NBA legend Kevin Garnett isn't always the most eloquent of commentators, but he is always known for calling it like he sees it and he sees greatness in Cooper Flagg. For those unaware, Flagg is seen as a safe bet to be taken first overall in 2025 and is considered a generational prospect.
Even though he comes two seasons after another generational prospect in Victor Wembanyama and a season before another, Flagg is believed to be a prospect who can make an immediate impact on both sides of the ball.
In early summer, Flagg played with the USA select team and held his own against a who's who of NBA stars as a 17-year-old. That performance only increases the attention surrounding him, which will only increase with him playing for Duke next college season.
Kevin Garnett's praise of projected 2025 first-overall pick Cooper Flagg proves he's the real deal.
Garnett was a two-way superstar power forward who played 21 seasons in the NBA, so he seems like the perfect person to ask about Flagg. That is not to mention that he started his NBA career as a teenager, much like how Flagg is expected to do.
Garnett went so far as to call him the greatest white player the league has had in a long time. Assuming he doesn't consider Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic as being white, then the next high-profile white player would be Larry Bird.
Aside from the obvious comparisons, Bird was a hybrid forward who was big enough to play the four but was an elite passer and perimeter scorer. He was also a strong rebounder and overlooked as a defense player. Flagg is a four by today's standards but also has perimeter skills, with him showing some ability to shoot off the dribble and use ball screens to create shots for himself.
He is also a terrific rebounder, shot blocker, and a great athlete. The fact that he is all those things and still just 18 years old is impressive, to say the least. Assuming that he leaves Duke after one season, he would have a four-year head start on Bird, who didn't enter the NBA until he was 23 years old.
Whether he reaches Bird's heights, which include winning three league MVPs, three NBA championships, and two NBA Final MVPs, remains to be seen. However, KG believes that Flagg is the real deal and that is saying something.