Cooper Flagg made decisive Michael Jordan vs LeBron pick before emulating NBA GOAT with rare rookie history

Generational hype followed Cooper Flagg from Maine to Duke and Dallas.

The NBA’s best rookie since Victor Wembanyama just put up Luka Doncic-like first-year stats, and is already in Michael Jordan territory as a 19-year-old.

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New NBA superstar on the block

“It’s such a surreal feeling to see where I came from and what I’ve been able to do,” Flagg told talkSPORT during a press conference in June 2025, before he became the No. 1 overall pick of the NBA Draft.

While Wemby moves forward from a concussion and the No. 2 San Antonio Spurs attempt to close out the No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of a Western Conference playoff matchup, Flagg is the new owner of an NBA Rookie of the Year trophy.

Thanks to a historic first season (21 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.9 blocks and 46.8 percent shooting), the former Duke star edged ex-Blue Devils teammate Kon Knueppel by 26 points.

Flagg joined Air Jordan as the only NBA rookies to lead their teams in total points, rebounds, assists and steals.

It was another full-circle basketball moment for the young man from Newport, Maine who grew up idolizing Larry Bird while watching Boston Celtics championship DVDs in the back of his family’s minvan.

The new big name in The Association weighed in on the greatest sports debate of all-time, hours before the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft was announced at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

“Michael Jordan, for sure,” Flagg exclusively told talkSPORT.

“That’s the GOAT to me. I don’t know if it was how I was raised by my parents or not, but that’s just my answer.”

All Mavs need is a winning record for Flagg

Flagg’s only big miss during his initial NBA campaign was the Mavs’ record.

Dallas finished 30 games below .500 (26-56) and Anthony Davis getting traded to the 17-win Washington Wizards was the only other highlight of the Mavs’ season.

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But if Flagg keeps developing and dominating, his rookie campaign will eventually become part of his hardwood legend.

He reached 35, 40, 45 and 50 points in separate games, then became the second-youngest player in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year.

Only The King tops Flagg in that category, and James has regularly praised Flagg since the build up to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

‘Bigger than Taylor Swift’ in home state

“I can’t tell you how many times I was stopped for people to ask about Cooper,” said ESPN analyst Jay Bilas, recalling an early trip to Flagg’s home state of Maine.

“He’s bigger than Taylor Swift there. It’s amazing.

“But I go back to the competitiveness. His maturity level at 18 is kind of hard for me to process, that he takes advantage of every opportunity that’s in front of him.”

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The 6ft 9in and 205lb Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks during his lone season at Duke, leading the Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four as a freshman.

His all-around game was ready-made for the modern NBA, which emphasizes switching and exploiting player matchups across the court.

Flagg was trusted to play point guard for Mavs coach and Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd, despite never playing the position before.

He displayed the full-court versatility that once was the hallmark of Bird’s game during the Celtics’ 1980s glory days.

Love of Larry Bird inspired Rookie of the Year

“The way he played so hard on every possession. The way he was diving on the floor, doing all the little things,” said Flagg, telling talkSPORT why Bird was so inspirational to him.

“That’s kind of just the way I modeled my game when I was younger and that sort of stuff. I think that’s kind of why I play the way I am. I have to give credit to that — just modeling myself after him and the way he was able to play.”

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While a 41-year-old James tries to carry the beat-up Lakers past the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, Flagg has his first big NBA award and was even better than his rookie hype.

The latest version of the future is here for The Association.

Wemby deserves the 2025-26 MVP.

Flagg is already must-watch TV — he just needs to be surrounded by a winning team.

“His ceiling is All-NBA. He’s that type of player and that type of prospect,” Bilas exclusively told talkSPORT before Flagg was drafted.

“He’s got star potential in the league. When people talk about ‘floor,’ the only floor for him is if he gets injured. As long as he stays healthy, he’s going to be a truly outstanding NBA player for a long time.”

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