The Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg has often been compared to LeBron James.
Many believe that Cooper Flagg has the potential to one day surpass LeBron James’ NBA legacy.
For what it’s worth, Flagg has already broken James’ few records, and considering he’s 18 years old, the Dallas Mavericks star has time in his favor.
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But it would be easier said than done, as Flagg finally got a chance to face off against James during the Mavericks’ final NBA Cup group stage matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Cooper Flagg praises LeBron James
The Mavericks’ nightmarish season continued as they suffered a 129-119 defeat at the hands of their Western Conference rivals.
While Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves were the stars of the show, James had an off-night. Despite that, Flagg had nothing but praise for the 4x NBA champion.
“It’s incredible, obviously, to see what he’s still able to do. However old he is, it’s just incredible, and I think the best thing for him is how smart he is.
“He’s always one of the smartest players on the court. He played with such a high IQ, making the game easy on himself,” Flagg said after the game.
He added: “Tonight, he didn’t do anything crazy; he didn’t have to. He just kept it simple and just made the smartest plays on every possession.”
Despite being 40 years old, James’ elite IQ allows him to impact the game even during off-nights, and that’s what Flagg noticed.
LeBron James vs. Cooper Flagg’s stats
Even before playing a single game against him, James predicted Flagg’s development would be similar to Kawhi Leonard.
However, Flagg has yet to reach that level as he had 13 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists against the Lakers. He didn’t stuff the stat sheet, but it was still an excellent double-double in the loss.
On the other hand, James finished the night with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists in the 10-point win.
Looking at their stats, it makes sense why Mark Cuban compared Flagg to James. But let’s not forget that the two stars on the opposite end of their careers.