The 2025 NBA Draft is almost exactly a month away, and Cooper Flagg of Duke University is invariably thought to be the first overall pick. Having won the draft lottery earlier this month, the Dallas Mavericks are so widely expected to select the 6’9 forward that the San Antonio Spurs – picking second – have already reportedly made their minds up on the second pick.
Former Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies guard Tony Allen, however, is not convinced.
Speaking on the Chris Vernon Show on Grind City Media, Allen threw some cold water on Flagg as a prospect. Far from being a generational scorer or top-level two-way player, Allen thought he was more likely to be only a “one-time All-Star” at his peak, and threw a new name into the mix when it came to future Flagg comparisons.
Not A Future Scoring Star
âI donât think Cooper Flaggâs going to turn a franchise around like that,â said Allen. âI ainât seeing KD [Kevin Durant]. Iâm just not seeing all that. Iâm seeing Andrei Kirilenko.”
Host Vernon was surprised, shouting even more than usual, and pushed back at Allen. He reminded him that Flagg was voted the national college player of the year, along with being a consensus first-team All-American, despite having reclassified and starting his first and only college season at the tender age of 17. Allen however stood firm and doubled down, though he did however allude to a bias against any Duke prospects.
âHeâs going to be a one-time All-Star. I donât see it, bro. Iâm just not hyped on these Duke kids. He is nice, but his max-out potential is Andrei Kirilenko.â
Allen’s Comments On Duke Ill-Founded
As Allen’s fellow panelists eagerly pointed out, “these Duke kids” include Jayson Tatum – the superstar forward on the Celtics franchise to whom Allen is indelibly linked – along with other current NBA stars like Kyrie Irving and Paolo Banchero. No school has a 100% success rate with prospects, but Duke has had plenty of success, even if Allen does not believe Flagg will be one of them.
In his defence, it is not as though he said Flagg would fail in the NBA. As a player, Allen – the “Grindfather” – was a six-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team, including three first-team selections, and was widely regarded as one of the best defenders in NBA history. So, too, was Kirilenko. If Allen sees Kirilenko-esque potential in Flagg, that is still a very high floor for any player.
Nevertheless, for a consensus #1 overall pick, this is still akin to pouring water on his status as a prospect. Allen knew that. And it was his aim.
Since the NBA of his NBA career in 2018, Allen has had an interesting retirement. He had his #9 jersey retired by the Grizzlies earlier this year, commemorating his place as one of the “Core Four” that turned the long-suffering franchise’s fortunes around. He has paired with former Chicago Bulls big man Joakim Noah’s foundation, working to reduce rates of youth violence in Chicago, and is semi-regularly working as a casual pundit. However, Allen was also named as one of 18 former NBA players accused of stealing nearly $4 million in fraudulent medical and dental claims, eventually sentenced to three years of probation and community service with supervision after repaying the money he received.
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