In the high stakes world of NBA drafting, few players have generated as much buzz as Cooper Flagg. The 18-year-old Duke phenom has scouts, analysts and fans alike salivating over his rare combination of polished skills and raw potential, positioning him as the consensus number one pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft.
As the basketball world eagerly anticipates his professional debut, one question dominates discussions across sports networks and social media platforms: How does Flagg stack up against the top picks from recent drafts? With his freshman season statistics and accolades suggesting generational talent, the comparison is both inevitable and fascinating.
The Next Generational Talent After Victor Wembanyama
NBA front offices are already abuzz with Flagg comparisons on social media, with many executives privately acknowledging him as the most promising prospect since Victor Wembanyama.
Flagg’s freshman campaign at Duke was nothing short of spectacular. The versatile forward nearly swept the National Player of the Year awards and joined an elite group of just four freshmen who won AP National Player of the Year.
His statistical dominance speaks volumes about his readiness for the NBA spotlight. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists throughout his lone collegiate season. Even more impressive was his late-season surge, where he posted 20.5 points per game while shooting a remarkable 45.1% from beyond the arc across his final 25 games.
The 6’9″ forward with a 7’1″ wingspan has demonstrated the defensive instincts and versatility that separate good prospects from great ones.
Unlike some previous top picks who entered the draft with significant weaknesses, Flagg offers a complete package of shooting, playmaking, defensive awareness and competitive fire that makes him a seemingly risk free selection at number one.
How Flagg Measures Against the Decade’s Elite Prospects
When comparing Flagg to the past decade’s number one selections, only Wembanyama stands clearly above him in pre-draft evaluation.
While Zion Williamson entered the 2019 draft with similar “generational” buzz, many scouts now view Flagg as the more versatile and complete prospect, offering two-way impact that Williamson’s game lacked coming out of Duke.
Paolo Banchero, the most recent Duke star to go first overall posted impressive freshman numbers but lacked the statistical dominance and defensive impact that Flagg displayed.
Similarly, Anthony Edwards brought explosive scoring ability to the table in 2020 but entered the draft with defensive questions that don’t exist in Flagg’s profile.
The comparisons to Ben Simmons (2016) and Cade Cunningham (2021) further highlight Flagg’s advantage as a prospect. While both were highly touted playmakers with size but neither offered Flagg’s shooting prowess as he connected on 45.1% of his three-pointers down the stretch displaying the kind of shooting that modern NBA wings require.
Perhaps the most apt comparison is Karl-Anthony Towns, whose freshman impact at Kentucky mirrors Flagg’s Duke dominance. However, Flagg provides this impact as a wing rather than a center, offering the positional versatility that has become increasingly valuable.
KEEP READING: Why College Basketball Players Keep Transfer Options Open After Declaring for the NBA Draft
As the 2025 NBA Draft approaches, Flagg stands firmly among the elite prospects of the past decade.
Maybe only Wembanyama surpasses him in pre-draft hype, placing the Duke standout alongside Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson in the pantheon of most promising college players to enter the professional ranks.
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