NBA – Cooper Flagg better than Victor Wembanyama? An expert gets wet!

Par Guillaume Kagni | Journaliste sportif

In a few weeks’ time, the Dallas Mavericks are set to select Cooper Flagg with the first pick of the draft. But how does he stack up against his predecessors? Is he better than Victor Wembanyama, for example? One expert seems to think so!

Some years, the first pick in the draft is worth much more than others. This was the case in 2023, for example, when San Antonio was fortunate enough to pick up Victor Wembanyama. With the French pivot, the Spurs were assured of recruiting a player who could embody the project and, above all, lead his partners to future titles.

Unluckily for the Hawks, who were first on the clock last June, they came across a crop mainly filled with complementary players. Zaccharie Risacher is talented, versatile and sure to become an important part of the franchise, but he’ll never be that leader capable of putting a group on his back the way superstars can.

The big debate between Cooper Flagg and Wemby

And it’s all the more cruel given that next month, a new generational talent is set to arrive in Dallas. Cooper Flagg has been heralded as the future of American basketball for some years now, having stood up to Team USA’s Avengers in the build-up to the Paris Olympics, which explains the hype surrounding him.

Experts are convinced that Flagg has the potential to replace Luka Doncic in the hearts of Mavericks fans, and that he will help Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis in their quest for an eventual title. Renowned US expert Jeff Goodman went one step further:

This is the easiest No.1 pick in many years.

For Jeff Goodman, one of the most respected journalists in college basketball, selecting Cooper Flagg with the 1st pick will be the easiest decision in years. A statement that suggests he’s better than Victor Wembanyama, and that doesn’t necessarily sit well with the fans. There have been many reactions on social networks.

@DraftKings : Does Victor Wembanyama not exist?

@Tronix0_ : As if Wemby hadn’t been selected two years ago

@jbondwagon : Wemby was taken in 2023 and it was a much more obvious choice!

@plmaias : We knew Wembanyama would be #1 three years before he was drafted.