Cooper Flagg Says 'I Don’t Really Compare Myself to Anybody' Ahead of 2025 NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, is avoiding comparing his skill set to other players in the league.
Speaking to The Athletic's Mike Vorkunov, Flagg explained "I don't really compare myself to anybody" because he wants his game to stand on its own:
"I don’t really compare myself to anybody," Flagg said. "I feel like I’m just trying to be myself all the time when I’m on the court. I’m not trying to be anybody else, do anything I can’t do. I just try and be myself. I’ll let other people make those comparisons."
Player comparisons are a frequent part of the draft evaluation prospect. They serve as a shorthand description of what an incoming player could become if they hit their full potential.
Even though Flagg doesn't have a specific comp in mind, B/R's Jonathan Wasserman cited Jalen Johnson and Kevin Garnett as his NBA parallels:
"Flagg should provide an instant rookie impact with his frontcourt athleticism, high-IQ passing and defensive activity, but his ball-handling, creation and shotmaking are improving at rapid rates. While two-way versatility should help Flagg adapt to any situation or fit, the on-ball development we saw at Duke suggests it won't be long before offense is running through him."
Garnett, a 2020 Basketball Hall-of-Fame inductee, would be the 100th percentile outcome for Flagg. He had a 21-year career with 15 All-Star appearances, 12 All-Defensive team selections, an MVP award and one NBA championship.
One of the things that makes Flagg such a unique prospect is there's not a perfect one-to-one comparison. It's not an insult to say Flagg already has more range with his shot than Garnett did when he played.
Flagg's 52 made threes during his lone season at Duke were 15 more than Garnett's single-season career high in the NBA.
A prospect as revered as Flagg doesn't come around very often. That can make it hard to figure out a strong comparison for him, but that also makes it exciting to think about what he might be capable of doing in the NBA.
It won't be long before fans get to find out since the 2025 draft will begin on June 25. He seems like a virtual lock to be taken with the top pick by the Dallas Mavericks.
