Cooper has
some physical advantages over LeBron.
He's got a notably longer stride, more akin to Brandon Ingram or Scottie Pippen. He is also a quicker, more functional leaper off two feet, from one or multiple steps, or from a standstill. This is a common trait among great shot blockers, rebounders, & post players. Compares favorably to Stéphane Lasme, Josh Smith, Shawn Marion, and Charles Barkley.
I also think Cooper has better agility and flexibility. He changes pace and direction better, and can move backwards, slide laterally, and rotate more smoothly/fluidly. He really looks like (young) Anthony Davis on defense at times, albeit a wing-sized version.
LeBron's extra 20 pounds, crazy speed, and explosive power are his major physical advantages. Probably the best one-foot jumper ever. He was never known for having an elite first step, but the ones that followed were:
“My first step ain’t never been that great. It’s my second step, that’s where I’ll get you.”
James has more strength, balance, and ultimately the ability to absorb contact because of the extra weight. However, Cooper is trucking full-bodied pros at 18, and he's clearly got a big frame to grow into. 225 vs. 240 as rookies. I could see Cooper reaching 240-250 in his prime. So, it's kind of like LeBron vs. Josh Smith size-wise. Always going to be a roughly 20-pound difference.
Josh Smith, with less speed & power (35.5" max vert vs. 39.5") but more fluidity, flexibility, agility, strength, and balance, is not a bad physical comparison for Cooper. King Ken in the NBA Draft sub-forum made this comp.
Regarding the vision/passing, I actually think Cooper is better than LeBron at throwing lobs. He's really good at them. Maybe interior passes too, but I'm less sure of that. Here's what top NBA Draft analyst Sam Vecenie wrote about Cooper's passing/vision/decision-making:
● All of this leads to what might be Flagg’s best offensive skill, though: his passing ability. A very unselfish player. Makes quick decisions. Doesn’t overdribble before finding his teammates. If someone is open, he’s going to hit them. Excellent at getting downhill and making live-dribble passes to create shots for his teammates. Does an amazing job of creating angles with jumps. Awesome at keeping his eyes up even as he goes up for a shot, looking for an easier opportunity for a teammate. Finds the cross-corner kickouts after the tagger sits on the roller. Finds the baseline reads to the corner. Excellent at finding cutters and dump-offs into the dunker spot.
● Even showed some extremely high-level short-roll kickout reads as the screener in ball-screen situations. Can put velocity on the ball, or just throw a well-timed lob with touch. Can throw nearly any pass he has to from any angle. Will be an awesome passer and playmaker for his teammates in the NBA when the passing windows get even wider. Averaged 4.2 assists per game this year versus only 2.1 turnovers.
It's hard to get a read on Cooper's passing/playmaking potential and make a comparison to LeBron when he hasn't had as primary a role yet. He feels more like a Jimmy Butler type; a safe, always-makes-the-right-passes type, and not a pass-you-open risk taker like LeBron is.
