Jonathan Givony, ESPNO, Oct 29, 2024, 9:55am ET
CloseNBA analyst and draft writer
He joined ESPN.com in July 2017
Founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a proprietary scouting and analytics service used by NBA, NCAA, and international teams
Duke University freshman Cooper Flagg will be the second-youngest college player ever drafted into the NBA when he is selected in June (he will be 18 years, 186 days old).
With his 18th birthday on December 21, Flagg is not old enough to vote in the upcoming presidential election. He also enters a college basketball landscape that has never been older or more competitive, as the NIL and instant eligibility via the transfer portal have allowed teams to load up on physically mature, highly experienced senior players.
But even at such a young age, Flagg is the most popular All-American freshman in years, rivaled only by 2003 Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James in terms of the attention and accolades he received as a high school recruit.
“I haven’t encountered that yet with a 17-year-old in that way,” Duke coach John Scheyer, who has had Flagg on campus since June, told ESPN this month.
“We had 18-year-olds, we had 19-year-olds. But when you get to 17, a year ahead of schedule – it’s going to be a process. He’s going to have some ups and downs. He’s had a great season, but there’s going to be moments he has to grow.” In it, that’s what it’s all about, and I have full faith when we step on the floor that we have the best player on the field, right away.
Flagg’s 9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists and 21 minutes in Sunday’s preseason win against Arizona State suggested that. Flagg had some great moments that showcased his two-way versatility, intensity and emerging skill, but also some things he needs to work on with his shot creation and shooting inconsistency, especially on a stacked Duke team that is clearly the most talented roster in college basketball.
There have been other NBA players in Flagg’s shoes at such a young age — Tim Duncan at Wake Forest, JJ Jackson II at South Carolina, and even Shaquille O’Neal at LSU.
What can these players’ careers teach us about Flagg’s future, and how might his unique style on the court lend itself to sky-high expectations?
Let’s put all of this history into context through the lens of the NBA Draft, starting with a look at past comparisons.
