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[Saba Sports News] Cooper Flagg, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, is generating significant buzz—but not everyone is buying the hype.
One notable skeptic is 2008 NBA champion Tony Allen, who recently voiced his doubts about Flagg’s ceiling as a franchise-altering star.
Speaking on GrindCityMedia’s YouTube channel, Allen didn’t hold back in his assessment.
“I don’t think Cooper Flagg’s going to turn a franchise around like that,” he said. “I ain’t seeing KD. I’m just not seeing all that. I’m seeing Andrei Kirilenko.”
Allen doubled down on the comparison, saying, “He’s going to be a one-time All-Star. I don’t see it, bro. I’m just not hyped on these Duke kids. He is nice, but his max-out potential is Andrei Kirilenko.”
That viewpoint runs contrary to the current consensus around Flagg, who had a standout freshman season at Duke. The versatile forward averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from three.
His stellar play helped lead Duke to the Final Four and earned him both ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year honors—joining elite company like Zion Williamson, Marvin Bagley III, and Jahlil Okafor.
With the Dallas Mavericks unexpectedly landing the No. 1 pick in the draft, Flagg is now widely projected to head to Dallas. While there have been rumors about the team possibly trading the pick—potentially for a superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo—reports indicate they’re more likely to stand pat and select the Duke standout.
Whether Flagg lives up to the lofty expectations or ends up closer to Allen’s projection remains one of the biggest storylines leading into the June 25 draft. One thing’s for sure: all eyes will be on him that night.