Following New Orleans' 21-61 finish during its 2024-25 campaign, executive vice president David Griffin was fired and replaced by Joe Dumars. Dumars confirmed that he didn't have a mandate to move on from Williamson after he was hired.

Williamson's appearance for the Pelicans at the lottery was a signal the team is working with its best player as they enter a new phase.

In his one year with Duke, Flagg, the 6-foot-9 freshman out of Newport, Maine, led the Blue Devils to a first-place finish in the ACC, tallying a 35-4 overall record. Averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, Flagg has become the clear choice as the top draft pick.