Jay Bilas: Cooper Flagg is best freshman Duke has ever had

Jay Bilas knows a thing or two about Duke basketball.

He also knows a thing or two about Cooper Flagg.

The two share eerily similar career arcs. Bilas played for the Blue Devils in the 1980s and was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks. Flagg played his lone college season at Duke and is expected to be selected No. 1 overall by the Mavericks. The parallels are hard to miss.

So, who’s going to have a better career when it’s all said and done? Bilas joked on the Awful Announcing Podcast that it’s a tough call, but admitted he senses that it’ll be Flagg.

“He’s ridiculous,” Bilas told host Brandon Contes. “I think he’s the best freshman Duke has ever had. And that’s saying something, given the freshmen that Duke has had over the last 30-40 years, maybe even beyond that. But you don’t find 17-18-year-olds — he’s barely 18 years old right now — and the polish and maturity he shows. People talk about, ‘Well, will Dallas trade the pick?’ I just can’t imagine a scenario where you trade that because he’s the future for them.”

Would Bilas say that Flagg exceeded the expectations and hype in his lone season at Duke?

“Yeah, absolutely. And ‘hype’ is kind of an interesting word. To me, it always conjures the image of a carnival barker saying, ‘Look right here,’ and it doesn’t live up,” said Bilas. I think what everybody said about Cooper Flagg was fact. And it doesn’t mean that the player’s going to continue to grow on the same trajectory, but he was the real deal coming in. Like, there’s a No. 1 player in high school every year, but they’re not all the same. And this guy is in a different category where they don’t come around like him all that often.”

When it comes to NBA comparisons, Bilas admitted that’s not really his forte. He’s not keen on neat player comps, whether by style or production. Still, he recalled how some NBA scouts used to — and still do — liken Flagg to Andrei Kirilenko.

But even that feels a little off to Bilas. He believes Flagg is more advanced offensively. And what separates him, more than any physical or athletic trait, is how he thinks the game.

Flagg doesn’t chase stats. He just stacks good decisions.

Still, even with all his promise, Bilas acknowledges that Flagg is no exception to the rookie learning curve.

“He’s going to have an adjustment just like everybody,” Bilas said.

But if his intelligence, maturity, and feel for the game are any indication, Flagg’s transition should be smoother than most. His ability to consistently make the right play — on both ends of the floor — is what will ultimately define his NBA career.

If anyone’s qualified to size up a Blue Devil’s NBA prospects, it’s Bilas.

Bilas has watched generations of Duke stars come and go, but few have impressed him quite like Cooper Flagg. His belief in Flagg’s potential isn’t just about raw talent; it’s also about the complete player and person.

And Flagg isn’t just the next Duke great, not to Bilas, at least. He’s not trading Flagg for Giannis Antetokounmpo, not when he might be the rare franchise cornerstone who can live up to the enormous expectations.