Let's be honest: no one really knows what to make of Cooper Flagg.
Not that that's a bad thing, and the aura of mystery surrounding the 2025 NBA Draft's presumptive grand prize is primarily concerned with how high his ceiling is. In drafts past, front offices would often pass on 'tweener' frontcourt prospects as almost being too well-rounded, too small for one speciality and too unskilled for the other. However, times and minds (and players) have changed, and Flagg's 6'9 size, mobility, and deceptively deep offensive tool chest are the apple of the NBA's eye.
Flagg's draft analysis and profile largely reflect as much. ESPN's Jeremy Woo has already -- and quite favorably -- comped him to the likes of Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, and Scottie Pippen. However, what's more interesting, at least in my opinion, are the floor comparisons for Cooper Flagg.
Enter author Chuck Klosterman, who went on the Bill Simmons Podcast to give his own Cooper Flagg comp: Detlef Schrempf. And to Mavs fans who are still probably dealing with the emotional whiplash from the 2025 season, Chuck Klosterman's analysis might be giving them nightmares about 2026 and onwards.
A Detlef Schrempf career wouldn't be the worst outcome for Cooper Flagg
Klosterman didn't give a ceiling or floor when comparing Flagg and Schrempf. In his mind, Flagg's career will be comparable to the former Pacers and Sonics star. But outside of being simply wrong, Schrempf is not a bad floor, nor even middle-of-the-road, look at what Cooper Flagg might become. Before he was a Parks & Rec punchline, Detlef Schrempf was a three-time All-Star and Sixth Man of the Year. He even made All-NBA and made a bit of noise in the '92 MVP race (16th place, but did you expect Detlef Schrempf to have Top 20 consideration in the NBA at one point?).
Sure, if Flagg does only get that far, it will be a disappointment to Mavs fans, and NBA fans as a whole. Number 1 draft picks, especially ones that come with this amount of hype, are supposed to dominate, to transcend the label of 'star'.
And the thing is, Flagg most likely will. If Chuck Klosterman (and to be honest, who?) turns out to be correct, Detlef Schrempf is a great outcome for Flagg, at least offensively speaking. Because what makes Flagg more unique than a lot of number one prospects is that he is walking into the NBA with a lot of questions already answered about him. He's already a better playmaker with more vision than any of his comps thus far, and there's no questioning his absolute manic love for the game -- and for winning. Attitude-wise, it's easy to see why Bill Simmons responded to Klosterman's comp with Kevin Garnett, insane as it might sound at first glance.
You don't need to question Cooper Flagg's playmaking, defense or intangibles. Specifically, the playmaking is an already-known quantity that can only improve, to the point where it feels a little wrong for Woo to have spoken his name with Kawhi and Tatum, defense aside. I'm more inclined to agree with Woo's floors of Lamar Odom and Andrei Kirilenko, and the ceiling of Scottie Pippen. And you already know what I think about a 1:1 between him and Detlef Schrempf, given his defensive impact and intangibles.
And given where Flagg's scoring game already is, Scottie Pippen with Detlef Schrempf's shooting and touch sounds generational.
Thank you, Chuck Klosterman.