Jay Bilas heaps major praise on Cooper Flagg, labels projected first pick "best freshman player Duke's ever had"

Following the NBA draft lottery, the buzz surrounding Cooper Flagg's potential arrival in the league has reached fever pitch. The Dallas Mavericks secured the top pick, positioning themselves to potentially draft the consensus No. 1 prospect.

However, amidst the excitement, a debate has emerged: should the Mavericks consider trading the coveted pick for an established superstar like Giannis Antetokounmpo? Many analysts are advocating for such a move.

ESPN analyst Jay Bilas weighed in on the matter, adding fuel to the Flagg hype train.

"Cooper Flagg's the real deal. He's the best freshman player Duke's ever had — at least since Coach K got there in the early 80s," said Bilas, a former Duke player, via an X post by The Young Man and the Three. "He impacts the game at both ends almost equally and can shoot it.

Flagg, who arrived at Duke last year with considerable fanfare, lived up to expectations, guiding the Blue Devils to the Final Four. He racked up 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game as a freshman.

"He has got this competitive streak that is unlike most players you see, especially at that age," Bilas added.

"I don't like to say he's the real deal very often, but he is the real deal. ... he's only going to get better. He's the prize in this one, and I don't know anybody that thinks otherwise. If I'm Dallas, I'm not trading that."

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Analyst and former Duke player suggests Mavericks explore veteran options over Cooper Flagg

Jay Williams, a TV analyst and former Duke Blue Devils player, believes Dallas should consider trading the No. 1 overall pick for a more established player, though.

On Get Up on ESPN last week, Williams explained his reasoning.

"For a guy like Cooper Flagg, I think he needs reps. I think he needs a lot of room to grow. I'm not sure championship aspirations right away for him," Williams said. "Now, look, the basketball part of me loves the thought of AD, Cooper Flagg, Derek Lively in the backcourt, right?

"But when I look at the value, could you potentially package something like this to get a Giannis? Could you package in a one-on-one trade to get a Devin Booker? Could you get a Tyrese Maxey?"

Williams added that the Mavericks have a short championship window with their current roster and could use their top overall pick in a trade to bring in a player who could contribute immediately.

While the speculation is ongoing, only time will tell whether Dallas chooses to draft Flagg or trades the pick when the NBA Draft takes place in late June