Highly touted rookie Duke Cooper Flagg, long considered the best prospect available on the board, has officially made his NBA debut. The Dallas Mavericks took him number one overall in the 2025 draft. An absolute unicorn, Flagg is one of the best prospects of this millennium. He provides a very unique blend of size and skill to the court. He is preparing for his first NFL season. Analysts are already salivating at the possibilities on how he will dazzle in offensive and defensive plays.
Given Flagg’s highly regarded 6’7 stature and versatility, he is considered a major coup of a signing for the Mavericks. As a home run hitting big wing, he has the power to make an enormous influence on both ends of the floor. His projections for the upcoming season draw upon his standout college performance and the successful transitions of previous players from college to the NBA.
An Impressive College Background
During his three years at Duke, Flagg proved to be the elite talent that had leading scouts and analysts salivating over his potential. Ultimately, his smooth, confident performance with a high floor all-around game secured him as one of the safest bets in the class as far as prospects go. Most experts expect his transition to professional basketball to be an easy one. They point out how that looks similar to the rookie starts of his catchy predecessors, who all did monstrous damage in their first seasons.
Flagg’s college performance metrics provide a solid starting point from which to project his rookie season outcomes. Analysts are projected his offensive game to carry over, with especially his high scoring potential carrying over as he makes the jump to the NBA. Some players just can’t translate their shooting efficiency when making the jump to a higher level of competition. If you look at Flagg’s skill set, it’s pretty clear that he won’t run into those same issues.
We’ve consulted with experts to revise Flagg’s final 3-point total projection. What they want to see is his volume of attempts from deep continue to be high when he gets to professional play. This move bolsters the notion that his offensive production will be impactful from the jump.
Comparison with Grant Hill
One of the most interesting comparisons to recently emerge is made between Cooper Flagg and former NBA great Grant Hill. Both players exhibit a similar skill set and physical attributes, with Flagg entering the league at a younger age than Hill did. Hill began his professional career at 22 after a stellar four-year career at Duke. At the same time, Flagg is entering the scene even younger at 19 years old.
This early entry into the league could give Flagg an edge as he adapts to the speed and intensity of professional basketball. Unlike his predecessors, he’ll have the opportunity to learn from all their mistakes. Drawing from their experiences, he’ll create his own journey to success in the NBA.
We wish Flagg the best as he starts his own journey in the world of professional basketball. His star power as a fantasy basketball draft selection has made him a darling of analysts. ESPN senior fantasy writer Dr. André Snellings is an expert on the intersection between fantasy basketball and data science. Gamebreaker’s Kyle McKeown expects Flagg’s value in fantasy drafts to be somewhere between top 3 and top 4 rounds. This projection only serves to highlight the lofty expectations that are already being placed on his rookie year performance and potential contributions.
A Promising Future Ahead
Cooper Flagg is currently fantasy basketball’s 28th best small forward-eligible player. So it’s curious to find him nestled in between established all-stars such as Jaylen Brown and all-European Team member Franz Wagner. This placement tells you all you need to know about his talent level and the excitement that surrounds his potential role with the Mavericks.
Millions more are waiting for Flagg’s real-life debut with bated breath. They can’t wait to see how he will translate his collegiate success to the big boy level. His intriguing combination of skill and size can set him up for a long career in the NBA.
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