‘Expectations Are Automatically Put On You’ – LeBron James Sends Warning to Projected No. 1 2025 NBA Draft Pick Cooper Flagg With One Legendary Suggestion

Cooper Flagg is the most talked-about name as the clear favorite to go first overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. However, the applause doesn’t come without its fair share of concerns, and NBA legend LeBron James made sure to deliver them to the Duke forward in his recent address.

Amid the growing excitement around the 18-year-old, James offered both applause and a word of warning during his latest appearance on the “Mind The Game” podcast. During the conversation, James threw his support behind Flagg’s candidacy, but not without spreading awareness about the added pressure that comes with it.

“Expectations are automatically put on you,” James said. “Doesn’t matter if they’re right or wrong.” [18:30]

LeBron’s words weren’t empty caution as they are lived truth. He entered the league in 2003 as a teenager with national TV games and global branding deals before ever scoring an NBA bucket. Flagg, who will likely go first overall to the Dallas Mavericks, is on a similar path.

“To want to put an 18-year-old, 19-year-old kid in a position where he needs to be great right away- I think it’s unfair,” James added, with a suggestion saying, “But it’s also something we can use as motivation.”

Flagg will become the second youngest player behind LeBron James to be drafted first overall. Despite the concerns, all eyes will be on him for the night and the Mavericks, who have a chance at making history tonight.

Cooper Flagg Might Be Ready for the NBA, But Is Dallas Ready for Him?

On paper, Cooper Flagg’s NBA story is a dream in motion. A hyper-driven teenager from Maine who fast-tracked high school, dominated at Duke, and now finds himself hours from being the No. 1 overall pick. However, the reality he’s stepping into in Dallas isn’t just about basketball but a minefield of unresolved emotion, organizational instability, and Luka-sized shadows.

The Mavericks didn’t land Flagg through patient rebuilding. They got here by detonating their foundation and shipping Luka Dončić to the Lakers in a deal that still has fans chanting “Fire Nico!” in arenas. The trade fractured trust between the organization and the fans, prompting the franchise to heal by selling hope again through a top draft pick.

It’s not whether Flagg is good enough. It’s whether this ownership and front office are prepared to protect him long enough for that greatness to take shape. The stakes are already distorted. Mavericks fans aren’t just welcoming a top prospect; they’re demanding immediate redemption for a decision that gutted the franchise emotionally.

There are major risks as Dallas rushes Flagg’s development or surrounds him with mismatched timelines. Veterans like Klay Thompson, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving aren’t exactly on the same arc as a teenager just learning the league.

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