Cooper Flagg is the clear grand prize of the 2025 NBA Draft, and whatever team that lands the top overall pick will undoubtedly select the 6-foot-9 two-way superstar.
Whatever team that ends up with the No. 2 overall pick shouldn’t be too upset, though. The consolation prize for this year’s draft is Rutgers guard Dylan Harper who stands at 6-foot-6.
The star freshman averaged 19.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and four assists while shooting 48.4% from the field, 33.3% from behind the arc and 75% from the free-throw line. Harper was a superstar-caliber player all year long for the Scarlet Knights as he showcased takeover ability in games and was the offensive engine all year long.
He can be quite ball dominant and he’s at his best when the ball is in his hands. So the question now is what team could best utilize Harper and what organization is the best overall team fit. There are a lot of teams where Harper fits very well, but the team that pops the most is the Washington Wizards.
The Wizards had the second worst record in the NBA this past season and overall struggled to have consistent guard play. Guys like Jordan Poole and Bub Carrington certainly show promise but don’t quite have the ceiling that Harper possesses. It’s clear that the French players on this Wizards squad will be a key piece to their future between Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly.
Adding an elite on-ball creator like Harper to the mix would be incredible for their future. The 6-foot-6 lead guard has the ability to get consistent paint touches, create his own shot and his vision is impressive. He does a great job of finding the open teammates out of the pick and roll or in the open floor which is why it’s easy to envision him and Sarr playing extremely well together.
Sarr is great at running the floor, he’s a lob threat, can space the floor and shows overall a lot of promise on the offensive end. The 7-foot-1 big man is more comfortable as the number two option so this would allow Harper to step up into that number one option which is best suited for his game.
The question now remains who actually ends up with the second overall pick? Harper will be the clear best player available at this pick and he should be the selection regardless of what team is drafting here.
