It's seemingly a foregone conclusion that the Dallas Mavericks will select Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 selection in the 2025 NBA Draft next week. Dallas was the only team Flagg visited pre-draft, and by every account, Flagg is far and away the top prospect in the draft.
It was reportedly a fantastic visit, with Flagg putting on a show in an hour-long workout that he insisted on doing. Flagg went out to dinners with team brass and future teammates, and he seems eager for the opportunity to play with the Mavericks.
ESPN's Tim MacMahon made an appearance on NBA Today, discussing Flagg's visit to Dallas, where he revealed Mavericks' head coach Jason Kidd had a Hall of Fame comparison for Flagg.
“There’s a buzz about Cooper Flagg," MacMahon said. "I’m told Jason Kidd sees shades of another Duke guy in Cooper Flagg, a guy who J-Kidd shared the Rookie of the Year Award with, Grant Hill.
"Cooper Flagg is really gonna have a chance, especially early in the season when Kyrie Irving's out, to play a point forward type of game. He's gonna have the ball in his hands a lot, and J-Kidd thinks he can facilitate.”
Hill, a former Blue Devil himself, lit the league on fire before injuries derailed his Hall of Fame career. He won Co-Rookie of the Year with Kidd, and during Hill's first six NBA seasons, he averaged 21.6 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Known for his highlight-reel athleticism, Hill was also ahead of his time in terms of his playmaking ability despite his 6-foot-8 frame. Hill averaged over six assists per game in five separate NBA seasons, including a career-high 7.3 assists per game in 1996-97.
Among players 6-foot-8 or taller, Hill is one of just 20 players in league history to average 6.0 assists per game or more, and one of just seven players at that height to do it in four separate seasons.
During his four-year career at Duke, Hill averaged 3.6 assists per game, with his highest mark coming in his senior year, where he paired his 5.2 assists with 17.4 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.9 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game.
For reference, Flagg, as a freshman, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game.
Hill made the All-Star Game seven times and earned five All-NBA selections during his NBA career. Flagg is highly lauded for his defense, perhaps even more so than his versatile offensive game.
If Flagg follows a similar career trajectory to Hill (before the injuries), paired with his defensive potential, the Mavs could have an all-time great on their hands.