Cooper Flagg

[Rainwater]

Dude doesn't look THAT great out there. I see a lot of Wiggins hype ala 2014.

Dude could very easily turn into the next Matt Harpring or Wally Szerbiak. Stop with the Durant and KG comparisons please.

I recommend you start watching another sport, maybe cricket or something, lol.

[UcanUwill]

Dude doesn't look THAT great out there. I see a lot of Wiggins hype ala 2014.

Dude could very easily turn into the next Matt Harpring or Wally Szerbiak. Stop with the Durant and KG comparisons please.

I recommend you start watching another sport, maybe cricket or something.

At this point, people comparing Flagg to white role players are just trolling and race baiting IMO. I think it can be worthy of a forum ban to be honest, just a flat out trolling. Like we had guy who compared him to Brent Barry. I mean ok, Flaggs skin and hair color is comparable to Brent Barry, thats great...

[The Master]

He went from Scottie Pippen to second Larry Bird since the beginning of the season in my eyes. And yeah, Larry Bird is a comparison here, he's RIDICULOUSLY advanced offensively for his age and his shooting splits are just great.

[Ice Man]

The highest number of points scored during an NCAA playoff game, for recent one-and-done #1 overall picks.

Wall - 19
Kyrie - NA
AD - 19
Wiggins - 19
KAT - 25
Simmons - 15
Fultz - NA
Ayton - 14
Zion - 32
Ant - 6
Cade - 24
Paulo - 22
Cooper - 30

Unlike everybody else on that list but Wall and Kyrie, Flagg is his team's primary creator as well as scorer, and unlike some on that list, he is also elite defensively.

I honestly, truly think that Flagg is underrated. I do.

[Johnny Firpo]

This was one of those unicorn games, he really showed EVERYTHING. Off ball movement, ball handling, reading the game (looked like Luka with those split second "from the hip" alley oop passes), shooting from spotting up, pulling up, man and help defense, post up and lefty hook from that, cutting intelligently, just the whole package, and maybe a preview of the all-around monster that he could turn into.

[Special_Puppy]

Don’t think I’ve seen it mentioned here, but analytics experts at the MIT Sloan Sports analytics conference placed Flagg at the 85th percentile for number 1 picks (so Flagg is a better prospect then 85% of number 1 picks in their view). Flagg also ranks 3rd among the last ~20 number 1 picks in Kevin Pelton’s model

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44378503/can-nba-fix-tanking-why-worse-season-plus-5-solutions

[Ice Man]

The thing about Flagg is that Duke asks so much of him. He's not just the lead scorer, rebounder, and defensive anchor, but he also holds the offensive keys, especially when things get tight. The press comes, he's the guy who inbounds. Then he's the guy who gets the return pass and brings it up under pressure. Then he's the guy who is the decision maker in the half court set -- the one motioning to his teammates and setting up the play. His role is much larger & broader than the typical #1 pick, who is either an inside scorer/rebounder (AD, Paolo, Zion, KAT) or a slasher/scorer (Ant, Cade, Fultz). For Duke, he plays the Pippen '94 role -- the year that Pip led the Bulls in everything, when Mike was playing baseball.

[tsherkin]

For Duke, he plays the Pippen '94 role -- the year that Pip led the Bulls in everything, when Mike was playing baseball.

Ooof. There's a comparison to avoid. The Bulls were a slightly below-average offense that year and Pippen was not a hot choice as a focal scorer, particularly come the playoffs. Ultimately, you're describing the usual "focal offensive player" kind of role, save for the inbounding component.

I think we're all hoping that Flagg will be better than that version of Pippen offensively.

[The Master]

Don’t think I’ve seen it mentioned here, but analytics experts at the MIT Sloan Sports analytics conference placed Flagg at the 85th percentile for number 1 picks (so Flagg is a better prospect then 85% of number 1 picks in their view). Flagg also ranks 3rd among the last ~20 number 1 picks in Kevin Pelton’s model

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44378503/can-nba-fix-tanking-why-worse-season-plus-5-solutions

I don't think it is a great model though.

That being said, Flagg is the most complete college prospect we've seen in the past 20 years, with one of the best boxscore productions that we've seen in the past 20 years, anchoring one of the best college teams, while being one of the youngest players in college. I can see now arguments against any prospect selected since LeBron (with Wemby probably health-oriented) in favor of Cooper.

Ooof. There's a comparison to avoid. The Bulls were a slightly below-average offense that year and Pippen was not a hot choice as a focal scorer, particularly come the playoffs. Ultimately, you're describing the usual "focal offensive player" kind of role, save for the inbounding component.I think we're all hoping that Flagg will be better than that version of Pippen offensively.

Don't overthink it, playing Pippen-like role as an 18yo on elite college team is a big compliment, it's veeery hard if not impossible to find any college player in the past 20 years who was as versatile as Flagg while being a 1st option on the best offense in the whole country.

[Astaluego]

Kill me, but he gives me vibes of a LeBron-type impact (physical brutality, inferior) in the sense that he can do everything on the court

[NYPiston]

I've said it all year. He has a floor of NBA All Star with a ceiling of first team All NBA.
A notch below the Lebron and Wemby level prospect but a clear notch above the next tier Anthony Davis, Zion etc.

