Randy Brown on Cooper Flagg, 2025 NBA Draft, and NBA Hot Topics
We interviewed the former Chicago Bulls champion Randy Brown on many of the top stories surrounding the NBA: Cooper Flagg, the looming Kevin Durant trade, top prospects in the 2025 NBA Draft, and even the potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade.
Cooper Flagg is tipped to be a future face of the NBA, however some people have doubts over his ceiling - where do you sit on the debate?
"I've been around the NBA since 1991, and everybody always has their doubts about draft position every year.
"I watched Cooper Flagg last summer at USA basketball in Las Vegas, and that was some stiff competition for the kid to go through.
"He was playing against some stars and some future Hall of Famers, so I think he did pretty well.
"I think he's coming into the NBA at the perfect time. He's athletic, he guards well, and plays hard.
"I think his ceiling is going to be really high. I'm not sure what people have doubts about with him as a player because I think the way he plays is set up for him to be really good in the NBA.
"I'm looking forward to seeing him in the NBA. I'm assuming he'll go to the Dallas Mavericks, and they won't trade away the pick.
"So, I'm looking forward to seeing him in a Dallas Mavericks uniform, and I think he'll become a great player in the NBA."
The Dallas Mavericks were heavily criticized for the Luka Dončić decision, but with having the first pick, will that ease the pressure on the front office from unhappy fans?
"I think it will take the pressure off a little bit.
"I actually believe if Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis didn't get injured before the playoffs, then the Dallas Mavericks were going to be a scary opposition.
"Adding Cooper Flagg to that mix makes them better. I'm not sure what Kyrie Irving's health will look like for the beginning of the season, but I think the way Dallas plays could be a scary proposition.
"The way they guard, and they're an athletic team that gets up and down the floor.
"Players want to work with Jason Kidd as a coach, so I think this is the perfect situation for a kid like Cooper Flagg to enter the NBA as a rookie."
Another Duke star tipped for a top 10 pick is Kon Knueppel. Is he going under the radar slightly due to Flagg being the first overall pick?
"I think he is flying under the radar a little bit.
"Although I'm employed by the Bulls as a team ambassador, I go to the draft treating it as if I'm still involved in the front office.
"I had to go back to watch more Duke games because of the attention Cooper Flagg was getting, just to look more closely at Kon Knueppel.
"So, he was flying under the radar, but I like him a lot from what I've seen.
"He's got a great body, and he can shoot the ball well.
"His draft pick is going to be up in the air in terms of where he ends up going, but you're looking at a top-five pick, or at least top 10.
"The way he shoots the ball is a skill that teams need in the NBA.
"I'm looking at the team's draft position and the teams that are in need of shooting, and that's exactly what Kon Knueppel brings to the table.
"He does that well, so I think it'll be interesting to see who takes him on."
Dylan Harper is predicted to move to the San Antonio Spurs, could that link up with Victor Wembanyama be a scary prospect for the rest of the league for years to come?
"I'm a huge fan of Dylan Harper for a lot of reasons.
"Obviously, I played with his dad Ron Harper at the Bulls, and I was kicking back with him the other day, telling him Dylan was going to be a top-10 pick.
"He immediately corrected me, but Dylan Harper going to San Antonio would be a great move for him.
"I know a lot of people are comparing him to Jalen Brunson, and I can understand that comparison.
"But he's a special talent. He's got size, his basketball IQ is off the charts, and he shoots it a lot better than what people initially think.
"I think the Spurs are setting us up to have Victor Wembanyama on TV a lot.
"Adding Dylan Harper to that mix is a great prospect. It would be different with the dynamic of being with De'Aaron Fox as well.
"But Dylan Harper is definitely a special talent. The Spurs are setting themselves up to add a bunch of talent around Wemby.
"They need this kid on TV, and they need to be winning more basketball games.
"He will not be used to losing, so Dylan being drafted to the Spurs is a no-brainer for me.
"Seeing those two together is interesting. Wemby handles the ball a lot and draws a lot of attention, so he needs to play with a lot of skilled players who can shoot at times.
"Other times, he'll have to be involved in the pick-and-roll, which Dylan has shown he's a really good passer in the pick-and-roll.
"The chemistry will work with the way they play.
"I have to be careful with the way I use the term 'small markets' in the NBA, but as we can see, there are two teams in the NBA Finals who are small markets.
"I don't consider the San Antonio Spurs a small market; they're a franchise who are used to winning.
"So, adding Dylan Harper into the mix with Wemby I think is a scary combination. The Spurs are going to be around for a long time."
Harper’s Rutgers teammate Ace Bailey is also one of the top prospects in this year’s draft. What do you make of his game compared to Harpers?
