Blake Griffin Says Cooper Flagg Is 'Most Complete Player' to Enter NBA in Recent Years

Dallas Mavericks star rookie Cooper Flagg is facing high expectations entering his first year in the NBA, but he received a vote of confidence from a fellow No. 1 draft pick.

Former NBA star Blake Griffin recently said that he feels Flagg has no holes in his game, setting him apart from any rookie player to enter the league over the past few years.

"I think he's the most complete player we've seen come into the NBA in recent memory. Not saying he doesn't have room to grow; he still has a ton of room to grow, but I mean, he passes, he shoots, he defends, he rebounds, he seems like a great teammate and seems like a great kid," Griffin said on the Post Moves podcast (h/t Yakshpat Bhargava of Basketball Network).

Griffin went on to add that Flagg is a more polished player entering his first year than 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs, who went on to earn Rookie of the Year honors.

"What's the red flag? Which is very exciting for basketball to have these young guys. Wemby is very complete as well, but Cooper is able to play so many different positions, guard so many different positions… I'm just excited for him to start this journey," Griffin said.

Flagg was selected with the top pick in this year's draft after starring at Duke and averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game on his way to being named National Player of the Year. He made two Summer League appearances for the Mavs and flashed his immense potential with a 31-point performance in his second outing.

While Flagg is the future face of the franchise in Dallas, he will have multiple veterans around him to learn from, including star players Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, the latter of whom is recovering from a torn ACL.

Once the Mavs are fully healthy, they should be able to contend for a playoff spot in the competitive Western Conference with Flagg leading the way.