Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images

Ex-Bulls, Celtics Forward's Bold Cooper Flagg, LeBron James Comparison

Originally posted on Chicago Bulls on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 10:30 AM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft is Wednesday night, and the entire basketball world is already looking ahead to the second overall pick, because the Dallas Mavericks' selection at No. 1 is set in stone. The Mavericks lucked out in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, landing the first pick in the lottery despite having just a 1.8% chance.

On Wednesday night, Flagg officially becomes a Maverick, and the expectations for this 18-year-old out of Duke could not be any higher.

COOPER FLAGG JUST WENT COAST-TO-COAST AND POSTERIZED THE DEFENDER

ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS pic.twitter.com/Z5jcZ756ew
— ESPN (@espn) January 8, 2025

Many have noted Flagg as the best offensive and defensive player in this year's class, as the young star is projected to be an all-time two-way talent. However, 11-year NBA veteran and former Chicago Bulls and Boston Celtics forward Brian Scalabrine put even higher expectations on him, comparing him to the great LeBron James.

"Cooper Flagg is not a bad athlete, he's a great athlete. LeBron's a super athlete. But they process the same," Scalabrine said. "I know it's unfair, but I'll eventually be right... I'm just doing a comparison of what he can be... LeBron has scored 50,000 points and doesn't have a go-to shot. I'm not sure [Flagg] has a go-to shot. Just a basketball player who makes things happen.

"LeBron's a freak of nature defensively, [Flagg] is a freak of nature defensively. LeBron can run point, [Flagg] can run point. 6'8" point guard, 6'8" point guard. He trends like that, more than a shooting guard or Kawhi Leonard, or anything like that. He doesn't want to say it, but that's what it's gonna be."

"I'll eventually be right ... three years from now [people] will be like 'Scal said it'."@Scalabrine speaks on how Cooper Flagg has LeBron James-like potential in the NBA pic.twitter.com/KoSesFROwS
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) June 24, 2025

While many are hesitant to say Flagg is a generational prospect, or even the best we have seen in the last ten years, he is undoubtedly one of the more pro-ready 18-year-olds the league has seen since LeBron James. The Mavericks are getting an incredible prospect on Wednesday night.

This article first appeared on Chicago Bulls on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: