With the 2025 NBA Draft less than two weeks away, it’s the perfect time to compare Cooper Flagg to a former Duke Blue Devils star.
The Dallas Mavericks have an easy choice for their No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as Duke Blue Devils’ Cooper Flagg is the best prospect in his class.
Even in the NBA Analysis Network’s Jonah Kubicek’s latest mock draft, Flagg goes first overall to the Mavericks.
But let’s switch things up and compare the talented prospect to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Paolo Banchero.
Evidently, Banchero was also a top prospect in his class and he also spent a year playing for Duke’s basketball program.
Considering Banchero has already completed the third NBA season of his career with the Orlando Magic, fans have an idea of how he plays. Banchero has shown shades of LeBron James early in his career.
Being a power forward, Banchero focuses on scoring and rebounding the ball rather than playmaking for his teammates. Coming to Flagg, he is viewed as one of the best small forwards in his class.
However, aside from scoring and rebounding, Flagg is a very capable defender. He relies on his explosiveness to impact the game as opposed to Banchero, who often slows down the game to play at his own pace.
The Magic star stands at 6’10 while weighing 250 lbs and has a wingspan of 7’1. However, the most standout physical attribute is his incredible strength. That’s a huge reason behind Banchero’s quick transition from the NCAA to the NBA.
On the other hand, Flagg is 6’7 and weighs about 210 lbs with a wingspan of 7’0. So, Flagg is smaller and lighter than Banchero as his physique can be compared to San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama during his rookie year.
But here’s the silver lining: Flagg can still grow since he is just 18 years old. In fact, according to Yahoo Sports, Flagg has already grown an inch over his time in the NCAA.
Both Banchero and Flagg declared for the NBA Draft after spending just a single season in the NCAA. Banchero averaged 17.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47.8% from the field and 33.8% from the three-point line.
As for Flagg, he contributed 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from deep.
However, neither Banchero nor Flagg could lead Duke to the NCAA Championship. In fact, in both years, Duke was eliminated in the Final Four of March Madness.
To be honest, predicting a player’s NBA potential is never easy. The likes of Nikola Jokic and Jalen Brunson are proof of that. But comparing two potential No. 1 picks certainly makes it a tad bit easier.
Fans have already seen Banchero grow at a rapid rate in the first three years of his career. He averaged 25.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in the 2024-25 NBA season. The Jordan athlete has already earned an NBA All-Star spot as well.
If he stays away from injuries, Banchero will likely become a perennial All-Star/All-NBA player in the league, who can one day maybe lead the Magic to a title.
As for Flagg, there’s more buzz around him compared to Banchero. Let’s not forget that Paolo wasn’t even the consensus No. 1 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. Flagg is head and shoulders above his peers in the class.
Assuming he stays healthy and puts on some extra muscle, Flagg has the potential to be the next face of the NBA. Moreover, he already has the burden of healing the Mavs fanbase following Nico Harrison’s shocking Luka Doncic trade.
The summary of the above-mentioned points hints at Flagg undoubtedly being a better prospect than Banchero.
Moreover, he is four years younger than the Magic star, so Flagg has better potential by the time both retire from the league. Despite that verdict, it’s not as if Banchero is too far behind Flagg in terms of talent.
Ultimately, their NBA legacy will be decided by how well their respective franchise builds the roster around them to help them compete for championships on a yearly basis.
