Shaq compares Cooper Flagg to Dirk Nowitzki

Cooper Flagg has been the topic of discussion since he joined the Duke Blue Devils. His averages of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, only helped to raise interest in his value.

All anyone could talk about was what NBA team would be lucky enough to get the first pick in the NBA Draft, once Flagg announced he was leaving college.

The Dallas Mavericks ended up being that lucky team, as they’ve won the Draft lottery. Now, since their pick is already set in stone, former NBA great Shaquille O’Neal made an interesting comparison between a Mavs legend and Flagg.

“He’s a great all-around player. I don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but a little baby Dirk [Nowitzki]? Could be. When Dirk came in, Dirk was raw like that. He just worked on his game and trained and got on the trails and got with management, and became a great player,” Shaq said.

Will Cooper Flagg become the next Dirk Nowitzki? This is unlikely, as there’s only one Dirk. Flagg will be his own player, but the question really is, can he lead the Mavericks to a championship like Dirk?