Skip Bayless draws shocking Cooper Flagg parallels to 3x NBA champ

Duke star Cooper Flagg, widely projected to be the No. 1 pick in this year's NBA draft, is currently in the midst of the early stage of the NCAA's March Madness tournament. Heading into the half, Duke led Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers 54-28, and with Flagg looking like a true star, there has been tons of talk about his NBA player comparisons.

According to an anonymous NBA Western Conference general manager, who spoke with Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo, Flagg is being compared to a prime Kawhi Leonard.

However, the way veteran analyst Skip Bayless sees things, Flagg is similar to three-time NBA champion and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Larry Bird, but with a better vertical.

Heading into the second half of Duke's game against Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers, the former "First Take" co-host took to X to share his thoughts:

"Cooper Flagg back in, with a big slam and tongue-out celebration. Kid's an explosive leaper at 6-9. Bird sure couldn't jump like this," Bayless wrote.

While some have questioned why Flagg is playing in the second half when the team is up by so many points, it's clear that the potential No. 1 pick has the eyes of the NBA community on him as fans await word on whether he'll return to Duke for another year, or declare for the NBA draft.

"Prime Kawhi Leonard" - Looking at what one anonymous NBA exec said about Cooper Flagg

Since the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, fans have been calling the upcoming NBA draft the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes. While it's still unclear whether the Duke star will return for another year or declare for the draft as many fans expect, there's no denying that he's already made his presence felt.

This summer, Flagg was part of the Team USA select team that scrimmaged against the Team USA squad that went to the Paris Olympics. Word from Team USA's training camp indicated that Flagg fit right in with the best.

As previously mentioned, one anonymous Western Conference executive has gone so far as to compare Cooper Flagg to prime Kawhi Leonard thanks to his impressive two-way play and stature.

The ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo quoted the anonymous GM as saying:

"The best comp I've heard from our scouts is prime Kawhi Leonard. 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."

Before Flagg decides whether or not he'll declare for the draft, fans will have a chance to see the Duke star compete in this year's March Madness tournament. Following a win over Mount St. Mary's Mountaineers, Duke will face off against Baylor, who edged out a narrow victory over Mississippi St. with a buzzer-beater.