Cooper Flagg vs Anthony Davis college stats: Comparing Duke and Kentucky forwards’ early careers
With Cooper Flagg projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, the comparisons with other top picks have begun. The Dallas Mavericks (assuming they do pick Flagg) would certainly prefer him to be more like Tim Duncan or LeBron James than Andrea Bargnani or Anthony Bennett. One point of comparison could be fellow one-and-done star Anthony Davis.
Davis and Flagg are likely to be teammates next year with the Mavericks. Considering all facets, here's a quick comparison of the two from their early days.
Cooper Flagg vs. Anthony Davis comparison
Pre-season hype
Both were top players in the vast majority of recruiting rankings. Flagg was the consensus No. 1 overall player in the nation in 247Sports' annual rankings. Flagg held off the Rutgers duo of Ace Bailey (2nd) and Dylan Harper (3rd) and his Duke counterpart Khaman Maluach (4th).
Davis was likewise 247's No. 1 player. He finished ahead of Duke's Austin Rivers, his Kentucky teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, and Baylor's Quincy Miller. Davis's ranking was somewhat surprising as he was a late bloomer and was just 6-foot-2 midway through high school.
Stats comparison
Flagg avoided any major injuries or issues in 37 games. He did sprain his ankle in Duke's first ACC Tournament game against Georgia Tech and then sat out the rest of the tournament, but that was the only action that Flagg missed. Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. He shot 48% overall, including 39% from 3-point range, and 84% from the foul line.
Davis was still developing on the offensive end of the floor. In 40 games, Davis averaged 14.2 points and 10.4 rebounds, as well as a whopping 4.7 blocked shots. Davis shot 62% and 71% from the foul line. Still developing an outside game, Davis shot 3-for-20 from 3-point range.
Team success
Here's Davis's big advantage. His 38-2 Kentucky team won the NCAA title, besting Louisville and Kansas in the Final Four to claim the school's eighth national title. Of course, last season, Duke was 35-4, but fell in the national semifinals to Houston, 70-67.
Draft situation
Davis was picked by New Orleans, mired in a losing streak at the time. After two more losing seasons, Davis and the Pelicans made the playoffs, although ultimately, it wasn't until he moved on to the LA Lakers that Davis won a title.
Flagg's situation in Dallas looks pretty good, in large part because the team has a fairly talented roster, including Davis. Time will tell how the two will fare once they join forces.
What's your take on Flagg's comparison with Anthony Davis? Share your take below in our comments section!