Sports Illustrated 's Chris Mannix doesn't believe the team that wins Monday night's 2025 NBA Draft Lottery would consider missing out on Cooper Flagg by trading the No. 1 pick. One executive of a team in the lottery reportedly told Mannix about Flagg, "If we don't get him, I just hope he winds up in the (other) conference."

The NBA Draft Lottery is tonight, and the entire basketball world will finally know which team will get the opportunity to land Duke star Cooper Flagg. Flagg is seen by many around the league as the next big star in the league, so teams have been patiently waiting for this moment.

We think of the NBA Draft Lottery, first and foremost, as a way for the league's poor and downtrodden franchises to replenish their ranks and take the first steps toward meaningful winning years down the line.