Cooper Flagg's Dallas Mavericks selection has college basketball insider likening him to NBA's AK-47

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg became the first Blue Devil to be selected No. 1 in the NBA draft since Zion Williamson in 2019. Flagg, who averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game last season, will be joining Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis in Dallas.

Flagg's game has been compared to some of the sport's all-time greats, including Larry Bird and Scottie Pippen.

Following his selection on Wednesday night as the top pick and the hype surrounding his arrival in the NBA, CBS Sports analyst Jon Rothstein compared Flagg to former Utah Jazz forward Andrei Kirilenko, nicknamed AK-47.

"Cooper Flagg's ceiling is so high, but the thing that amazes me is how high the floor is. How high is the floor? It feels like he can have an "Andrei Kirilenko type impact" RIGHT NOW," Rothstein posted on X.

Kirilenko, known for his all-around game, was one of the most versatile players in his prime. He played 13 seasons in the NBA between the Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets, earning All-Star honors in 2004 and three All-Defensive selections.

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Analyst sees Cooper Flagg as skilled Andrei Kirilenko with more length, bounce

ESPN's Jay Bilas has also likened Cooper Flagg's game to the Russian-born NBA veteran. Speaking with talkSPORT on Tuesday, a day before the draft, Bilas heaped high praise on Flagg's competitiveness and maturity.

"His ceiling is All-NBA. He's that type of player and that type of prospect," Bilas said. "I think some scouts will say he reminds them of Andrei Kirilenko. I think he's like a bigger, longer, more athletic Franz Wagner -- he's so skilled. And Wagner's been great in the NBA. "He's got star potential in the league. When people talk about 'floor,' the only floor for him is if he gets injured. As long as he stays healthy, he's going to be a truly outstanding NBA player for a long time."

Flagg was named the ACC Player of the Year and National College Player of the Year last season after leading Duke to a 35-4 record and a Final Four appearance.

Edited by Dipayan Moitra