Cooper Flagg has a skeptic, one with an NBA title.
Ex-Celtics NBA champion Tony Allen doesn’t quite see the same ceiling for the Duke star and projected No. 1 overall pick that others do.
Allen has expressed skepticism about the top draft prospect’s potential to be a transformative player in the league.
“I don’t think Cooper Flagg is going to turn your franchise around like that,” Allen said recently in a GrindCityMedia video. “I’m serious. I ain’t seeing [Kevin Durant].
“I’m just not seeing all that. I’m seeing Andrei Kirilenko. That’s who I’m seeing, bro.”
Allen continued: “He going to be a one-time All-Star. I don’t see it, bro. Just not hyped on these Duke kids.”
Cooper Flagg looks on during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Wintrust Arena on May 13, 2025 in Chicago. Getty Images
There’s a vast gap between Durant and Kirilenko, although, at the minimum, both had solid careers.
Durant, the No. 2 pick in the 2007 draft, is one of the best players in the history of the sport.
Kirilenko, the No. 24 pick in the 1999 draft, spent 13 seasons in the league, including two with the Nets, and averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.
Kevin Durant was picked No. 2 in the 2007 NBA Draft. Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images
Andrei Kirilenko during his time with the Nets. EPAThe Dallas Mavericks, who recently won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery with just a 1.8 percent chance, are widely expected to select Flagg with the first overall pick.
And they surely hope Flagg is more Durant than Kirilenko, especially after receiving a life raft for the much-scrutinized trade of Luka Doncic and amid efforts to reshape their roster.
Tony Allen (upper right) is not sold on Cooper Flagg. @GrindCityMedia/YouTube
Cooper Flagg won several awards at Duke, including multiple National Player of the Year honors and was a First-Team All-American. Getty ImagesAllen, renowned for his defensive prowess during his 14-season NBA career, played against both Durant and Kirilenko during his career from 2004-18.
He was a key contributor to the Celtics’ 2008 championship team and was named to six All-Defense teams.
Tony Allen was a six-time All-Defense honoree. NBAE via Getty ImagesAllen earned First Team All-Defense three times in his NBA career and finished top 10 in Defensive Player of the Year five times.
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward from Duke, had an impressive freshman season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game — with shooting splits of 48.1 percent from the field, 38.5 percent from 3-point range and 84 percent from the free-throw line.
