How Would Cooper Flagg Fit on the Wizards?

His defensive package, one of his defining attributes, stems from his intelligence on the basketball court and that same confidence that's helped him grow in other areas.

Flagg was vocal on the court in quarterbacking an attentive Blue Devils defense, calling out rotations while he floated between unshakable on-ball defense and wrecking plays as a handsy helper. None of that would be possible without his motor, energy and fight, palpable elements of Flagg's persona that define every minute he's on a court.

Remember: he'll still be 18 on draft night, and won't turn 19 until well within his rookie season.

Combining Physical Measurables with Intangibles

Part of what makes Flagg's hulking 6'9 build so much more intimidating is his raw feel, an inherent understanding of how to best maximize a point guard's brain inside the body of a forward.

Among his vast assortment of skills, few pop out to draft experts quite as strongly as his playmaking, one of the features that teams look for first in judging how a player will translate to the NBA.

Flagg isn't just a talented passer; his vision is natural. It's one thing to stand at the top of the key and wait for plays to develop, while the most talented distributors can read and react in real time. Flagg proved himself as one of college's finest live-ball passers, reading the game in front of him for what it offered and making the best possible play any chance he got.

If there's one thing to ding Flagg on, it's the lack of a superstar NBA upside. He keeps things pretty simple for himself as a high-level jack-of-all-trades, but some analysts question how he'd pivot with his back potentially against the wall when he's yet to demonstrate a go-to move or that takeover-scoring edge.

To that, it's fair to argue that he just hasn't been in the position to wield that yet. He spent his lone Duke campaign alongside multiple projected lottery picks in Khaman Maluach and Kon Knueppel, but that isn't a reason to bet against him. As previously stated, he's one of the fastest and most willing growers we've seen in some time, the kind of competitor who'll always find a way to be valuable.

Washington, already in the midst of developing their own legion of defenders and shooters, could work wonders with a big connector like Flagg. He'd perfectly align with their similarly-young timetable, an ace defender to pair with defensive anchor Sarr and their numerous wing stoppers in George and Justin Champagnie. He could also initiate offense by himself, taking some of the burden off of Jordan Poole and filling in anywhere necessary to get his dependent teammates going.

The 18-year-old is not just the safe pick, but the obvious one.