Let's combine the 2025, 2026 NBA draft classes: Wh...
Key takeaways
- Flagg, who reclassified to graduate high school in 2024, is roughly the same age (or in some cases, younger) than many of the top freshmen in this draft class.
- What if Flagg had stuck to his original high school class, played at Duke last season and entered the 2026 draft?
- Yes, this is a tricky exercise in hindsight -- especially after he just averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
Rewind a few years, and recall that the Dallas Mavericks star was originally part of the 2025 high school class, going head-to-head for several years against AJ Dybantsa, Cameron Boozer and Darryn Peterson, each of whom is expected to go in the top three in the draft next week. Flagg, who reclassified to graduate high school in 2024, is roughly the same age (or in some cases, younger) than many of the top freshmen in this draft class.
What if Flagg had stuck to his original high school class, played at Duke last season and entered the 2026 draft? How would he stack up vs. a loaded group of prospects? Would he still have gone No. 1?
Yes, this is a tricky exercise in hindsight -- especially after he just averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game. In my mind, the answer is simple.