Former Warriors guard breaks down Cooper Flagg's draft odds with major twist: "I need to Jayson Tatum this joint"
As the college basketball season gets underway, Cooper Flagg is one player many NBA fans and analysts will have their eyes on. Looking at the current landscape of the league, one former Warriors draftee had an interesting take on the potential No. 1 pick.
At the moment, the Utah Jazz are on pace to have some of the best draft lottery odds with a 1-6 record. While on his "Gil's Arena" podcast on Thursday, Gilbert Arenas stated that Flagg should attempt to follow suit of Jayson Tatum in hopes of landing elsewhere.
"If I'm him, and Utah has the No. 1 pick," Arenas said. "I need to Jayson Tatum this joint. I don't know if I want to be the No. 1 pick."
"If I'm supposed to be the next thing, I don't know if I want to be in Utah as my brand."
Tatum, a former Duke star, ended up being the third pick in the 2017 NBA draft. However, contrary to what Arenas said, there are no reports that he purposely made sure he didn't go No. 1. The Celtics ended up trading to the third pick that year, but all signs indicate they still would have taken Tatum if they stayed in top spot.
As for Cooper Flagg, he's going to have a tough time trying to deflate his value. The Duke forward has widely been regarded as the top prospect in his class for some time now.
Also read: Jayson Tatum reveals Mike Krzyzewski's role in Celtics drafting him after Lakers passed on Duke star
Cooper Flagg throws down viral dunk in Duke debut
After long wait, Cooper Flagg made his Duke debut earlier this week. Along with filling the box score against Maine, the future NBA prospect also threw down a viral slam.
Part of what makes Flagg such an interesting prospect is his athleticism and physical frame. This was on full display in Monday's matchup, as he was able to quickly get by his defender and rise up for a dunk that ignited the home crowd.
Behind an impressive performance from Cooper Flagg, Duke was able to kick off the season in the win column. He logged 30 minutes and finished with a stat line of 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.
Flagg had some struggles shooting the ball (0-for-4 from 3-point range), but still looked good in his college debut. If he continues to produce highlight plays like his dunk against Maine, he's sure to be one of the first names called in the 2025 draft.