"Different dynamic between the two, but I like the kid.
"Looking at his size, I thought he was 6'8, then I'm hearing 6'9 and 6'10. He's long, athletic, and he kind of reminds me of Paul George.
"He won't be on the draft board long because he's what the NBA is leaning towards.
"The NBA is leaning towards the youth. Guys who can run, jump, shoot, and guard are intriguing to NBA teams.
"Ace Bailey has a lot of tools, and a lot of skills that is going to help a team.
"For some reason, he and Dylan didn't do well at Rutgers. I'm not sure why, but I'm pretty sure they were both bored and ready to get to the NBA.
"Ace Bailey is what the NBA is going towards. Athletes who are 6'9, 6'10 that can run, jump, shoot the ball, and play both ends."
Many are tipping Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe to be a top five pick. How do you think his game translates to the NBA and do you have any pro comparisons?
"Three and D.
"He's super athletic. I deep dive a little bit, and watch some of the guys combine interviews.
"This kid is a student of the game, it's kind of scary to see a kid that young with a level head and understanding what he's up against.
"I'm excited to see him come into the NBA. I'm not sure what draft position he comes in at, but you're thinking easily a top 10 pick.
"He shoots the ball well enough to be in the rotation today. He's athletic, and he can guard well, so that will be intriguing to these teams now.
"Guys who can make a shot and guard. These guys will find their way onto the floor on most NBA teams.
"NBA teams are not shying away from playing young guys anymore, so with the way he plays, and the style he plays the game will make him find his way to the NBA floor sooner than he thinks."
Texas’ Tre Johnson is another guard who could potentially go top five. How high do you think his ceiling is in the NBA?
"He's another kid who is one to watch.
"I always look at the draft at some of these young guys to see what they can bring to the table.
"He's a dynamic scorer and a good ball handler. No disrespect when I say this, but he reminds me a lot of Jamal Crawford.
"Every NBA team goes into training camp saying they want to be a team who can guard everybody, and nobody talks scoring.
"This kid is going to be a scorer. Whether it will be at a really good team off the bench or even starting, I'm not sure.
"But he's shown improvements, and he's shown he's a force to be reckoned with.
"His ball handling gets him in positions to score. I know NBA teams talk about defending all the time, but you've got to score some points to win some games.
"I think Tre is going to bring that. It's a skill set that is often talked about and is often needed in the NBA.
"I'm not sure if he'll go top 5, but I certainly think he'll be top 10.
"But his scoring is really dynamic, and it's fun to watch the kid with the shots that he makes."
Derik Queen seems to be the most likely option heading to Chicago from the first-round picks, would he be your first choice and what can he bring to the Bulls roster?
"I often think that I wish I was still working in the Bulls front office, but working as a team ambassador gives me a lot of leeway to do some more deep diving on these kids.
"Derik Queen to the Bulls would be absolutely dynamic.
"He's skilled, he's smart, and he plays in way that's similar to the Joker (Nikola Jokić), but I don't want to make that comparison at all.
"He rebounds, advances to the ball, and can get teams on offense.
"Watching the NBA, the majority of teams don't have big guys rebounding the ball anymore and finding point guards.
"Derik Queen has that ability. He's smart enough and can get the ball off the glass to initiate an NBA team's offense.
"Going to the Bulls, adding to the mix of Coby White, Matas Buzelis, and Nikola Vučević. That would be great to see.
"He's a great kid, and he would be playing for a great coach at the Bulls.
"He's been coached by a great coach at college in Kevin Willard, who was my coach at the Boston Celtics.
"I know he's been coached hard, he'll have been coached well, and I'm pretty sure the framework has been laid out for him for what is expected when he makes it to the NBA.
"For me, it's an ideal pick for the Bulls with what he brings.
"The size and his IQ. I think it would be a great decision to bring him to Chicago."
Other names mentioned with Chicago have been Collin Murray-Boyles and Khaman Maluach, who would be your ideal choice if you were part of that Bulls front office?
"Collin Murray-Boyles is intriguing because he's built for the NBA.
"He's already strong, and he's physical enough to cope in the league.
"He reminds a little bit of Julius Randle in the way he plays because he's a little rugged.
"He will make his mark in the NBA, being just that. He always finds a way to score, and he's always in the mix or in the paint.
"Physicality is always a great tool to use when you get to the NBA, and it would be a great tool for the Bulls.
"As far as Khaman Maluach is concerned, he's very raw, but I like his size.
"He reminds me of the situation with the Dallas Mavericks when Luka was in Dallas.
"What made Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II so effective was because the lob to the basket has become an offensive play.
