Cooper Flagg, the Duke Blue Devils’ star freshman, has taken college basketball by storm this season.
Flagg has an average of 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 4.0 assists entering Duke’s game against the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday. He also has the Blue Devils rated No. 3 in the nation, with just one ACC loss on the year.
On Saturday morning, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo released a report profiling the top NBA draft prospects. Woo presented an NBA scout’s perspective on each player.
Flagg was his number one player, but according to the scout, his one weakness is “the late-clock stuff.”
“He’ll get to a point where he can create for himself comfortably,” the NBA scout wrote. “At his peak, he will be capable of being the best player in a playoff series. But late-night work isn’t necessarily his strong suit.”
Woo also discussed the 6-foot-9 forward’s offensive potential, noting that he has already “obliterated expectations” on that side of the court.
“Flagg has obliterated expectations with his offensive impact, emerging as the best player in college basketball and showing he can take over games at this level both scoring and playmaking for teammates,” according to Woo. “The two most important areas for improvement, which will determine his level of stardom, are ballhandling and perimeter shooting. Will he be able to score successfully with many dribbles? How much of a threat will he be outside the arc (he’s presently shooting 36% from 3?).
Woo then cited two of Duke’s losses to Kentucky and Kansas this season, attributing the results to Flagg’s inability to “create for himself late.”
“He’s likely going to be drafted No. 1 regardless, but the long-term picture will be defined by Flagg’s growth in those areas,” Woo told ESPN. “While it’s nitpicky, considering how good he has been this season, his occasional struggles to create for himself late in games came to the fore in early-season losses to Kentucky and Kansas.”
