Ex-NBA player Gilbert Arenas “not impressed” by Cooper Flagg; picks Rutgers’ Ace Bailey instead
Cooper Flagg's first official Division I game for Duke is in the books, and Gilbert Arenas is not impressed. The former NBA player ran a segment around the top recruit in the nation on the "Gil's Arena" podcast, where the cast discussed whether Flagg is a worthy player for NBA teams to tank their current seasons and potentially draft him.
Flagg scored 18 points in his debut against the Maine Black Bears on 6 of 15 shooting, alongside seven rebounds, five assists and three steals. Arenas argued that he needed to see more from the standout player to give his answer and instead pointedly preferred the potential of Rutgers' Ace Bailey.
"He played against ASU (Arizona State), he struggled - a real D1 team," Arenas said. "Other game (vs. Lincoln) he looked great in, it was a D2 team. So that's why I said I got to watch more games if I'm going to tank for it because right now ... what I'm saying is, right now, I'm not impressed.
"There's some other kids that's moving, what's the other kid from Rutgers, Ace Bailey? Ace Bailey, right, so there's some kids." (2:03:30)
The Duke Blue Devils opened their preseason games on Oct. 19 against the Lincoln Lions, winning the contest 107-56. Cooper Flagg posted a team-high 22 points on 8-16 shooting while garnering six assists and four blocks.
However, as Gilbert Arenas pointed out, Flagg's efficiency dropped in the Oct. 27 exhibition against Arizona State. Not only did Flagg shoot 3-9 from the field, he also failed to touch the double-digit mark, finishing the game with only nine points.
However, it seemed like Duke coach Jon Scheyer was experimenting before the season opener. Cooper Flagg was part of a different starting lineup against Arizona State, which did not feature Sion James and Maliq Brown. Moreover, he only played 20 minutes (least among starters) and took only nine attempts.
Additionally, nine players on Duke's lineup took at least six shot attempts against Arizona State. Whereas, only four players did so against Lincoln.
Despite the New Balance partnership, Cooper Flagg will wear Nike at Duke
Flagg made waves in the sporting world when he signed with Gatorade and New Balance, making him the first men’s Division I player to do so. However, the assumed top pick in the 2025 draft will not be allowed to don New Balance sneakers for his college games.
Duke has an ongoing contract with Nike, making the sports brand the official supplier of the Blue Devils' jerseys, footwear, sporting equipment and other merchandise until 2027. However, off the court, Cooper Flagg can exercise his freedom to flaunt New Balance.