In the high-stakes, hyper-scrutinized ecosystem of professional basketball, the arrival of a “generational talent” is often accompanied by a deafening chorus of both praise and derision. The burden of impossible expectation lands squarely on the shoulders of the anointed few, and perhaps no player has faced a more volatile, contradictory narrative in recent memory than Cooper Flagg. After a meteoric rise through the high school and collegiate ranks, the 18-year-old phenom’s transition to the professional game was immediately met with a storm of skeptical comparisons that, according to those who truly understand his game, were not just wrong, but fundamentally “insulting”.

For weeks, casual observers and seasoned commentators alike attempted to box Flagg’s versatile game into painfully rigid, one-dimensional archetypes. Whispers of comparisons to college-dominant, less-translatable pros like Christian Laettner and Tyler Hansbrough, or even the egregious misattribution to players like Domantas Sabonis or Detlef Schrempf (the “Deadlift Shrimp” comparison), were circulated with unsettling confidence. These analogies, however, were not just lazy; they were a catastrophic failure to grasp the essence of a modern, multi-faceted NBA star. As one analyst in the conversation put it with stark clarity, saying he’s Sabonis or Hansbrough is “one of the most insanely idiotic things” one could ever hear in basketball analysis. The core message was simple: those making such claims had not watched Cooper Flagg play—not in college, not in high school, and certainly not in his current professional context.

The truth is far more exciting, far more complex, and significantly more promising. Cooper Flagg is not a niche player, an old-school four-man with a limited outside game, or a college star whose skill set fails to translate. He is, to borrow the definitive comparison that holds up to scrutiny, the next evolution of a modern NBA superstar: he is Jayson Tatum 2.0.

The Swiss Army Knife Rarity: Two-Way Dominance at 18

What defines this lofty comparison is Flagg’s foundational identity as a “Swiss Army knife”. At 6’9″, he possesses a rare blend of length, agility, ball-handling prowess, and an expanding shooting touch that allows him to genuinely “do it all”. Unlike many offensively gifted prospects who enter the league as defensive liabilities, Flagg shows equal, immediate promise on both ends of the court. This is not a common developmental trait; for a young NBA player, it is a rarity, and in the 2020s, it is “virtually unheard of”.

His ability to guard positions one through four is what truly sets him apart from the limited, offensive-only forwards he was unjustly compared to. His two-way skill set makes him an invaluable asset on any roster, capable of adapting his game to any systemic requirement. If a team needs 20 or 25 points, he can deliver. If they need 10 boards, he’s got it. If they need a lockdown defender capable of switching across multiple positions, he excels. This adaptability is the hallmark of a champion—a player whose game elevates the entire team dynamic without requiring the offense to revolve solely around him.

The Turning Point: Finding His Natural Position

Flagg’s early professional career mirrors his time at Duke: a strong defensive presence complemented by a somewhat shaky, choppy, and inconsistent offense. The defense was always there, present from day one. The offense, however, required an adjustment.

The turning point was dramatic and measurable, occurring after his tenth game on the schedule, around mid-November. The strategic decision was made to shift Flagg off the ball and place him at his more natural position: small forward. The impact was instantaneous and explosive. Before the shift, his scoring averaged 13.4 and 14.4 points per game in his first two five-game segments. Post-shift, those numbers jumped immediately:

First five games at Small Forward: 18.8 points per game.

Next five games: 20.2 points per game.

This exponential improvement—a surge that saw his scoring climb by nearly 50%—demonstrated his rapid learning curve and ability to thrive once placed in the optimal role. Much like he found his footing and confidence during the second half of his college season, Flagg proved that when he finds his role, he improves rapidly. This wasn’t a slow progression; it was an overnight correction that validated his high draft status and terrified opponents.

The Maniac Competitor: Clutch Time Dominance

Beyond the physical gifts and versatile skill set, Flagg possesses the intangible fire that separates stars from superstars: he is a “maniac competitor”. This label, read from “literally everybody who passes through his life”, defines a player who plays every single possession hard and brings a competitive attitude that complements his athletic ability.

This competitive edge manifests most clearly in the highest-pressure moments. For the vast majority of rookies, especially top picks, the capacity for great clutch-time play is the last thing to click. For Cooper Flagg, it was one of the first.

In a sensational early-season development, Flagg quickly established himself as one of the league’s most efficient and productive clutch players. His clutch scoring immediately ranked him among the league leaders, holding the fourth spot behind established stars. His clutch-time shooting efficiency is impeccable:

Field Goal Percentage: 59.3%.

Free Throw Percentage: 90.5%.

When the game is on the line and the clock is winding down, Flagg has shown an unnerving calmness and ability to deliver, evidenced by pivotal plays like driving against high-level defenders to tie games. This ability to thrive under pressure—to be a winner when winning matters most—is the strongest indicator yet that the early detractors were not just wrong about his position, but fundamentally wrong about his mentality.

The Future is Top-Five: A Championship Pillar

The final assessment of Cooper Flagg leaves no room for the doubt fostered by earlier critics. His trajectory is clear: he is headed toward becoming a future pillar of the NBA, a superstar, and a consistent top-ten player—with a realistic ceiling as a top-five player. More importantly, he is identified as a winning player and a championship player.

The foundation of this success lies not just in his points or rebounds, but in his ability to be highly effective without being ball-dominant. Once the team’s dynamics shifted, allowing him to operate off-ball while playmakers controlled the pace, things opened up “tremendously”. He excels at off-ball buckets, cutting layups, and dunks. This willingness to win through efficiency and role acceptance, rather than solely through isolation, is a “godsend for the entire team”.

The comparison to Jayson Tatum holds because both players share a versatile, two-way commitment to winning. Like Tatum, Flagg’s NBA career is destined to be defined by winning tons of games and eventually culminating in an NBA champion on a “very, very good team”. The earlier, insulting comparisons are now relegated to historical footnotes, serving only to highlight how spectacularly wrong the initial narrative was. Cooper Flagg is not the next version of a bygone college star; he is the next evolution of a modern NBA great, and the league is finally bearing witness to the future.