Cooper Flagg, Liam McNeely and Ace Bailey crown $276,122,630 Western Conference superstar as best in NBA
Cooper Flagg, Liam McNeely and Ace Bailey are tipped as some of the finest prospects entering this year's NBA draft. Ahead of the draft, the trio was asked their opinion on the best player currently in the NBA.
Flagg, McNeely and Bailey picked Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic. Although Bailey said Jokic is realistically the best player in the league, he also gave a shoutout to Phoenix Suns star Kevin Durant as his personal favorite player.
A few other prospects, including Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, Derik Queen, Kon Knueppel, Vladislav Golin and Sion James picked Jokic as the best player in the NBA.
According to Spotrac, Jokic signed a five-year, $276,122,630 contract with the Denver Nuggets in July 2022. He led the Nuggets to the NBA championship in 2023.
Denver took Jokic with the No. 41 pick in 2015. He has earned seven All-Star honors and won three MVP awards ever since.
In the 2024-25 regular season, Jokic averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game. In the postseason, he is averaging 26.7 PPG, 13.0 RPG and 8.1 APG.
Jokic and the Nuggets have forced a Game 7 in the Western Conference semifinals against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The two teams will square off for a spot in the conference finals on Sunday.
Cooper Flagg is projected as the top pick at the 2025 NBA draft
Duke star Cooper Flagg is projected as the No. 1 pick in this year's draft. He is expected to be taken by the Dallas Mavericks.
Liam McNeely and Ace Bailey are also projected as early first-round picks.
The first round of the 2025 NBA draft will take place on June 25. The second round will be held on the following day, on June 26.
The draft will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. A total of 59 players will be drafted this year. The New York Knicks will not have the opportunity to draft a player in the second round due to a free agency violation in 2022.