Mar 12, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Ace Bailey (4) shoots the ball while USC Trojans guard Kevin Patton Jr. (8) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Three NBA Rookies Who Could Develop Into No. 1 Scoring Options

Originally posted on NBA Draft on SI | By Derek Parker | Last updated Aug 26, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Despite the Thunder’s defensive-minded approach in winning the league’s title months ago, the NBA is still wholly offense-focused.

Defense has become a focal point for many contending teams, but offense is still needed to hang with the league’s best. And more often than not, the top draftees each year are taken in hopes of becoming top scoring options on their respective teams.

Below, we’ll evaluate three rookies with the clearest pathways toward becoming their team’s leading scorers:

Cooper Flagg, Mavericks

The top pick in Cooper Flagg is an easy addition to this list, having taken over Duke as a superstar, and offering the NBA plenty of the same.

At 6-foot-9, he has a relatively simple offensive packaged centered around handling the ball and creating with rare shiftiness and physicality for his size. But he’s fairly unstoppable all the same, having averaged over 19 points per game with the Blue Devils en route to multiple national player of the year awards.

Flagg won’t take the scoring crown away from Anthony Davis or Kyrie Irving anytime soon, but projects to be the Mavericks’ focal point in a matter of years. And he’ll have all the tools to thrive offensively.

Blake Griffin on Cooper Flagg: “He is the most complete player we've seen come into the NBA in recent memory."

(via @PostMovesShow, h/t @Fullcourtpass) pic.twitter.com/dI2wyKQS7w
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) August 21, 2025

Tre Johnson, Wizards

Tre Johnson, too, is an easy pick here. He averaged just shy of 20 points per game across his time with Texas, and parlayed that into immediate pro success scoring 19.5 points per game at Summer League with Washington.

He’s perhaps the best pure offensive prospect in the class, having the shake and touch to get his inside, but primarily lighting it up from beyond the arc with blistering jump-shooting.

Even more, Johnson is the first offensive-minded blue-chip prospect in the Wizards’ rebuild, and joins a team that is set to be one of the worst in the league next season.

Can't stop watching this Tre Johnson play ‍ https://t.co/myCeHGSjcT pic.twitter.com/9zhBDdtIfR
— NBA (@NBA) July 12, 2025

Ace Bailey, Jazz

Despite his flashy scoring season at Rutgers, Ace Bailey feels a weird inclusion here. But it’s impossible to leave one of the highest-upside players in the class off the list.

Bailey didn’t fully live up to the hype in his one-and-done season — and absurd statement considering he went for 17.6 points on 46% shooting overall. That alone should be a testament to just how high his ceiling as a potential three-level scoring wing is.

The version of Ace Bailey that takes a one to two dribbles and makes a quick decision might be the best version we get next season

He has the potential to be a special off-ball scorer with his length and shot-making abilitiespic.twitter.com/Fmbm6F4LnH
— Jazz Lead (@JazzLead) August 12, 2025

Bailey has a long way to go developmentally — certainly farther than Flagg and Johnson — but if things fall his way, he’s certain to be an offensive star. And potentially one of the best scorers in the league.

This article first appeared on NBA Draft on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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