Cooper Flagg continues to rewrite the record books on a near-nightly basis, and the superlatives from the basketball world have escalated accordingly. But even by the standards of a rookie season that has already drawn comparisons to LeBron James and Michael Jordan, what Colin Cowherd said this week stands out.
Colin Cowherd Makes the Case for Cooper Flagg as a Future All-Time Player
Cowherd placed Flagg in the same conversation as Jayson Tatum and suggested the gap between them is closing faster than anyone anticipated.
The veteran broadcaster was unambiguous about where he sees this heading. “I said Cooper Flagg’s gonna be better than Jayson Tatum. Not his first year. By his second, you’re gonna look up and go, he’s Jayson Tatum, if Jayson Tatum was super aggressive,” he said.
“And I’m gonna tell you the gap between Tatum and Cooper Flagg right now is millimeters. Like, it’s tiny.”
He then broadened the argument beyond the Tatum comparison entirely, placing Flagg in the company of athletes who exceeded even the loftiest pre-career expectations. “I think he has over-delivered, like LeBron did, like Tiger did, like Ohtani has. None of you thought he would be this good.”
“Dallas has nothing else around him,” Cowherd noted. “You can really sag off other players and try to attack Cooper Flagg, and it doesn’t matter.”
Cowherd was equally emphatic about what separates Flagg from the typical teenage NBA prospect. “He plays real defense. Even LeBron came into the NBA and had to figure out how to play defense. He’s a slasher, a cutter, left hand, can spot and shoot, handles both hands.”
He then delivered his most sweeping assessment yet.
“What am I watching? This isn’t a good player, this isn’t a great player. I think we’re looking at an all-time player. Barring injury, I think you’re looking at a 15-time All-Star. He’s that kind of player.”
The statistical foundation for Cowherd’s argument is difficult to dismiss. Flagg is averaging 21.1 points per game in his rookie season on a Mavericks team, compared to Tatum’s 13.9 points per game in his own rookie year with a far more established Boston Celtics supporting cast.
LeBron James Endorses What the Numbers Already Say About Flagg
Cowherd is not alone in his conviction. After Flagg’s 45-point, 9-assist, 8-rebound performance against the Lakers on Sunday, which came after a 51-point explosion against Orlando on Friday, LeBron James himself offered a telling endorsement.
“He’s obviously special,” James said. “I’ve seen that all the way back to the AAU days. He’s just getting better and better and better.”
Before leaving American Airlines Center, James embraced Flagg on his way out, a moment that carried its own symbolism.
ALSO READ: 10-Time All-Star Urges LeBron James to Retire From NBA After ‘Demoralizing’ Season With Lakers
The historical context around Flagg’s rookie season reinforces the scale of what Cowherd is reacting to. Flagg has now recorded 4 40-point games this season, trailing only Michael Jordan’s 7 and Allen Iverson’s 5 among rookies in the last 50 years.
He became the first rookie since 1997 to post back-to-back 40+ point games.
Cowherd first made a version of this comparison back in March, saying Flagg was “a better version of Jayson Tatum at this age.” Easter weekend, and the records that came with it, only gave him more material to work with.
