Cooper Flagg has dealt with sky-high expectations for years now. Before Flagg suited up for the Duke Blue Devils, his recruitment was as high-profile as they come, starting when he burst onto the scene as the first freshman to ever be named Gatorade State Player of the Year in Maine.
The hype followed him for four years, and now, as he's likely just months away from going to the NBA, scouts and executives are sounding off on the generational talent.
In a feature on Flagg from ESPN's Baxter Holmes, executives from both conferences were effusive in their praise for Flagg, with one calling him a “fantastic talent” who “conjures thoughts of Kevin Garnett and Anthony Davis with his ability to block shots and switch on defense.”
He added that on day one in the NBA, Flagg would already be one of the best two-way players in the league.
“He does have very good handles for a power forward,” the executive said. “Good footwork, and he plays his ass off. There's no question he's going to be a good player in the NBA, but the question is how good.”
There is ‘very little doubt' about Cooper Flagg
One Eastern Conference scout told Holmes exactly what everyone in Flagg's orbit the last few years have been saying: While there are no sure things in sports, Flagg seems about as close to one as there is.
“I have heard very little doubt about the kid,” the scout said. “Everyone around Cooper has raved about him for three years.”
Former NBA player Brian Scalabrine has known Flagg since the freshman Blue Devil was 13. Now a figure in the Boston-area grassroots basketball scene, Scalabrine has seen elite players from the northeast. None like Flagg.
“His learning curve is like nothing I've ever seen before,” Scalabrine said. “Now, I haven't been around every single high school player growing up, but I'm telling you — there's not a challenge that he's not going to be able to overcome.”
Scalabrine soon called Sean Ford, the USA men's national team director, to rave about the young talent.
“Sean, I'm just telling you,” Scalabrine said. “We don't know each other, but he's a unicorn.”
Ford seemed to agree — and as a guy in his position, he's seen over-the-top hype before.
“He checks so many boxes, it's scary,” he added.
Through two games at Duke — both buy games so take the numbers with a grain of salt — Flagg is averaging 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists.
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