Executives Share Impressive NBA Comparison for Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg, a forward for Duke, was ranked as the No. 1 recruit of 2024 by 247 Sports, with many analysts and scouts predicting he could be the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and a future All-Star. As March Madness continues, Flagg is drawing intriguing NBA comparisons as he leads Duke on their tournament run.
Flagg’s potential NBA future has been a topic of discussion even before the 2024 NBA Draft. With the current draft class considered weaker, scouts and executives have shifted their focus to the 2025 Draft and Flagg’s projected status as the No. 1 overall pick, a year in advance.
Cooper Flagg stats (ESPN): 18.7 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.1 APG, 48.8% FG, 1.5 SPG, 1.3 BPG
As an 18-year-old, Flagg has already emerged as one of the top players in college basketball. His standout season with Duke earned him ACC Player of the Year honors and a spot on the ACC All-Defensive Team. The 6-foot-9 forward was also named a first-team All-American.
Heading into March Madness, Flagg led the nation in Win Shares per 48 Minutes (0.301), Box Plus/Minus (16.4), and ranked second in Defensive Rating (87.3). His all-around performance has solidified his reputation as the top prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Cooper Flagg NIL valuation (On3): $4.8 million
Although the NBA Draft won’t take place until June 25, NBA executives who spoke with Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo of ESPN.com praised Flagg as a top-tier prospect.
Executives and general managers highlighted Flagg’s offensive improvements, which haven’t come at the expense of his exceptional defense. While his playing style differs, Flagg is seen as being in the same tier as Zion Williamson was ahead of the 2019 NBA Draft. One popular comparison for Flagg is All-NBA forward Kawhi Leonard.
“The best comp I’ve heard from our scouts is prime Kawhi Leonard. Now, that’s not perfect because they are very different players at the same age, but it’s the one I like in terms of their style of play, two-way versatility, passing, and the fact that they can both guard point guards, wings, and big men,” said an anonymous Western Conference GM.
Leonard, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, was drafted 15th overall in 2011. While he was highly regarded for his defense, his offense was seen as a work in progress coming out of San Diego State.
Although Leonard wasn’t as hyped as Flagg before the NBA Draft, they share several similarities. This has led to Flagg being widely viewed as the consensus No. 1 pick in a top-heavy class.
“Kawhi’s defense was ahead of his offense, and he has a lot of the same qualities [as Flagg] in his handle and shooting. But it’s his unwavering confidence, relentless work ethic, physicality, IQ, and physical tools that made him an MVP candidate and the best player on a championship team,” said the GM comparing Flagg to Leonard.
However, there’s a possibility that Flagg might decide not to enter the 2025 NBA Draft. As of late March, the Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, and Charlotte Hornets have the highest odds of landing the No. 1 overall pick. If Flagg doesn’t believe he can thrive with any of those teams, he may choose to return to Duke for his sophomore year.
While it’s possible Flagg could stay at Duke, no NBA executives polled by ESPN believe that will happen. If he declares, he’s expected to be the first overall pick and a heavy favorite to win Rookie of the Year. Given his rapidly improving offensive game and strong skill set, he could even challenge for an All-Star spot before turning 20.
