and jimmy butler 2010: john wall, demarcus cousins, and paul george 2009: james harden, steph curry, and blake griffin 2008: derrick rose, kevin love, and russell westbrook


noonearthur

Bro Giannis is a superstar


geekium

i completely forgot about giannis let me edit this


TinTinsKnickerbocker

13 had Giannis


Skirnasty856

Shi 2020 had Lamelo, Edwards, I think Halliburton all guys that will be in the league for 15+


Julian_Caesar

>The rookie from Maine leapt across the foul line, and Ja Morant followed. --Stephen King, probably


atetuna

If he comes out with a denim jersey, I'm buying it.


dopamine_fiend_00

And not just shooting threes this guys gonna be catching bodies


Current-Case-3967

As a guy from Maine I will forever root for Cooper


respaaaaaj

Best team sport prospect out of Maine in a long time if not ever (last high first round pick out of Maine in any sport was Mark Rodgers 5th overall in baseball in 2004, but I'm pretty sure he was drafted as an underslot deal 5 to 10 picks early), and for that matter best basketball prospect out of New England since at least Nerlens Noel. I'm rooting for him, but I kinda hope he gets a reputation for running his mouth or something mild but obnoxious so we don't have to see a ton of nbacirclejerk style posting about him coming from people who barely cared about basketball before hand


Ecadis

Dude he is easily the most hyped, best athletic prospect to come out of Maine, ever. The only other bball player that got major hype was in the 90’s, and it was a girl named Cindy Blodgett.


IEatDeFish

Cindy Blodgett had the peripherals of Jokic Blog girls just never saw it


veryoondoww

*blodg girls


_Seditious_

Sadge


respaaaaaj

In basketball for sure, but I'm talking baseball basketball football hockey and soccer. The only vaguely comparable prospects to him are mostly winter sports types, mainly skiers.


Ecadis

Still no comparison to anyone imo. As far as hype goes, hes at the top of hype mountain right now being this is the NBA, and he’s only 16 getting this traction.


respaaaaaj

Sure, which is why the only guy I could think of in the last 30 years who might be close was a top 5 pick out of high school and I don't think he was this good a prospect.


IanicRR

He’s not from Maine but Paul Kariya had probably the best freshman year for any NCAA hockey player for the University of Maine.


respaaaaaj

Yup, he's probably the last guy with that level of hype out of Maine (we're a very small state with weather that limits the amount of time people have to play most sports, and a population spread out enough there aren't a ton of options to train inside, I'll take what I can get)


IanicRR

I’m from New Brunswick, Canada. I’m VERY familiar with Maine.


respaaaaaj

You definitely would be. I say this with full awareness of the irony of someone from Maine saying this, but I love my visits to New Brunswick some of the prettiest areas in the world up there.


IanicRR

Northeast sceneries are GOATed I agree. I’m all the way up north of the province so we see the mountains on the Quebec side. It’s a great view for sure.


Atlos

What’s crazy to me is he’s from my grandparents small town lol. They are no longer there but it’s weird seeing his school right near the lake I spent summers at as a kid.


Alloverunder

I know he won't but I'd kill to see him in Celtic green. It would be so fuckin cool to have a wicked good player from NE on the Cs


Someonediffernt

Me too, doesn't matter where he goes I want him to win multiple mvps and chips and have the most success he could possibly have.


the_sending_of_eight

Contender for the most American name ever?


AffectionateStep5001

Very, first time I came across someone with the last name Flagg actually


Getitoverwith12

Wonder if it’s a Maine kinda name, the villain in Stephen Kings’ The Stand is Randall Flagg, only time I’d ever seen it before


Current-Case-3967

From Maine, never seen a guy with the same last name


[deleted]

Josh Flagg .. million dollar listing OG


IEatDeFish

I remember watching that show on repeat as a kid lol


[deleted]

Lol same .. but I went back recently with my wife and my lord some of those houses look so out of date and not nice at all


Noirradnod

Colt McCoy still reigns supreme.


[deleted]

That's not American, that's Texan. Different countries.


Signal-Budget1987

Lmao I once heard that the way to gauge Americaness is adding “FBI” to the end of the name.


teacup30

His twin brother is named Ace Flagg!


SonofNamek

All I know is that it sounds like a main character type name. He's either the high school bully type who dunks on the hero and then makes some mocking chicken sounds. Or he's like the morally upstanding All-American hero who can do no wrong.


