Everyone wants to find the next savior. In the NBA, we do this every twelve months like clockwork. We build a pedestal, polish the brass, and wait for a teenager to climb up. For the 2025 cycle, that teenager is Cooper Flagg.
He’s the Maine-born phenom with the 7-foot-1 wingspan and a defensive motor that never seems to quit. You've heard the "generational" label. You've seen the "Capture the Flagg" tanking memes. But if you talk to scouts behind closed doors, or even just watch the tape without the rose-colored glasses, a different story starts to emerge.
The Cooper Flagg NBA draft hype doubts aren't just cynical noise. They are real, specific, and increasingly hard to ignore.
Is he good? Obviously. He swept the National Player of the Year awards at Duke and looks like a defensive monster. But is he the next LeBron? Or even the next Zion? Honestly, maybe not.
The Shot Creation Problem
Basketball is a game of creating something out of nothing. When the shot clock hits four seconds and the defense is locked in, you need a guy who can just get a bucket.
This is where the Flagg skepticism starts to get loud.
During his time at Duke, Flagg showed he’s a brilliant "connector." He moves the ball, he cuts, and he finishes with transition dunks that make the highlights. But his half-court shot creation? It's kinda clunky.
📖 Related: Why Netball Girls Sri Lanka Are Quietly Dominating Asian Sports
He doesn't have that "shake." You know the one. That effortless change of direction that players like Anthony Edwards or even his draft rival Ace Bailey possess. Flagg can sometimes look a bit stiff when he’s asked to initiate the offense from a standstill. He’s more of a "one-dribble, pull-up" or "straight-line drive" player.
If you’re drafting a guy at number one, you usually expect a primary scoring engine. Some NBA executives have openly wondered if Flagg is more of a "super-role player" than a franchise-carrying alpha. Tony Allen, a guy who knows a thing or two about defense, famously compared him to Andrei Kirilenko.
Kirilenko was a multi-time All-Star and a defensive genius. But he wasn't the guy you gave the ball to in the final two minutes of a playoff game.
The "Generational" Label is Getting Diluted
We use the word "generational" way too much. It's basically lost all meaning at this point.
Victor Wembanyama was generational. He’s an 8-foot-tall alien who shoots step-back threes. LeBron James was generational. He was a 250-pound freight train with the passing vision of Magic Johnson.
Cooper Flagg? He’s a 6-foot-9 forward with elite instincts. He’s incredibly productive, sure. But is he unique in a way that breaks the game of basketball?
👉 See also: Why Cumberland Valley Boys Basketball Dominates the Mid-Penn (and What’s Next)
- Size: He’s 6'9". Great, but standard for a modern wing/forward.
- Athleticism: High-level, but he’s not jumping over people like prime Zion Williamson.
- Skillset: Versatile, but he doesn't have one "un-guardable" trait yet.
One anonymous Eastern Conference executive told The Ringer that if Flagg had stayed in his original high school class (2026), he might have been the third or fourth pick behind guys like AJ Dybantsa or Cameron Boozer. That’s a massive reality check. It suggests the "number one" status is as much about the 2025 class being top-heavy as it is about Flagg being a historical outlier.
The Shooting Consistency Question
You can't be a superstar wing in the modern NBA if teams can go under screens against you.
Flagg’s shooting numbers at Duke were... fine. He shot around 38% from deep, which looks great on paper. But he’s a "rhythm" shooter. When he’s open and has time to set his feet, he’s dangerous. When the defense is physical and he has to shoot on the move? The efficiency dips.
His free-throw shooting is usually the best indicator of long-term touch, and he was excellent there, hovering around 84%. That’s the silver lining. It shows the mechanics are solid. But "solid" doesn't always translate to "elite NBA spacer."
There’s a world where Flagg becomes a 34% shooter in the pros. If that happens, and he can’t consistently beat his man off the dribble, his offensive ceiling starts to look a lot more like Aaron Gordon than Jayson Tatum.
The "Safe" vs. "High Ceiling" Debate
The biggest reason for the Cooper Flagg NBA draft hype doubts is actually a compliment in disguise. He is arguably the "safest" prospect we’ve seen in years.
✨ Don't miss: What Channel is Champions League on: Where to Watch Every Game in 2026
Even if his offense never develops into a 25-points-per-game weapon, he will still be an All-Defense caliber wing who blocks shots and makes the right pass. He has a incredibly high floor.
But NBA teams at the top of the lottery aren't usually looking for a "safe" pick. They’re looking for a guy who can win an MVP.
Critics point to his lack of elite "wiggle" and his robotic offensive movements as proof that he might have already peaked physically. He was so much more advanced than his peers in high school because of his intensity and IQ. In the NBA, everyone is intense. Everyone has a high IQ. When the playing field levels out, will his lack of "freak" traits become an issue?
What Scouts Are Watching Now
As we move toward the actual draft day, the focus has shifted. It’s no longer about whether he’s the best player in the class—most still think he is. It’s about the gap between him and the rest.
If the Dallas Mavericks (who landed the top pick in various 2025 simulations) take him, they aren't just getting a rookie. They're getting a guy who has to live up to the "next big thing" marketing. That’s a lot of pressure for a kid from Maine who sometimes struggles to create his own shot in the half-court.
How to Evaluate the Flagg Hype Yourself
If you want to cut through the media fluff, look at these three things when watching his tape:
- Lower Body Fluidity: Does he look stiff when changing directions, or can he "snake" through a pick-and-roll?
- Self-Creation: How many of his points come from teammates' assists versus him getting a bucket on his own?
- Defensive Versatility: Can he actually guard NBA-level point guards on a switch, or is he strictly a help-side rim protector?
The doubts aren't saying Cooper Flagg will be a bust. That seems almost impossible given his work ethic and defensive floor. But the "generational" talk? That might be a bit premature. He’s a phenomenal prospect, but he’s a human one—with real flaws that NBA coaches will be salivating to exploit.
Your next move should be to compare Flagg’s "isolation points per possession" with other top wings like Ace Bailey. You'll quickly see why some scouts are nervous about the offensive gap between the hype and the reality.