Flagg, tabbed as a generational prospect, was ranked the No. 1 player nationally in the 2024 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. He hasn’t disappointed in college, either, as he’s averaging 19 points with 7.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game this season while playing dominant defense.
Flagg is expected to make immediate contributions in the NBA next season, although the ceiling of top prospects is never a sure thing from year-to-year. Dan Patrick, host of ‘The Dan Patrick Show,’ recently said Flagg’s career would turn out to be a disappointment if he became a player of the same caliber as Kevin Love, a five-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection at his peak.
Patrick was complimenting Flagg’s ceiling as a prospect and not necessarily taking a shot at Love. The comments lured Love to offer his own two cents on the situation, however.
‘For those who will take this as a shot at me…I don’t take it as such,’ Love wrote on X in response to Patrick’s quote. ‘I was pure skill & will. Cooper is far more talented than I ever was and if he stays healthy will have a far better career. He could very well have a statue by the time he’s finished. I’m a HUGE fan.’
Love’s comments were expectedly classy, and the current Miami Heat forward is already a fan of the prospect.
The 36-year-old forward is in his 17th NBA season and has played with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Cleveland Cavaliers and Heat after being the No. 5 overall pick out of UCLA in the 2008 NBA Draft. Love was perhaps best known for winning the NBA Finals alongside LeBron James in 2016.
Flagg’s status as a prospect has risen above where being compared to Love is somehow seen as a diss by many. The all-around forward is focused on capping his freshman season with a national championship, though, starting with an Elite Eight matchup with 2-seed Alabama on Saturday in the NCAA Tournament.
(This story was updated to change a photo.)
The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.