When Victor Wembanyama was on his way to the league, one analyst called him the "greatest prospect in the history of sports," so it's insane to hear Cooper Flagg referred to as "the easiest number one selection we've seen in a long time." Unfortunately, that's exactly what basketball analyst Jeff Goodman claims, and it just feels so disingenuous.

I have such a problem with things like this, because it's just unnecessary. Too many people can't help but over-embellish when they discuss things we're all aware of. Wembanyama's 2023 draft class isn't even a full two years in the rearview. To make a claim like that insinuates Flagg will be better than Wembanyama, and absolutely nobody believes that. I don't even think Goodman believes it.

The media has been trying to force a rivalry between Chet Holmgren and Wembanyama, but that's an unreasonable reach. Holmgren is not the guy on his team. He's not even the second guy. Maybe he'll turn into that, but if that happens, we can revisit this conversation. Luka Doncic could have been that guy in Dallas since Vic already closed the gap, joining the top-10 players discussion as a sophomore.

Luka will now have to be that in LA, unless he leaves next summer, which is a possibility. He hasn't signed an extension, and if those papers are filed, there are no guarantees. Especially while they're up here, publicly humiliating him already by posting a job ad for a Head of Strength and Conditioning on the internet. So, we'll see how that works out, but back to Flagg.

He's young enough to be Vic's rival, and Dallas being the team to acquire that pick makes Cooper a prime candidate for that role. That really makes it somewhat fitting that someone is already making these egregious claims, but I'm 100% going to call it out.

A couple of months ago, scouts compared Flagg to "prime Kawhi Leonard" when discussing his potential. I took issue with that as well because it's the same thing. You could have used Kawhi's name without throwing the word "prime" in front of it. That guy was a top 15 player of all time.

Leonard shut down entire sides of the floor as a two-time Defensive Player of the Year winner and made some of the best players in the league look helpless against him while shooting a ridiculous efficiency, especially in big games.

Not everyone is on the same page about Flagg, though. Several ex-players and analysts have advised caution with expectations of a first-ballot Hall of Fame career, while others are acting like it's obvious. There was no division when it came to Wembanyama. Every current or former player, every analyst, and writer knew that the Alien was coming to wreck the league. These two are not the same.