Kevin Love had no issue being compared unfavorably to Cooper Flagg by Dan Patrick

For most players entering the NBA, having a career like Kevin Love’s would be just fine. But according to Dan Patrick, that is not the case for Duke star Cooper Flagg — and Love agrees.

During Friday’s Dan Patrick Show, Patrick discussed Flagg’s NBA outlook.

“If you start to look at player comps, which we do, you automatically are gonna go to a white guy who’s 6’8″ or so,” Patrick said. “Now, listed at 6’9,” but is he a Larry Bird-type of player? If you said his career was gonna be like Kevin Love’s, would that be a disappointment? And it probably would be.”

Is this being too dismissive of Love, who’s been a standout player for much of his NBA career? Love is a five-time All-Star, has been All-NBA Second Team twice, was the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2011 — the same year he won the rebounding title — and was one of the best players on a Cleveland Cavaliers team that reached four-straight NBA Finals, winning one of them.

Love, though, took no offense to Patrick’s comments. He agreed with them.

“For those who will take this as a shot at me…I don’t take it as such,” Love said. “I was pure skill & will. Cooper is far more talented than I ever was and if he stays healthy will have a far better career. He could very well have a statue by the time he’s finished. I’m a HUGE fan.”

For those who will take this as a shot at me…I don’t take it as such. I was pure skill & will. Cooper is far more talented than I ever was and if he stays healthy will have a far better career. He could very well have a statue by the time he’s finished. I’m a HUGE fan. https://t.co/aEv6G8gbR8

— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) March 28, 2025

On Thursday, Skip Bayless shared a video where he not only wondered if Flagg could be better than Bird but if he might already be the best white American player since Bird. That’s probably a little too strong. As good as Flagg has been in college and as bright as his outlook is, there have been too many white American NBA stars since Bird — including Love — to say that Flagg is already at that level. But to look at Flagg’s talent and say that he should have a much better NBA career than even someone who’s been as good as Love is certainly fair.

Time will tell if the projection is correct.