Who wouldn't want Cooper Flagg to play for their NBA team? Luckily for the Dallas Mavericks, they get to claim the No. 1 draft prospect as their own since they have the first pick of the 2025 NBA Draft.
However, since the Draft Lottery took place and the Mavs learned of their top pick, people have thrown around the idea that Dallas should trade the No. 1 pick for top players who are already in the league.
Most recently, Tony Allen, a former NBA Champion, shared that he thinks it would be smart for Dallas to go for a trade because he doesn't actually believe that Flagg will be all that great in the NBA.
“I don’t think Cooper Flagg’s going to turn your franchise around like that," Allen said on Grind City Media. “I'm serious and I say this because... he's nice, he's nice, let's give him he's nice. I ain’t seeing [Kevin Durant]. I’m just not seeing all that, bro. I’m seeing Andrei Kirilenko."
For reference, Kirilenko was the No. 24 overall pick in the 1999 NBA Draft, and he went on become an NBA All-Star (2004), an NBA All-Defensive First Team member (2006), a two=time NBA All-Defensive Second Team member (2004, 2005), and NBA All-Rookie First Team member (2002), and the NBA blocks leader (2005).
However, Kirilenko's career never amounted to all that much as he played 16 years on three different teams in the league, as well as various Russian league teams.
To compare Flagg, who has been compared to some of the all-time greats, to a player like Kirilenko is an abysmal take for Allen to voice.
“He’s going to be a one-time All-Star. I don’t see it, bro. I’m just not hyped on these Duke kids," Allen continued. "Look at the last couple that came out... He is nice, but his max-out potential is Andrei Kirilenko.”
With numerous top prospects hailing from Duke in this draft class, Blue Devil fans should be irate at the negative speech Allen is spewing about their team. Flagg is joined by Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach, and Tyrese Proctor.
Also read: NBA All-Star says Rutgers superstar should be drafted before Duke stud Cooper Flagg
The first round of the 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 25. The second round will take place at the same time on the following evening.