The Athletic ranked Duke forward Cooper Flagg as the second-best NBA prospect of the past decade, trailing only 7-foot-4 French superstar Victor Wembanyama.
The criteria for the list was based on how draft expert Sam Vecenie graded the players when they entered the draft. How the players ended up faring in the NBA was not part of the criteria. Rutgers guard Dylan Harper was the only college player besides Flagg to make the list.
Flagg beat out several NBA stars including Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, and Jayson Tatum.
Vecenie lauded Flagg for his competitiveness and versatile skill-set, calling the Maine native a ?highly-skilled mismatch nightmare.
He plays hard all the time and is relentless in his aggression on both ends, Vecenie wrote. He gives energy to his teammates and is all sorts of tough and fearless. He?s the easiest person to buy into becoming a winning basketball player because he amplifies those around him.
Outside of Wembanyama, Flagg has the best combination of a ridiculously high floor and also a ridiculously high ceiling if everything goes right in his development. He has a chance to become the next apex wing in the NBA.
#1 picks
C Flagg
Risacher
Wemby
Banchero
Cade
Ant
Zion
Ayton
Fultz
Ben Simmons
Towns
Wiggins
A Bennett
AD = 2012
Okay, so post-AD. Not including him.
Cooper Flagg has a strong case. Zion stands out to me as someone who has an argument against Cooper Flagg.
Ben Simmons has a bit of a case too although I would give Flagg the edge due to jump-shooting. Interesting though. I think B Simmons would be #4 prospect of the last 13 years behind Wemby, Flagg, Zion. In terms of what they were entering the NBA.
I can?t think of a good offensive comparison with Flagg . It?s hard to tell with all the crowding and fouling in the college game that he will not experience in the nba . With shoulders everywhere he should find it easier on offense. His d seems like a poor man?s Duncan where he does great side to side on fours and adds on some shot blocking / rim protection on a much lower bevel than Tim.
