2025 NBA Draft: Paul George would take Ace Bailey over Cooper Flagg

2025 NBA Draft: Paul George would take Ace Bailey over Cooper Flagg

We are exactly four months away from the 2025 NBA Draft.

The class is expected to be highlighted by Duke sensation Cooper Flagg, on of the most hyped prospects in recent memory. He won’t turn 19-years-old until next December and is arguably the best player in college basketball. Not to mention, he already turned multiple heads before he stepped foot at Duke.

There are plenty of very good prospects at the top of the draft, even though Flagg is the slam dunk prospects. Though current 76ers forward Paul George recently voiced his opinion on Podcast P with Paul George about taking another 18-year-old college basketball star over Flagg if he had to pick one of them come draft night.

“I would go Ace Bailey,” he said. “I think Ace is a little bit more raw talent with still a ton of upside. Not to say [Cooper Flagg] doesn’t have upside–he has amazing upside as well–I think Ace Bailey has a little bit more upside to him. I think he can scratch a little bit more off his surface than Cooper Flagg can, which I think both will be All-Stars, both will be superstars once they develop and get to the NBA.”

"I would go Ace Bailey. I think Ace is a little bit more raw talent with still a ton of upside… I think he can scratch a little bit more off his surface than Cooper Flagg can."

Paul George says he'd draft Ace over Flagg 😳

(via @PodcastPShow)pic.twitter.com/VvAor59qPn

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 26, 2025

Ace Bailey is one of the most gifted shotmakers in this class. Despite not having a below-average handle without a quick first step, he’s still averaging 18.4 points on 46.4/36.7/68.9 shooting splits, in addition to 7.2 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 33.3 minutes per game.

Bailey has a very high release point at 6-foot-10 and has plenty of lift on his jumper, making it nearly impossible to block. He’s a gifted tough shot-maker while being a dead-eye spot-up shooter from beyond the arc when he gets his feet set under him.

Though I still don’t think there’s a cogent argument to take him over Flagg, respectfully. Both players have incredibly high upside, but I’m not so sure that Bailey’s is higher than Flagg’s.

2025 NBA Draft: There is no legitimate argument that Cooper Flagg shouldn’t go No. 1 overall

Flagg is averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks on 49.1 percent shooting, including 37.5 percent from 3-point range and 82.1 percent from the free-throw line. His 3-point shooting has continued to improve throughout conference play on legitimate volume (3.8 3PA), where he’s averaging an absurd 21.4 points on 53.7/44.6/85.0 shooting splits.

The 6-foot-9 has continued to improve as the season’s gone on. His handle, playmaking, on-ball and off-ball defense are all better than Bailey’s, although I think Bailey’s a better defender and defender than his numbers may suggest. Both players have the ability to takeover any game at any given point, but Flagg is far more consistent with better decision-making while being a superior defender. Flagg can still improve his game in myriad areas, too.

Like George, I think both players will be very good, but I far more questions about Bailey than I do Flagg. Who would you take No. 1 overall? Let us know in the comments!

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