Cooper Flagg has quickly risen to become one of college basketball’s most exciting talents. He became the fourth Division I freshman in 25 years to average 20 points per game while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from beyond the arc in conference play. His production on the court has resulted in lofty comparisons to future professional stars in this era like Kevin Durant, CJ McCollum, and Michael Beasley. Flagg's dominance on the court has not only met but exceeded the expectations set upon his arrival in Durham, North Carolina, nine months ago. As evaluators assess his potential, Flagg is deemed as NBA-ready as any top pick, yet his return to Duke remains a tantalizing possibility.
Flagg’s jaw dropping statisticals jump off the page and pass the eye test. They’ve turned heads and raised eyebrows all across the scouting and executive communities. His unselfishness and developing playmaking talents, though, have combined to raise his profile even higher. An Eastern Conference executive remarked, "The best thing Cooper Flagg does is drive winning." It’s qualities like that which add evaluators’ confidence in the belief that Flagg will fully realize his potential at the next level.
Flagg was bothered by an ankle injury through much of the ACC tournament, forcing him to miss time as Duke pursued the championship. Nevertheless, his determination and remarkable abilities have made him one of the hottest NBA prospects. He opened the season as the consensus No. 6 overall pick. His freakishly good performance has considerably raised his draft stock. As one Western Conference general manager compared Flagg to “prime Kawhi Leonard,” illustrating their two-way versatility and lockdown defensive ability.
"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." – A Western Conference general manager
And though Flagg is already a highly productive face-up ball-handler and playmaker, there’s room to grow. Dealing with elite defensive game plans is still a challenge but one he’ll be able to focus on answering as he gets older and grows. His production and projection at the college level has some interesting comparisons to current NBA superstars.
A financial aspect may be in play, too, if Flagg does decide to return to Duke. Having earned millions in NIL money, Flagg faces the possibility of forgoing $75 million to $125 million in potential NBA salary by extending his college career. His decision is one that few blue-chip recruits have chosen in modern times.
"I can't remember a No. 1 pick deciding to go back to school," – An Eastern Conference scout
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