Offensive and defensive data crushes Tatum in the same period! Cooper Flag: The natural choice of No. 1 pick

The art of playing badly in NBA teams has always been a metaphysics - some bet on Duncan, and some choose Oden. But in 2025, the league's battle was particularly lively, because this time, the chips on the gambling table were Cooper Flag.

This Duke freshman is the most popular rookie in the United States since Zion in 2019 and Thick Brows in 2012. What's even more terrifying is that he is not even 18 years old, but he can already perform in the NCAA arena, with both offense and defense, and shooting left and right.

So the question is: What is Flag's strength? Can he really take on the sign of "zero risk No. 1 pick"?

Judging from Flag's physical condition, performance in the college arena and potential for future development, he not only has a very high lower limit, but also is expected to become one of the top players in the NBA league and rank among the top five.

Static talent: 6-foot-9 (2.06 meters) height, 7-foot-1 (2.16 meters) wingspan, 93 kg weight - the standard front monster size, but with defender agility.

Dynamic Talent: Top explosive power and amazing speed. He has second in the team with 33 dunks this season (second only to potential lottery center Maluah, 7-foot-2), and his defensive coverage is comparable to that of a "human-shaped spider web".

Flag is an efficient scorer. As early as the beginning of this season, he scored 42 points in his match against Notre Dame with just 14 shots. The reason why Flag was able to play such amazing data is due to his outstanding three-point shooting ability, excellent physical fitness and excellent independent offensive ability. He can score anywhere on the court and balance his left and right hands.

Flag is also an excellent passer with a high basketball IQ. No matter which team chooses him, he will quickly become the team's main ball holder and is expected to become the core engine of the NBA's top offensive system in the future. He dares to fight physically, often wins free throw opportunities, and maintains efficient finishing ability under intense confrontation.

Frager also performed well on the defensive end. He is an elite shot blocker with excellent awareness of defense and abundant physical fitness. He has outstanding physical fitness, excellent wingspan and bounce ability. With his outstanding height and agility, he is able to defend multiple positions in the NBA. In the future, he is expected to become an All-Star defensive player.

In the words of an anonymous NBA executive, "Frager is not promising in the future, but can help you win now."

Frager's shortcomings

Frager is regarded as such an outstanding rookie in large part because he does not have obvious shortcomings. As can be expected from his set of strengths, he is an extremely comprehensive player. During the pre-draft assessment, the biggest negative comment about Flag might just be that some fans found his mother's cheers on the sidelines a bit distracting.

Of course, before the freshman season, Flag's three-point shooting ability also caused some concerns. Although he is not the kind of shooter who can hit a stable shot, his 37% three-point shooting percentage this season is enough to dispel many people's doubts.

NBA player template

Similar style: Jayson Tatum

Frag and Tatum both played similar roles during their time at Duke University, and their data performance was quite similar.

Tatum has been selected into the All-Star lineup six times and the Best Team four times. He is the best player on the NBA championship team. Tatum is a great scorer, but also an underrated passer and excellent rebounder. On the defensive end, Tatum is also excellent, able to defend multiple positions from the inside to the outside. Although he is not the best player in the NBA, he is undoubtedly able to rank among the top five or top six.

For Flag, this is undoubtedly a very high benchmark. But he has a full chance to reach or even surpass this level. Flag is an inch higher than Tatum and is better at protecting the basket. In the college field, his average score, rebounds, assists, blocks, steals and shooting percentage per game are better than Tatum at the same time. Tatum said in an interview with Boston Globe reporter Chad Finn at the beginning of the Duke season that Flag had surpassed himself among his peers.

Flag once revealed that Tatum and Larry Bird are his favorite NBA players. He is a loyal Celtic fan. It is not difficult to see from Flag's game that he did delve into the video of these two players, because they can always be found in his style of play.

Flag's performance on the court undoubtedly shows his potential to become a future NBA superstar. He has excellent physical fitness, comprehensive technical ability and extremely high basketball IQ. On the offensive end, he can score, pass and rebound on one shoulder; on the defensive end, he can also become the mainstay of the team. For any NBA team that picks him, Flag will be the cornerstone of their team building for many years to come. The No. 1 pick has been stable, and among all the mainstream simulation lists, Flag and Rutgers University's Dylan Harper are firmly in the top two. But the gap between the two is probably equivalent to "Venban Yama and Henderson" - Flag is the only existence.

With Flag's current strength, he is fully qualified to be the No. 1 pick in most draft years. Although he may not have reached the height of Vinban Yama, Flag is better than any No. 1 pick in the past five years.

Conclusion

As the draft day approaches, Flag's name will undoubtedly appear frequently in reports from major media. He will be the target of various teams chasing, and the title of No. 1 pick is almost his possession. For Flag, although the future NBA road is full of challenges, with his talent and hard work, he is fully capable of writing his own legendary chapter.