Jan 27, 2025; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts during the second half against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Blue Devils won 74-64. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

NBA Legend Carmelo Anthony's Brutally Honest Cooper Flagg Statement

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI
By Logan Struck | Last updated May 29, 2025 1:56 PM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft is less than a month away, and everyone around the league is gearing up for Cooper Flagg to become the Dallas Mavericks' newest star. Flagg, 18, is one of the most highly anticipated prospects coming out of college in recent memory and the undisputed top pick in this year's draft.

In Flagg's lone season at Duke, the superstar freshman averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game with 48.1/38.5/84.0 shooting splits on his way to winning National Player of the Year.

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

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

Flagg is one of the most complete draft prospects in a long time, having all the tools on both sides of the ball to get a franchise excited. The Mavericks are set to get a very special player, and the Duke star is getting some major praise from some of the NBA's best.

David Banks-Imagn Images

NBA legend and former Denver Nuggets star Carmelo Anthony got honest about Cooper Flagg's game, but also gave him some high praise before the draft.

"Coop is nice," Anthony said. "Coop is the real deal. We haven't seen, in a while, somebody dominate every stop he went to... I'm very high on his game. To me, he doesn't do anything great. He just do a lot of s**t very good."

"...I'm a fan. Now, we have to talk to him as a pro," Anthony continued. "Now, we stepping into where this is every single night, 82 games every single night... You've got to get a skill set. You can't be in the pros and don't have a skill set... You have to have something that's your go-to. Right now, he don't have a go-to."

Anthony gives Flagg his props, but also admits that he has some room to improve to be on the same level as Kevin Durant, Paul George, Luka Doncic, and more NBA stars. Flagg is an unbelievable prospect, but of course, time will tell how he pans out at the next level.

This article first appeared on Denver Nuggets on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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