Duke Blue Devils basketball great Cooper Flagg gets questionable comparison from Mark Cuban

Cooper Flagg, the highly-touted Duke basketball rookie, had a poor shooting performance in his Summer League debut (24% from the field), attracting significant media attention. Despite this, he is expected to be a key part of the Dallas Mavericks' rotation immediately.

Flagg displayed potential as a point forward during the Summer League, suggesting he could add a new dimension to coach Jason Kidd's offensive strategy. While his exact fit in the NBA is still uncertain, optimism exists due to his skillset and the Mavericks' strong roster.

Former Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, watching courtside in Las Vegas, projected Flagg's development path would mirror that of a young Kobe Bryant. The article acknowledges the surface-level logic of comparing a highly anticipated wing to Bryant but finds the comparison ultimately lazy and unlikely to materialize.

The author argues Flagg is a far more polished prospect entering the league than Bryant was straight out of high school, noting Bryant started only six games as a rookie. Expectations are high for Flagg: he is anticipated to shoulder a significant workload alongside Anthony Davis to keep Dallas competitive in the tough Western Conference until Kyrie Irving returns, positioning him as a Rookie of the Year frontrunner. The piece concludes that if Flagg doesn't secure a prominent role early, it would indicate a problem.