“Jayson Tatum tbh”; “Young Kevin Garnett”: College hoops fans spark debate over Cooper Flagg’s NBA parallel 

It is the norm for college basketball stars to draw similarities to the best players and legends in the NBA, and Duke star Cooper Flagg is no exception.

The Courtside Films' Instagram page made a post about Flagg on Friday, asking basketball fans who they believe is the best comparison for the college basketball sensation:

"Who’s the best NBA comparison for Cooper Flagg? The freshman is averaging 16.6 PPG, 8.6 RPG and 4.1 APG this season," the post read.

Fans came in droves to respond with their comparisons, naming current NBA All-Stars to players of the past few decades.

Here are some of the comparisons from fans in the comments:

"Young Kevin Garnett, only correct answer," one fan said.

(Image Source: @courtsidefilms/Instagram)

"Tatum tbh, he's elite on both ends and has a bag for his size," another replied.

(Image Source: @courtsidefilms/Instagram)

"Mordern day Larry Legend," one fan commented.

(Image Source: @courtsidefilms/Instagram)

Fans likened it to certain players, both current and former, who can knock down shots from the perimeter while having a knack for making plays on defense.

"Brandon Ingram with a motor," another fan said.

(Image Source: @courtsidefilms/Instagram)

"Andrei Kirilenko with higher upside offensively," one fan wrote.

(Image Source: @courtsidefilms/Instagram)

"It's a Tatum/PG13 with AD physique," another fan said.

(Image Source: @courtsidefilms/Instagram)

Cooper Flagg continues his standout rookie season

Eight games into the 2024-25 season, Cooper Flagg is having a season that arguably justifies the comparisons he is getting from fans.

He is currently averaging 16.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.5 blocks per contest on 43.5% shooting from the field and 23.3% from beyond the arc. His last performance against the No. 2 Auburn Tigers on Dec. 4 saw him finish with a double-double of 22 points and 11 rebounds on 7-of-18 shooting overall in a 92-84 upset victory.

This has benefitted Duke's overall production with a 6-2 record to show for it. The team has put up 81.1 points on 46.7% shooting from the field and 36.6% from downtown. They are active in crashing the glass and creating assists while not turning the ball over often, grabbing 40.4 rebounds, dishing out 16.6 assists and only committing 10.6 turnovers per game.

Cooper Flagg will look to continue progressing through his freshman campaign in convincing fashion, preparing for No. 9 Duke's next matchup on the road against Louisville at KFC Yum! Center on Sunday at 6:00 p.m. ET.