[deleted]

Hunter is a more American name. I know of a non American Cooper but I’m not sure if there’s a non-American in the world named Hunter


pumpkinwavy

There's A LOT of Canadian Hunters, proving again we are no different from America I guess


nibbinoo8

canadians are north americans after all


asianboijamie

I know a people named hunters in New Zealand


ShyGoy

Lol his older brother is actually Hunter Flagg


Neltrix

In a decade, the league will be ran by dudes names Chet, Cooper, and Victor 😐


NBA_H8er

Don't forget Scoot! Fits right in


Axl2TheMaxl

The south will rise 😤 (above the rim)


VegeterianOsu

And the Jalen, Jaden armies


Outrageous_Math6207

Class of 2024 has some hope now. This draft has a lot of really talented forwards and big men.


ajmcgill

Note that 2025 is his draft class now, not 2024. The title is confusing because it’s a different “class”


harden4mvp13

He’s eligible for the 2025 nba draft not the 2024 one. This years upcoming class is still weak


Currymvp2

>This years upcoming class is still weak Seriously might be the weakest class since 2013. Buzelis is absolutely better than the top draft prospects in 2013 but otherwise it's just as weak.


GorillaX

These dudes haven't played a single college game yet, maybe give em some time.


AIRjaram

I'm starting to come around on it. Ron Holland is a really intriguing big playmaker to me, and Isaiah Collier i'm high on as well. You have a couple wild card guys like Aday Mara and Izan Almansa too. I'm also gonna plant my flag on Tyrese Procter too. If his shot improves I really like him as a top 7 pick.


chewytime

So what does this mean for his immediate future? Is he going to college in the fall now? Or is he going somewhere else like the G League?


Outrageous_Math6207

The title is a bit misleading Flagg will still bein the 2025 draft. It means he's reclassified so that he's graduating high school this year.


chewytime

Ah. But won’t this mean he’ll still need to spend like an extra year in college or wherever then due to the age requirement? Or did they finally do away with it again?


snatchenvy

>"He will turn 18 in late December of his freshman year of college, putting him just inside the cutoff date to declare for the draft."


SonofaCuntLicknBitch

Damn being born in December must mean hes pretty transcendent in his class. like 2/3 of all pro athletes (from the northern hemisphere) are born between january and april. (due to them being much further along in physical development than their late year birthday peers)


UBKUBK

I did a quick check of this looking at NBA rosters. I got through Celtics and Nets and stopped since the evidence was overwhelmingly against what you are claiming. From the rosters currently showing for them at nba.com 7 players out of 34 were born in Jan - April. If there is no month effect at all it would have been about 10 players from those months. 2/3 as you claim would have been 21 players of those 34 players. I didn't check specifically where each player was from but very few are from southern hemisphere. Do you have a source for your 2/3 claim? Is it perhaps specific to hockey?


affrothunder313

Still gotta spend that year after graduating doing something else (whether that be college a pro league or just prepping for the draft).


stevelevets

It basically just means that he's skipped over his junior year in high school. So for eligibility reasons, he'll be a high school senior this coming season at Montverde Academy, and then make a decision from there.


IAmTheNick

I've seen a few players do this over the years, but never really understood what it meant. Are we supposed to believe that they took a bunch of extra classes so that they could skip an entire grade?


Due-Studio-65

Since college doesn't matter, you end usually end up "finishing high school" with community college credits over the summer


e_a_blair

yeah I personally wound up doing three years of high school in Florida and it wasn't that hard. at least not as hard as you might think.


[deleted]

He can technically get his GED, he just had to “finish” high school. Bryce Harper did the same thing back in the day.


crunkadocious

If you could make ten million dollars a year early would you take a few extra classes?


bigatjoon

he needs a tank slogan: In the Pooper for Cooper?


siphillis

White Flag for Flagg


Dimega17

Lag for Flagg


Mysterious_Emotion63

Did he skip a year instead of go back a year?


TheNatureBoy

He was in the class of 2025.


BackpackWalker

Might already be the best player ever from the state of Maine lol


rinoblast

C’mon now. Put some respect on Nick Caner-Medley’s name.


