Duke's Cooper Flagg Praised as 'Savant' for 'Ridiculous' Skills by NBA Insider

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg was labeled a "savant" by an insider around the NBA, according to ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

"His brain, processing speed, awareness and basketball instincts are ridiculous," the source said.

Flagg is widely considered to be the top player in the 2025 NBA draft class, assuming he leaves Duke after one season.

Givony wrote he recently attended a Duke scrimmage, which allowed him to get a firsthand look at the 6'9" forward. He wrote that Flagg "didn't have his best day offensively" and is likely to have "ups and downs" on offense. Still, the first-year star made a strong impression.

"He did everything else at a high level, though, defensively locking up point guards through centers, crashing the glass with purpose, hitting some good-looking jumpers with his feet set or running off curls," Givony wrote. "He made unselfish passes and was difficult to contain in the open floor."

Flagg was the No. 1 overall recruit in 247Sports' composite rankings for the 2024 recruiting class. In his senior year at Montverde Academy, he averaged 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.

The Maine native has also represented the United States at the youth level, helping Team USA win gold at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup and competing on the U.S. Select Team ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. Going up against some of the NBA's brightest talents in Las Vegas this summer, he fully justified his massive hype.

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman compared Flagg to former NBA forward Andrei Kirilenko and Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero, drawing a parallel to Kirilenko's shot-blocking and defensive versatility along with Banchero's ability to score and be a general hub for the offense.

"Quicker and more explosive than Banchero, Flagg will also score plenty around the basket off his size, athleticism, effort and improvisation," Wasserman wrote. "Aside from possessing All-Defensive Team physical abilities and instincts, Flagg's elite play-finishing tools, budding perimeter offense and secondary playmaking skills create one of the most complete scouting reports and highest ceilings in recent memory."

On Wednesday, Givony cited an NBA team executive who said they're "going into this year with an open mind" regarding the No. 1 pick.

Based on what Flagg has done to this point and the early returns from his practices with Duke, we already know whose name is coming off the board first next summer.