Mavericks' Cooper Flagg hype train in danger of halting if bold prediction comes true

After trading away Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks received the ultimate bailout by winning the 2025 lottery and the chance to draft Cooper Flagg. Flagg won the Wooden Award as a freshman, led Duke to the Final Four, and is considered to be one of the best prospects in recent memory.

Flagg has been praised for his defensive ability, athleticism, and all-around scoring ability. As a freshman, he wasn't the dominant offensive option traditionally selected with the first pick. He joined a talented and experienced Duke team, forcing the young star to play both on and off the ball.

Despite widely being considered a generational talent, not everyone is convinced Flagg will have the franchise-altering impact as advertised, including Memphis Grizzlies legend Tony Allen. On the Grind City Media podcast, Allen argued that Flagg will only be a one-time All-Star, not the future of the Mavs franchise.

Allen believes Flagg is the next Kirilenko, not the next Durant

"I don't think Cooper Flagg going to turn your franchise around like that," Allen said. "I'm serious, I ain't seeing KD. I'm just not seeing that. I'm seeing Andrei Kirilenko, that's who I'm seeing bro." Allen finished with "He's going to be a one-time All Star."

Allen's perspective has some truth to it.

In college, Flagg played more like Kirilenko than Kevin Durant. While Flagg was capable of taking over a game on both ends of the court, he wasn't asked to be the dominant offensive option for last year's Duke team. Duke had two fellow projected lottery picks in Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluch, and a respected veteran in Tyrese Proctor.

Flagg's playstyle does have shades of the Russian forward's game. Kirilenko was a defensive menace, earning 3 All-Defensive nods and finishing third in DPOTY voting in the 2005-06 season. Kirilenko was capable as both an on-ball and a help-side defender, where he showed Giannis-like defensive range to protect the paint. Offensively, Kirilenko was an elite supporting option, averaging 16 points over his three-year peak. Kirilenko never had a below-average true shooting percentage.

Kirilenko is a great comparison for the Duke star's defensive ability. The two use their athletic gifts in similar ways, stonewalling perimeter defenders with their strength and protecting the paint with their combination of speed and size. Flagg will continue to draw parallels to the former Jazz star for their eerily similar defensive abilities.

Where Allen misses the mark is offensively. While Flagg had a similar offensive profile to Kirilenko at Duke, this was because Flagg joined an extremely talented Duke team. Had Flagg joined a team with little offensive help, he would have been forced to shoulder a greater offensive load.

Flagg will become an offensive superstar. While his defense is his most impressive attribute, Flagg's offensive talent and versatility are very impressive. Flagg showed this year at Duke that he is a capable on-ball scorer, passer, and off-ball scorer. His ability to score in different roles is a reason for optimism, not skepticism. While Flagg doesn't project to be the one-man offense Durant is, he is a dangerous offensive weapon who doesn't need a play drawn for him to score.

If Cooper Flagg is Andre Kirilenko, he is the absolute best version of Kirilenko that could exist. While it may concern fans that Flagg won't be the next Durant, they should be optimistic that Flagg projects to be the next Anthony Davis. A reclassified freshman, Flagg dominated college hoops as one of the youngest players. Mavs fans should look towards the incoming Cooper Flagg era with optimism.