Cooper Flagg is fresh out of high school but already seems destined for greatness. Just on Saturday, the Duke guard gave a basketball master class in the victory over Notre Dame, to the point that several analysts are already comparing him to legends of the stature of Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, and Julius Erving.
Flagg only joined the Blue Devils this past summer, but he is already considered a generational talent. In the game against the Fighting Irish alone, the young guard scored 42 points, grabbed six rebounds, and passed seven assists.
Despite just entering college, analysts like Dick Vitale are already predicting that Flagg will declare for the 2025 NBA Draft. If predictions come true, the young prospect will surely be the first pick, thus taking the first step toward rubbing shoulders with the greats.
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Vitale is full of praise for Flagg
In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Vitale echoed the comments of his colleagues Dan Shulman and Jay Bilas regarding Flagg’s talent, saying, “Cooper Flagg is a multi-dimensional superstar.”
He said that in his years as a basketball analyst, “I have seen personally as Cooper is right there with the 3 best I ever saw at a young age, King [LeBron] James, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson.”
ESPN’s Jeff Borzello joined in on the praise, recalling that the Duke star had the best game of his career against Notre Dame. “An ACC freshman record and the first Duke player with 40 points in a game since JJ Redick in 2006 and only the third to do it in the last 40 years.”
Even LeBron is impressed
Last July, Flagg was invited to a scrimmage with the U.S. National Team preparing for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. After the practice, James said, “These young guys coming up in the ranks; Cooper Flagg, who’s going to be a big time player here for Team USA down the road.”
The Blue Devils lead the ACC with a 6-0 record (14-2 overall) and if they continue like this, they have a practically guaranteed spot in the NCAA national tournament. It is on this stage that Flagg will have the opportunity to show if he is truly destined for greatness.