"Prime Kawhi Leonard" - Western Conference GM serves sparkling praise for Cooper Flagg with comparison to 2x Finals MVP

Cooper Flagg took the college basketball world by storm the minute he stepped onto Cameron Indoor Stadium in a Duke uniform. The 6-foot-9 forward is a leading candidate to win this year's Wooden Award, given to the best player on the collegiate level. The presumptive first overall pick in this year's draft has NBA front offices excited for his arrival to the pros, especially for one general manager.

Cooper Flagg is the face of this year's Duke Blue Devils team alongside fellow top freshmen Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach, and he has generated a level of excitement comparable to that of Zion Williamson when the Pelicans forward was in Durham. Many NBA teams have been tanking to improve their odds of securing the top overall pick and selecting him when the draft rolls around.

Speaking with ESPN on Friday about Cooper Flagg's talent level and how he compares to his future NBA peers, executives all over the league gave the Maine native his flowers. One Western Conference general manager went a step further, comparing him to one of the best two-way players in recent memory, Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.

"The best comp I've heard from our scouts is prime Kawhi Leonard," the general manager said about Flagg's potential. "Now, that's not perfect because they are very different players at the same age, but it's the one I like in terms of their style of play, two-way versatility, passing and the fact that they can both guard point guards, wings and big men."

Cooper Flagg's dominance, both in college and against NBA Olympians over the summer inspired teams to punt this season in the hopes that they could add Flagg to their team. The "tankathon" for Flagg has been going on for months, with a few teams setting themselves apart in the race for the top pick.

Which teams are in the best position to draft Cooper Flagg?

As of writing, the Charlotte Hornets, Utah Jazz, and Washington Wizards are all tied with a 14% chance each of being awarded the top pick in the 2025 draft, according to Tankathon. All three teams are rebuilding, but adding a talent like Cooper Flagg could speed things up. The Hornets in particular would benefit from the top pick as a way to convince LaMelo Ball to stay with the team.

Despite the fanfare around him and his entrance into the league, there have been whispers that Flagg could consider staying at Duke for another year. It is highly unusual for a potential top pick to keep themselves out of the draft in the college basketball world, but the rise of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals could play a role in Flagg's decision.

For now, Cooper Flagg is focusing on two things; recovering from the ankle injury that knocked him out of the ACC Tournament and leading the Blue Devils on a deep NCAA Tournament run. Regardless of how Duke's season ends, all eyes will be on Flagg as he considers the future of his basketball career.