Cooper Flagg headlines 13 players initially invited to NBA Draft green room
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Cooper Flagg is widely expected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He’ll have a chance to hear his name called in person as he’s among an initial group of 13 players that has been invited to the draft’s green room, according to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
As Givony explains, it’s not so much a room as it is an area in front of the draft stage for family, friends, and acquaintances.
“The green room is a staging area in front of the NBA draft podium where players, their families and agents await commissioner Adam Silver’s announcement of players’ names upon selection. Players are allowed to invite six people to sit at their tables,” Givony writes.
Flagg, a one-and-done sensation at Duke, was the national high school player of the year as a senior at Montverde Academy in Florida. At Duke, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists as he was named a consensus All-American and the national player of the year.
The Dallas Mavericks earned the No. 1 overall selection in the NBA draft lottery and appear poised to select Flagg, although some note that the same organization that traded superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers shouldn’t be given the benefit of the doubt.
13 players invited to the NBA Draft green room thus far:
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 10, 2025
Cooper Flagg
Dylan Harper
Ace Bailey
VJ Edgecombe
Tre Johnson
Khaman Maluach
Jeremiah Fears
Kon Knueppel
Kasparas Jakucionis
Egor Demin
Carter Bryant
Derik Queen
Asa Newell
Noa Essengue is still playing, not yet invited pic.twitter.com/OYdXVMRr3y
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
