Cooper Flagg gets Kendrick Perkins' wild fantasy fusion comparison to NBA legends LeBron James and Kevin Garnett
Cooper Flagg and Kendrick Perkins. Image via:|As NBA fans brace for the Dallas Mavericks to select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in Wednesday night's NBA Draft, the hype machine is already in overdrive. The 6-foot-9 Duke phenom has captivated the basketball world with his jaw-dropping skill set, earning comparisons to some of the game's greatest players.
But none have been as wild, or as viral, as Kendrick Perkins' now-infamous declaration live on ESPN.
Kendrick Perkins stirs the pot with an outlandish Cooper Flagg comparison with
LeBron James
and
Kevin Garnett
Perkins, a former NBA champion and now full-time hot-take machine for ESPN, lit up social media when he offered his explosive analogy during ESPN's pre-draft coverage. While many fans initially laughed it off, Perkins backed up his statement with sincere admiration.
'This is how I look at Cooper Flagg,' he said. 'If LeBron James and Kevin Garnett had a baby, you'd get Cooper Flagg.'
Moments later, he explained why the comparison may be less outlandish than it sounds.
'When you think about LeBron James, you think of a complete basketball player. He [Flagg] led the team in everything. That's a LeBron James type of thing,' Perkins continued. 'When you talk about his passion, his tenacity, I'm watching KG. He plays at a high level. We don't give players like Cooper Flagg enough credit. I think it's a skill to have a high motor like he has.'
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His versatility was on full display during Flagg's lone season at Duke, where he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while leading the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance. His rare two-way dominance earned him the honor of being the youngest-ever recipient of the Wooden Award.
Recently, Flagg shared his heartfelt gratitude for the people supporting him throughout his journey to the NBA. 'Yeah, I'm blessed that I have so much support from my state and people back home that support me so much,' Flagg shared. 'I'm just truly blessed and grateful for the people that show up, you know, the parties and celebrating my name."
Also Read:
"I'm not worried' — Cooper Flagg gives his honest thoughts on succeeding Luka Doncic in Dallas Mavericks roster
Certainly, Flagg is the jackpot for the Mavericks, and his addition will add to a new and dominant roster with Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
Game On Season 1 kicks off with Sakshi Malik's inspiring story. Watch Episode 1 here
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