The Dallas Mavericks recently hit the jackpot in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, earning the No. 1 overall pick and setting the stage to potentially select Duke phenom Cooper Flagg. After a standout season that included a Naismith Award and a Final Four appearance, Flagg is widely projected to go first overall.
However, not everyone is sold on his future as a transformative NBA star.
Tony Allen, a 2008 NBA champion known for his defensive tenacity with the Boston Celtics, recently voiced his skepticism on Grind City Media. During the podcast, Allen surprised listeners by downplaying Flagg’s ceiling.
“I don’t think Cooper Flagg is going to turn your franchise around like that,” Allen said. “I ain’t seein’ KD… I’m seeing Andrei Kirilenko.”
Allen, referencing the former Utah Jazz All-Star, suggested Flagg’s NBA potential maxes out at a single All-Star appearance. He added, “He is nice… but I’m just not hyped on these Duke kids.”
This strong take comes despite Flagg’s dominant college season and performance at the 2025 NBA Combine. The Mavericks may view him as a potential cornerstone—or even a replacement—for superstar Luka Doncic if they take him with the top pick this June.
Still, Allen’s comments serve as a reminder that expectations and projections don’t always align—and Flagg will have to prove doubters wrong at the next level.