"That's what Khaman can bring to the NBA. He's a good size, and when you're playing at Duke, then that's always intriguing to NBA teams.
"You can never look past bringing a seven-footer to any organization."
Cedric Coward has been predicted to be a top 20 pick in the first round of the draft after his combine performance, what do you make of his game and where do you think he best suits?
"When you dive deep into all of these draft picks and take a closer look at these kids, I'm really intrigued by Cedric.
"I know a lot of teams don't really have a reading on him because he was injured.
"He had an injured shoulder, but that doesn't mean he'll be injury prone at all.
"I was intrigued by the kid watching him because he can shoot the ball, and he has size.
"He's strong, looks in good shape, so looking at the draft board, I potentially think he goes in the low 20s.
"I'd be shocked if he's not off the board by that point because he's what every NBA team wants.
"A 6'7, 6'8 player who is strong and can shoot the ball. Plays both ends, so I would be shocked if he's still going into the late 20s of the draft.
"I went back further to East Washington to see if I could find some more video on him, but he shoots it and does what most teams are searching for.
"He's right there amongst it, but I think even for him if he does end up going in the 20s, chances are he's going to a really good team.
"You put this kid with some veteran players and a team that's winning, then you've got yourself a solid player for a kid who's not played many college games last year."
It must be quite daunting for these young players going into the NBA. What advice would you give any rookie?
"Even today, I try to get kids to read about NBA teams.
"Look at the rosters, look at the coaches, and see who your teammates will be before you get there.
"That's called being a student of the game. You should find out how teams play before you even step through the door.
"When you start engaging in that side of things off the court, that's how you become a student of the game.
"That would be my best advice to the players today away from the obvious of the physical makeup of an NBA game.
"You always want to be coming into a franchise in shape, but I think it goes deeper than just that.
"These kids should be deep diving into the rosters, the coaches, the front office, and even the history of these teams.
"That's what gets you ahead of the game in my opinion."
Kristaps Porziņģis is a potential trade option for the Boston Celtics to lower their total salary spends, do you think that would be a good decision?
"Looking at the Celtics payroll, you have to say that every NBA team in that apron or second apron are looking to make business decisions.
"Kristaps can play in the NBA for as long as he wants I think.
"Business-wise, for the Celtics, making a decision to trade Kristaps is totally understandable, and I don't think it has anything to do with how the season ended with him and Jayson Tatum being injured.
"They went through a season that reminded me of my Bulls team. They were bored with the regular season and ready for the playoffs to start, so I can understand.
"Trading Kristaps, I don't think it hampers the Celtics because they've got enough talent.
"It would be purely from a business perspective, but for Kristaps himself, we all know he can bring a lot to the table for another NBA team.
"He would go to another team that needs somebody to shoot the ball and stretch the floor.
"He protects the rim well, so I believe he would be a key component to any team if he's traded.
"All signs are pointing to Kristaps moving on to get his salary off the payroll, but he shouldn't look at that as a negative.
"These things can be costly to organizations in the NBA, so it would come from a place of the Celtics just wanting to save some money."
The Phoenix Suns are looking to offload Kevin Durant but are working with the player for the best move for him. Should the franchise be considering themselves in this situation and get the best deal possible?
"I appreciate the question because I'm someone who has been on both sides of this argument.
"But we're talking about Kevin Durant. You could walk down the street, have an argument about who's the best player in the NBA, and I'm pretty sure a lot of people would say Kevin Durant.
"I respect the Phoenix Suns for giving Kevin Durant that respect to say, 'hey, we're going to do well by you'.
"Even though the Phoenix Suns are in a dark place right now, they have to do what's best for their organization and their fans to get a good process back if they're going to trade Kevin Durant, which it sounds like they are.
"So, yeah, they will want some good process back for a Kevin Durant trade, but at the same time, you're talking about a Hall of Famer.
"I think he deserves that respect to have that say-so over who he wants to play for.
"I know he's named some teams, and the Spurs were one of those teams mentioned, which could be a scary proposition.
"As much as I am a fan of Charles Barkley and I understand his views because he was a former player at the Suns, I do think Kevin Durant deserves the respect to be engaged to where he's going to end up playing."
It’s rumored Durant’s preferred move would be the Spurs, is that an ideal move for both parties considering Chris Paul is unlikely to resign? Does Durant still have gas in the tank?
"I think what LeBron James is doing right now is shaming everyone in the league.
"Everyone wants to figure out how LeBron is still playing at this level, and Kevin Durant is no different; he can still play at this level.
"The way he plays, he can easily play until he's 40.
"He's still a great scorer, and he can bring a lot of wisdom to a roster.
