"The Flagg will be captured" - NBA fans speculate Raptors tanking for Cooper Flagg amid 10-game losing streak

The 2025 NBA Draft is turning out to be a highly anticipated one with Cooper Flagg's eligibility to turn pro. Teams that do not have a top superstar or a high-level prospect are expected to tank for a chance to get the top pick once the lottery rolls around after the 2024-25 season.

One team that looks like they're tanking in preparation for next year's draft is the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have not won a game since Dec. 3 and are in the midst of a ten-game losing streak. As such, some have speculated that they are gunning for a high pick.

Some fans got in on the fun by coming up with various puns involving Flagg.

"The Flagg will be captured," a fan said.

"Raptors should be flagged for blatant tanking. No pun intended," another person said.

"Capture the flagg is actually a pretty cool line," one fan tweeted.

Meanwhile, other fans offered their serious takes on Flagg and the Raptors.

"Why are we hyping Cooper Flagg when Ace Bailey is the better prospect?" a fan asked.

"They will have the best odds when all is said and done and end up with the third pick. It's always like that," another fan said.

"Flagg x Scottie (Barnes) is feeding generations," another wrote.

Following their ten-game losing streak, the Raptors have fallen to 7-25, which is the third-worst record in the league. The two teams that have a worse record than Toronto are the Washington Wizards (5-24) and the New Orleans Pelicans (5-27).

The Charlotte Hornets, who have lost seven straight, are 7-24, and the Utah Jazz are 7-23.

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Ace Bailey is making a strong case as the number one overall pick over Cooper Flagg in the 2025 draft

At this point, the number one overall pick in the next NBA draft is still up for debate. The 2025 class is stacked with talent, and the race to be the number one overall pick between Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey has heated up.

Bailey is averaging 17.6 points on a 45.8% shooting clip (33.3% from beyond the arc). He is also grabbing 7.6 rebounds and dishing 0.7 assists per game. Additionally, he is generating about a steal and 0.9 blocks per contest for Rutgers.

Meanwhile, Duke's Flagg is putting up 16.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. On the defensive end, he has averages of 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks. In terms of shooting efficiency, he is making 42.1% of his attempts, including a 25.0% clip from the 3-point line.

Bailey has a slight edge in scoring and scoring efficiency. However, Flagg has been a better playmaker and has been generating more "stocks" (steals and blocks).

Due to how close their production is, the decision on who goes number one might depend on which team lands the first overall pick.