Jason Whitlock skeptical of Cooper Flagg's ceiling questions Duke star's 'can't miss' label
The projected No. 1 pick for the 2025 NBA Draft is Duke forward Cooper Flagg. Many critics and fans expect Flagg to be the next best thing in the league. Some believe he can be as good as Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum once he's in his prime.
However, not everyone agrees with that take. Longtime analyst Jason Whitlock is among the people who have doubts over Flagg's potential. Whitlock questioned about the elite attribute the Duke star had that separates him from other prospects.
Although he believes the 18-year-old player is "really good," Whitlock is still looking for a specific aspect in his potential and game.
“I think Cooper Flagg is really good, I just don’t see the LeBron James, the [Victor] Wembanyama, can’t miss aspect,” Whitlock said.
“I know he had a good freshman year, he’s a national player of the year. But college basketball’s so watered down. I’m just not sure if he’s ‘can’t miss.’”
Whitlock is still looking for something elite that the 6-foot-9 forward does on the basketball court. When it comes to shooting, he's a reliable player as he knocked down 38.5 percent of his shots from downtown. Flagg is also a decent passer, but not the best. He averaged 4.2 assists during his lone year at Duke.
When it comes to rebounding, he averaged 7.5 per game. His numbers when crashing the glass aren't eye-popping, but it gets the job done. Flagg is a capable defender as he averaged 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals. However, to Whitlock's point, nothing stands out.
Even with that, many predict that Cooper Flagg will be one of the best players in the league in the future. Besides his Tatum comparison, ESPN also named All-Star forward Kawhi Leonard and NBA legend Scottie Pippen as his comparisons.
Scouts see a bright future ahead for Flagg, as he's touted to be the No. 1 pick in June.
5 Dallas Mavericks players predicted to be traded once Cooper Flagg is drafted
The Dallas Mavericks have the No. 1 pick after trading away Luka Doncic to the LA Lakers and missing the postseason. The Mavericks have no plans to trade the pick, despite having Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving on the team.
With that, Austin Veazey of Sports Illustrated thinks there are five players at risk of getting traded once Flagg is drafted. Veazey mentioned Daniel Gafford, PJ Washington, Caleb Martin, Jaden Hardy and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
Once Cooper Flagg is on the team, it won't mean that all five players could be on the trading block. However, the players mentioned could be moved to accommodate the rising star.