Is Cooper Flagg’s hype getting out of hand?

Let’s break it down. 

Flagg enters the NBA as the No. 1 pick for the Dallas Mavericks after a season at Duke that saw him average 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game. He racked up national awards—AP Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, All-American honors—the whole package.

All of that supports Griffin’s optimism. Flagg has already drawn comparisons to all-around stars like Grant Hill or Aaron Gordon—with defensive versatility and perimeter skills to match. His Summer League showed poise under pressure, with efficient scoring and court vision that are rare among rookies.

Still, saying he’s the most complete rookie in recent memory invites comparison to someone like Victor Wembanyama. Wemby exploded onto the scene two years ago with elite defense, shot-blocking, staggering rim gravity—and, as it turned out, pro-level shooting, too. He averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 3.6 blocks as a rookie while hitting 32.5 percent from three.

Griffin did make a nod to Wembanyama—“Even Wemby… very complete as well”—but only to suggest Flagg edges him in positional versatility. Still, that seems more like debate bait than clear fact. Wemby’s combination of size, shot creation, defense and passing, in his first season, was historic—and arguably unmatched by any recent rookie.

So is Griffin wrong? Not exactly. Flagg is a rare multi-positional talent, a true point-forward modern wing with size, skills and defensive flexibility. That’s enough to make him a standout prospect.

But “most complete in recent memory”? That smacks more of excitement than objective comparison. Flagg hasn’t even played a regular season game yet. His promise is undeniable—but it’s also still theoretical. Past rookies like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Joel Embiid and Wembanyama all entered with massive upside and then delivered. We have to see if Flagg joins that list.

Here’s what’s fair: Flagg has all the tools to be special right from the start. Griffin—who’s seen it all—clearly believes it. That’s worth leading with. But until we do this again after the season, the “most complete” label feels more hype than headline.

Griffin is entitled to dream—most of us wouldn’t blame him. But we’ll reserve “most complete” until Flagg has shown he can hold it together through rookie adversity. For now, he’s the most exciting combo of skill, size and versatility to arrive in years. If he lives up to it, Griffin’s call won’t be premature—it’ll be prophetic.