Duke’s rising star Cooper Flagg has quickly emerged as one of the most electrifying prospects in basketball. With the 2025 NBA Draft approaching, Flagg is widely projected to go first overall to the Dallas Mavericks. If that happens, he would become the second-youngest player ever taken with the top pick, behind only LeBron James, who was drafted in 2003.
As the buzz around Flagg continues to grow, NBA analyst and former player Kendrick Perkins added fuel to the fire during ESPN’s draft coverage on Tuesday night. Perkins offered an eyebrow-raising comparison, claiming that Flagg reminded him of a mythical mix between two NBA legends.
“This is how I look at Cooper Flagg. If LeBron James and Kevin Garnett had a baby, you’d get Cooper Flagg. When you think about LeBron James, you think of a complete basketball player. He led the team in everything. That’s a LeBron James type of thing,” Perkins said.
"This is how I look at Cooper Flagg. If LeBron James and Kevin Garnett had a baby, you'd get Cooper Flagg."
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 24, 2025
Kendrick Perkins. pic.twitter.com/CIv6jVa9C7
Perkins didn’t stop there. He also likened Flagg’s emotional intensity and effort to that of Kevin Garnett.
“When you talk about his passion, his tenacity, I’m watching KG. He plays at a high level. We don’t give players like Cooper Flagg enough credit. I think it’s a skill to have a high motor like he has,” he added.
Kendrick Perkins Slammed Online For Unbelievable Cooper Flagg Comparison
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Perkins’ dramatic comparison didn’t sit well with a large segment of fans, many of whom took to social media to roast the take.
“This is absurd. He’s not the passer or volume scorer LeBron is, and he’s not the rim protector Garnett was. He’s like if Pippen and Kirilenko had a baby,” one fan wrote.
This is absurd. He’s not the passer or volume scorer LeBron is, and he’s not the rim protector Garnett was.
— Hardwood Junkies (@hardwoodjunkies) June 25, 2025
He’s like if Pippen and Kirilenko had a baby.
“This may be the worst comparison I’ve ever heard in sports,” one fan commented.
This may be the worst comparison I’ve ever heard in sports.
— Jay Willis (@ucfjaybird51) June 25, 2025
Another fan added, “Perk been doing good lately but This ain’t it.”
Perk been doing good lately but This ain’t it
— ihearyou (@Blackmon001) June 25, 2025
“A KG LBJ is literally the greatest prospect of all time. Stop it,” one comment read.
A KG LBJ is literally the greatest prospect of all time. Stop it
— GEEkz (@GeekzNSneakz) June 25, 2025
Another subtle shot at Perkins read, “Yea get big perk off the desk.”
Yea get big perk off the desk
— Dylan Velez (@Valyd_) June 25, 2025
Despite the backlash, Perkins’ comments have added even more hype around Cooper Flagg’s NBA future. Whether or not he lives up to such lofty comparisons, there’s no denying that Flagg’s talent and the buzz surrounding him are very real.
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