Analyzing Cooper Flagg's fit with the Charlotte Hornets

Scoring

Although Flagg has been a one-of-one all-around prospect since his days on the EYBL circuit as a skinny kid from Maine, scouts often questioned his overall package as a scorer. Worries about his jump shot quelled some of the hype around him before he arrived on campus at Duke as a bright-eyed 17-year-old freshman.

Unfortunately for the haters, Flagg proved all of them wrong.

He developed into a deadly shooter in his lone college season. Flagg knocked down 39% of his catch-and-shoot attempts (on 100 attempts), 40.6% of his jumpers off the dribble (13/32, a small sample size), and 43.5% off his shots running off screens (10/23) (stats via @redcooteay on X).

While the volume doesn't quite match this draft classes' elite shooting prospects (Kon Knueppel and Tre Johnson, for example), Flagg's improved mechanics and 84% free throw percentage are points in favor of those that believe he will become an efficient jump shooter at the next level.

Flagg's improved footwork in the mid-range area and around the cup make him a versatile three-level scoring threat. Those traits combined with his explosive athleticism created Sportscenter Top 10 highlights in his freshman campaign and led to his moderate to solid efficiency in those areas of the floor (Flagg shot 60% on close twos and 52.7% on twos overall as a freshman).

Cooper is adept at finishing through contact, a trait he has developed over time due to him playing against competition that is more seasoned than him. Flagg re-classed during his junior year of high school to get to Duke a year earlier than his birth age permitted. He's been playing older competition for most of his life, and when he reached his highest level to date, Flagg dominated the NCAA on his way to becoming the youngest National Player of the Year the in history of the sport.

Lastly, Flagg is well beyond his years when it comes to recognizing mismatches, attacking them swiftly, and drawing free throws. His 42.9 free throw rate isn't the most special number, but his skill in this area is projectable and a way he will win on offense at the NBA level.

Play making

This is the most intriguing part of Flagg's overall offensive package.

Duke operated without a traditional point guard for much of 2024-25 as Jon Scheyer felt comfortable with Flagg at the controls. The 6'9" freshman functioned as a point forward in Duke's offense and handled the role gracefully.

Statistically speaking, Flagg's assist rate (26.8), turnover rate (13.5), and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.0) grade out well above average across the country. However, the stats aren't the fun part here.

In the second half of Duke's Sweet 16 win against Arizona, Flagg put on a passing display for the ages. No-look dimes and inch-perfect lobs off drives and post ups sliced through the Wildcat defense like a hot knife through butter. Flagg's eagle-eyed awareness of the entire court while he has the ball in his hands opens up a world of opportunities for an offense that he is piloting.

As a pick-and-roll ball handler, Flagg has answers to all sorts of coverages.

You're going to trap him? He'll throw a 40-foot cross-court skip pass over the double team into the shooting pocket of a spotted up teammate.

You want to play at the level? Flagg will attack the defense and drop a slick pocket pass into the waiting arms of a cutting teammate.

Right hand, left hand, two-hands, it doesn't matter how you play defense on Flagg, he'll find a pass if it's there. He boasts the type of supercomputer processing chip in his brain that all of the great playmakers have installed in their hardwiring.

He was used as a primary pick-and-roll ball handler as an 18-year-old college freshman and didn't just survive. He thrived. Flagg's ceiling as a point forward is limitless, and although Charlotte has two heavy-usage primary options already in LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller, Charles Lee would be doing himself a disservice if he didn't allow Flagg to operate the offense from time to time.

Defense

Much of what is true about Flagg's offense is also true about his defense.

Mentally, it's all there. Flagg is never out of position as defender because his basketball IQ is genius-level. He is hyper-aware of everyone's positioning on the court and barks out orders to his teammates to get everyone on the same page.

As a help defender, Flagg shines. His quick twitch muscles sync up perfectly with his brain to allow him to fly in and block shots at the rim and knock away pass attempts in the gaps. Cooper has a plus wingspan and a sturdy frame and has mastered his physical gifts to be come a special off-ball defender.

Dating back to his high school days, Flagg has always projected as an eraser on defense. As an on-ball defender, his ceiling is limited due to his upright stance and average lateral agility, but that's a nitpicky critique that gets overlooked due to how he flies around in a team defense setting. He may get beat one-on-one at times, but it's not enough to truly knock him as a defender overall.

He crashes the glass with vigor and will make an impact on the boards Moussa Diabate style: by wanting the ball more than anyone on the floor. His insatiable desire on the glass, highlight reel blocks, long-armed steals, and elite basketball IQ will make him one of the league's preeminent fast break starters from day one in the NBA.

Intangibles

Folks around the Duke program couldn't speak higher of Flagg. He's the type of player that will change the culture of the organization that drafts him just because of how hard he works. Flagg attacks every week, every day, every practice, every possession, and every second like it matters, because to him, it does.

In this draft class Flagg is the leader of the pack among a group of dawgs. For as good as Flagg projects to be as a basketball player, his character and off-court impact could be even greater. By all accounts, he is the idealistic face of the franchise, a trait that will sell front office executives on both him and Dylan Harper among the draft classes' top prospects.

Flagg's fit in Charlotte

Although Cooper Flagg would slide in nicely into any front court in the Association, he'd be a perfect fit in Charlotte. Imagining a supersized lineup including LaMelo Ball, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges, Flagg, and Mark Williams gets Hornets fans drooling. The blend of size, shooting, playmaking, defensive potential, and highlight-reel action is intoxicating.

Charlotte's culture shift was started by Jeff Peterson and Charles Lee. Their consistent refrain of building 'Hornets DNA' would be echoed beautifully by Flagg's mentality. He's a perfect on-court fit, he matches the team's newfound genetic instruction, and he's an all-time great 'can't miss' prospect.

Don't overthink this one - Flagg is the real deal, deserving of the hype, and would be the perfect face of this franchise's next era.

- MORE STORIES FROM HORNETS ON SI -

Would Lakers redo Mark Williams trade? Revisiting the rescinded deal with the Hornets

Who are the most realistic players the Hornets could acquire from a Celtics' roster blow-up?

NBA insider suggests Hornets' future outlook isn't so bleak

Jusuf Nurkic mock trade: Hornets-Lakers deal doesn't fall through this time