Veteran point guard Chris Paul offered high praise for top NBA Draft prospect Cooper Flagg during an appearance Thursday on The Pat McAfee Show, calling the 19-year-old forward “as advertised” after training with him in Los Angeles.

“I'm in LA right now and Cooper Flagg is out there… I've been in the gym with him a couple times and he's as advertised,” Paul said.

Flagg, a 6-foot-9, 205-pound freshman out of Duke, is widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which will be held June 25–26 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. The event will be broadcast at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN and ABC. The Dallas Mavericks, who landed the top pick in this year’s draft lottery, are expected to select the versatile forward following his standout collegiate season.

In 37 games for the Blue Devils, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game. He shot 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from three-point range, showcasing a well-rounded skill set on both ends of the floor.

Chris Paul reacts to Mavs landing No. 1 pick, reflects on future as Cooper Flagg emerges as top prospect

Paul also reacted to the Mavericks winning the draft lottery during his interview, noting the surprise surrounding the team’s position after trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers at the February deadline in exchange for Anthony Davis.

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“Just for you to know, I’m just like everyone else, right? I’m a fan, I was at home in LA… I was watching the ping pong balls like everybody… for me, I don’t know… that is crazy,” Paul said.

The Mavericks’ acquisition of the top pick has drawn significant attention given the timing of their roster overhaul and Flagg’s emergence as a potential franchise cornerstone.

Paul, who recently completed his 20th NBA season with the San Antonio Spurs, also spoke about his own future in the league. While he reiterated his passion for the game, he emphasized the importance of family in making any career decisions moving forward.

“It’s with my family more than anything… I talk to my family about it. My son just turned 16. My daughter is 12. The past six seasons, I’ve lived without them, right? So, I go to San Antonio, Phoenix, Golden State, OKC. I’ve been around a few teams, but I’ve been away from them for the last six years so it’s a little different.”

“I want to hoop because I love to hoop, but at the same time, I want to be dad,” Paul added.

Paul’s comments mark one of the first public endorsements from a current NBA player for Flagg ahead of the draft, further solidifying the Duke star’s standing as the consensus No. 1 prospect.