"I've never been on the staff coaching Kevin Durant, but what I'm hearing is that all he wants to do is play basketball.
"Bringing Kevin Durant to the Spurs is quite the move. I think our eyes are going to be bleeding from seeing the Spurs on TV so much.
"You bring Durant on to a team with Wemby, Fox, and Stephon Castle, that is a team set up to win.
"I'm a Phoenix Suns fan; it was the last team I played for, so it's sad to see how it's played out, but you've got to respect the guy's wishes for what he's done in the game.
"One thing is for sure, if you're going to trade Kevin Durant, then you better get some damn good pieces back for him."
The New York Knicks surprised many with their decision to fire Tom Thibodeau. What do you make of this decision? Was it unfair to Coach Thibs?
"I think it was unfair, and I was totally shocked by it.
"I watch ESPN a lot, I watch NBA TV a lot, and when I saw that breaking news, I didn't think it was real.
"Tom Thibadeau is a tireless worker, and even when you look back at our Bulls teams he coached, every team overachieved.
"That's because of the work he puts in. His work ethic is a little scary because he does so much.
"His teams are always prepared, and what I think about with Tom Thibadeau is that he makes other teams go to their third and fourth options.
"Tom always knows what the first and second game plan is, and he tries to take that away from the opposition.
"So, I was surprised he was fired from that Knicks team because they overachieved.
"They're a talented team, and they play hard at both ends, but a lot of that was down to the coach.
"Tom is a great coach, but I've been on both sides of that fence as well on the staff and in the front office.
"I didn't understand it when I was fired off the coaching staff, but that's basketball, and sometimes organizations feel the team needs a different voice.
"Some people say you can only go so far, but I'd argue that the voice got you that far, so why change."
Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to stay at the Milwaukee Bucks for now. How crucial is this season for the Bucks and Giannis? Could a front office failure to build around him result in Giannis wanting out?
"I'm a huge fan of Giannis, and I love the fact that this kid has stood on his principles.
"He's shown everyone that he is a team guy, and he's not someone who will abandon the team to play with other stars.
"If a star wants to come to Milwaukee, then great, I'm sure Giannis will be all for it.
"Giannis is a player who doesn't come around a lot; he's 6'11, athletic, and a worldwide star.
"Those players don't just come around often, and I would be deeply hurt if the Milwaukee Bucks didn't do what they're supposed to do to keep this guy around.
"Make him happy, put some pieces around him because he wants to play in May and June, so why would you not put your best foot forward to keep a player like that?
"Players get traded all the time; it's the NBA, it happens.
"Giannis has stood by the organization. I would be shocked if he went to the front office and said he wanted out.
"If they want to trade him, then that's not up to him.
"But the way this guy has carried himself should be admired, and I would be shocked if he wants out of Milwaukee.
"I heard he went to McDonald's in Milwaukee and tipped the staff there.
"It has nothing to do with basketball, but in a sense it does because it shows you the type of person that you have in your organization.
"Not only is he a special talent, but he's a special person.
"It would be sad to see Giannis leave a small market in Milwaukee, but they need to put some pieces around him to make sure they keep him there, because he needs to be in Milwaukee."
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the league’s MVP this year and is set to win the Finals MVP if OKC close out, did you see him becoming this caliber of player and which player does he remind you of from your playing days?
"It's quite shocking to see his rise.
"A couple of months ago, I was reading an article about how he was traded from the Clippers to OKC.
"A lot of people were happy because they were getting Paul George, and Paul George is a really talented guy.
"But a lot of people at the Clippers were quite sad because they knew SGA was going to become a special player, and this was years ago.
"He arguably had an MVP season last year. He was awesome last year.
"What he is doing to the NBA now, Rick Carlisle said it.
"Now I'm not comparing him to my guy Michael Jordan, but you can almost pencil in a 30-point game from this kid.
"His offensive skills are out of this world. His footwork is impeccable, ball handling is incredible, and his demeanor is scary.
"Nothing bothers him. He's got a different game compared to Kobe Bryant, but the attributes he shows with his footwork, mid-range shooting, and demeanor remind me of Kobe Bryant if he were a point guard.
"Shai has got great size and he's defying the odds saying teams can't win games shooting twos because that's all he's doing.
"I love watching him at OKC. He and DeMar DeRozan are bringing back the mid-range shot.
"I can't take Steph Curry out of that conversation as well for bringing back mid-range shooting to the game.
"But Shai is a special talent, and this has been a great Finals.
"Going in, you would have thought this series would have been over quickly, but the Indiana Pacers have fought for their lives.
"They've pushed OKC all the way, but having a guy like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander who can get you a basket at any given moment is a great weapon to have."
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