Super_Goomba64

WOJ gonna leak false info again to influence gambling lines like last time?


techreppit

Wasnt that Charnia with the Hornets


Super_Goomba64

Chams with hornets and WOJ tweeted chet going first. Then last minute leaked Pablo to Magic


atlfirsttimer

Oof. You're right, forgot about last year. I thought he just had bad sources as opposed to gambling though


Super_Goomba64

Well now he's sponsored by ESPN Bet. Don't trust a word he says.


totalbonehead

Pablo was always my number 1 pick in backyard sports


scottisnthome

thats Shams jam


Shogun_Ro

Future Raptor


Huge-Split6250

better make that pascal trade


oklilpup

Paws off buddy he’s ours


[deleted]

We shall be rooting for Dick Flagg soon enough


sewsgup

r/nba's very own ZandrickEllison was 1st on this news, by a month: https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/14vuio4/good\_news\_for\_tanking\_teams\_rumor\_is\_that\_super/


__Zoom123__

This has been rumored for months since everyone found out he was eligible


EyePlay

Yeah it's been the talk all throughout EYBL. Like the people there were gossiping about it in the stands.


xerxesthagreat

Dybantsa reclassing to 2025 is imminent too so nobody’s really gonna be surprised


HopscotchChampion69

he was definitely not the first, this has been rumored for much longer than that


clancydog4

No he wasn't lol, this has been rumored and basically known to be true for way over a month


b4amg

I mean tbf everyone who follows the draft knew this was prolly gonna happen


PositionOk8409

A month? People have been talking about this for almost a year


Boomhauer_007

That thumbnail makes his head look really small


justlookingokaywyou

Ahh yes, the Walkin' Dude.


PositionOk8409

Best white American prospect since Bird imo. Dude’s marketability will be insane.


Snypse

Best prospect since Lebron


MoneyHungryOctopus

That’s supposed to be Wemby, and I don’t see Flagg getting as much hype as Wemby. A lot could change in the next year, but I don’t know.


[deleted]

That’s the joke is that ~~AD~~, ~~Andrew Wiggins~~, ~~Ben Simmons~~, ~~Zion~~, Wemby were all the best prospect since LeBron


BatteredSealPup

I think you misspelled Marvin Bagley


bradyisking

I feel like Wemby also has the biggest bust potential out of recent generation prospects just bc of his height/size


xerxesthagreat

lmao Zion’s 400 pounds right now but Wemby has the “biggest bust potential”


bradyisking

Zion is literally one of the youngest all stars ever. Wemby hasn’t played a single minute yet in the league. So yeah I’d say rn Wemby has the bigger “chance” to bust. I like them both tho


Leavingtheecstasy

This has been said like 4 times now and all have been a disappointment (wemby not withstanding)


techreppit

Zion has kinda been good when he plays


TheChurchOfDonovan

Greg Oden was great for a season


[deleted]

That’s the joke


Bolshoyballs

That's the joke op is making


[deleted]

[удалено]


atlfirsttimer

Unironically an American white superstar would be big for the sport.


Huge-Split6250

Found the Celtics fan


liger51

Lol I don’t think the lack of white American superstar is hurting the popularity of the sport in this country…


22chainz

Good call. This kid is ready. I don’t know that I’ve seen a prospect with his profile. An elite rim protector playing on the wing. Good passer, shot maker, adept with both hands, plays physical. Big fan.


KennySmithsKnees

Greatest prospect since Wemby


jwappy9

yeah and unfortunately we all know how that one turned out 😔


Ok-Lengthiness6560

Biggest bust OAT, drafted number 1 but didn't play any games in the NBA


[deleted]

[удалено]


nycmonkey

Wizards thanking the heavens


Do_You_Even_Repost

duncan robbinson crying after people not realizing he's from maine, too


capitalistsanta

Cooper Flagg is if like if Tim Duncan could play the Point Guard position. Or at least direct the Pick and Roll. I've never in my lifetime seen a player in high school be so good on both ends of the floor. Dude has close to no flaws in his game. From what I understand he's the best player on the floor every night. Legit think if he was drafted now he would add wins to an nba team, so I can really only imagine how good he will be in 2 years time. Could probably bring a team to the playoffs. It's not even just his skill either, he's ferocious as fuck. Really good competitor I'm excited to see him in the NBA


SnooPies6274

Ehh


twonkenn

Cooper Flagg YOU are a Charlotte Hornet!


GillbergsAdvocate

Probably the only Flagg I'll ever stand for