He's as safe a bet to be a franchise player as you'll get in a prospect, most well rounded. Kind of an all the tricks in the bag guy on offense similar to a guy like Cade but with far better defense. His ultimate ceiling will dependent on self creation and tightening up that handle but what he is for certain is a winning player, guy makes so many winning plays it's ridiculous.

[The Master]

Kill me, but he gives me vibes of a LeBron-type impact (physical brutality, inferior) in the sense that he can do everything on the court

Yeah, we've had several players in the past 20 years compared to LeBron, but in terms of skillset and all-round impact on both ends of the floor - he's by far the closest one to LBJ. What's obviously so funny when we're talking about white boy from Maine, not a usual suspect in these convos.

He may not be LeBron-level player, few guys in the history were, but 27-7-7 super efficient two-way player is a realistic ceiling now for him. Not saying he'll reach that level for sure, but he's that good.

[tsherkin]

Don’t think I’ve seen it mentioned here, but analytics experts at the MIT Sloan Sports analytics conference placed Flagg at the 85th percentile for number 1 picks (so Flagg is a better prospect then 85% of number 1 picks in their view). Flagg also ranks 3rd among the last ~20 number 1 picks in Kevin Pelton’s model

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/44378503/can-nba-fix-tanking-why-worse-season-plus-5-solutions

I don't think it is a great model though.

That being said, Flagg is the most complete college prospect we've seen in the past 20 years, with one of the best boxscore productions that we've seen in the past 20 years, anchoring one of the best college teams, while being one of the youngest players in college. I can see now arguments against any prospect selected since LeBron (with Wemby probably health-oriented) in favor of Cooper.

Ooof. There's a comparison to avoid. The Bulls were a slightly below-average offense that year and Pippen was not a hot choice as a focal scorer, particularly come the playoffs. Ultimately, you're describing the usual "focal offensive player" kind of role, save for the inbounding component.I think we're all hoping that Flagg will be better than that version of Pippen offensively.

Don't overthink it, playing Pippen-like role as an 18yo on elite college team is a big compliment, it's veeery hard if not impossible to find any college player in the past 20 years who was as versatile as Flagg while being a 1st option on the best offense in the whole country.

My remark was about Scottie, not Flagg

[og15]

Dude doesn't look THAT great out there. I see a lot of Wiggins hype ala 2014.

Dude could very easily turn into the next Matt Harpring or Wally Szerbiak. Stop with the Durant and KG comparisons please.

I recommend you start watching another sport, maybe cricket or something.

At this point, people comparing Flagg to white role players are just trolling and race baiting IMO. I think it can be worthy of a forum ban to be honest, just a flat out trolling. Like we had guy who compared him to Brent Barry. I mean ok, Flaggs skin and hair color is comparable to Brent Barry, thats great...

Brent Barry

Not even remotely close to being similar types of players.

[wegotthabeet]

Trade Tatum for this kid ASAP. He’s gonna be way better.

[The Master]

My remark was about Scottie, not Flagg

I know, just saying that IceMan's 'Flagg for Duke is like Pippen '94' is a compliment very few players (if any) his age could match. To be honest, I can't think of any maybe besides Zion, but he was so different as a player. And LeBron James, obviously. Who else?

As a future NBA player, throughout the season Flagg clearly went beyond Pippen comparison in terms of his ceiling.

[tsherkin]

My remark was about Scottie, not Flagg

I know, just saying that IceMan's 'Flagg for Duke is like Pippen '94' is a compliment very few players (if any) his age could match. To be honest, I can't think of any maybe besides Zion, but he was so different as a player. And LeBron James, obviously. Who else?

Yes, I get that Ice was complimenting Flagg. I was just commenting on Scottie because his offense makes me retch and Flagg looks like he's already a better offensive player than Scottie.

[PlatinumState]

Whoever drafts him has to give him the keys to the franchise right away. Even though Id prefer him on the Wizards I have a feeling Toronto's gonna get him. We'll find out soon

[Tor_Raps]

Just remember that Flagg is supposed to be in high school right now lol.

Genuinely think no 18 year old has been this good since LeBron.

Luka won Eurobasket and made all tournament team at 18

That's probably the only example lol

[UcanUwill]

Genuinely think no 18 year old has been this good since LeBron.

Luka won Eurobasket and made all tournament team at 18

That's probably the only example lol

I am no college head, I was very high on Flagg cause I have seen him with USA junior team, but overall I am very glad to hear he matched the hype. I have no clue how good LeBron was at 18, but I imagine he was very good, probably GOAT 18 year old. As Euro who was invested and saw other side of ther world, best 18 year olds I have ever seen where Sabonis and Doncic, pretty easy, so thats my golden standard, Imagine young LeBron would meat that standard easily, glad to hear Flagg is in that conversation, I really liked him when he was 15 years old in FIBA U17, and everything I saw and heard of him over the years sounded very good.

I am not hating on other prospects, but I am glad Cooper cemented himself as number one pick, simply because his doubters were very annoying. The guys pre season calling us sheep who didn't do ''real research'' and how Harper and Bailey will go higher, when every single respectable draft scouting site mocked Flagg number one, and their only argument was a contrarian ''trust me bro''. Glad these ''knowitalls'' got shut down, because they were simply very annoying