It turns out that not everyone is as sold on Cooper Flagg as the NBA’s next legend-in-the-making. Several executives expressed doubt about Flagg’s ceiling to The Ringer’s Howard Beck, and their comments make sense. There’s a ton of talent in this young prospect, but when is the last time Duke produced a player who reached the top five in the league?
Besides Jayson Tatum, no Blue Devil has reached the heights some are claiming Flagg has the potential to surpass. One exec Beck spoke to projected Flagg as a possible all-star but not an MVP candidate, another claimed he’d be “very good but not a star.”
It’s fair to consider that the hype machine may have gotten out of control with the “Capture the Flagg” stuff. Cooper certainly has the potential to be an awesome player, but these doubts only further reinforce how silly it was for Jeff Goodman to claim he’s the “easiest number one selection we’ve seen in a long time.”
Wembanyama is hands-down the player of the next generation
My favorite part of Beck’s article is this executive’s quote: “Flagg has a high chance of becoming an All-Star but is not in the same tier as recent No. 1 picks like Wembanyama and Zion Williamson.” Funny that they would mention Zion because he hasn’t come close to reaching the hype he had coming out of college.
Before Victor, Williamson was the cat’s meow. The NBA world was obsessed with his freakish athleticism and overwhelming power. The former Blue Devil was supposed to be the next face of the league, but so far, he’s fallen embarrassingly short of those expectations.
Kyrie Irving is another popular Duke draftee, and fans love him. What’s undeniable is that he has one of the best handles in league history, and his finishing package is unlike anything you’ve seen. But he’s always been a defensive liability, injury-prone, or just flat out displayed poor leadership, costing his teams chances to win.
He won a championship and is solidified as an NBA great because of it, but that doesn’t happen without the guiding hand of LeBron James. He did the same for Anthony Davis, who would have been looked at as one of the most talented players to never drive winning for any franchise.
However, James made sure to bring Davis with him when he made his move to LA, just as he ensured the Cavs kept Kyrie around after asking them to ship Andrew Wiggins off in favor of Kevin Love. The number of Duke players to be top options on championship teams would be down to one if not for Bron. That’s not just in the past 20 years; it’s for the school’s entire history.
One thing is for sure: nobody questioned whether Wembanyama would be a star. The only doubts expressed were about his long-term health due to his body type. His talent was clear, and if Cooper Flagg is going to be the face of Dallas’ side of the Spurs/Mavericks rivalry, he better prepare to be outclassed.
