Duke forward Cooper Flagg has become the hottest NBA prospect since Victor Wembanyama, with his length, athleticism, playmaking, defense and overall two-way impact evoking a number of power forwards in the pass.

One Western Conference executive compared him to Kevin Garnett and Anthony Davis given his shot-blocking prowess and ability to pass on defense, according to Baxter Holmes of ESPN, adding that he would immediately be one of the best two-way players in the NBA.

“He has very good handles for a power forward,” the executive noted of his offensive game. “Good footwork, and he plays hard. There’s no doubt he’ll be a good player in the NBA, but the question is how good he is.”

“I heard very little doubt about the kid,” added an Eastern Conference official. “Everyone around Cooper has raved about him for three years.”

Flagg has lived up to the hype for Duke thus far, averaging 15.5 points, nine rebounds, four assists, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game in two games, even though the season is obviously very young. The only complaint about Flagg is that his shooting needs to develop to become a true superstar at the next level, and that was borne out early in college: he shoots 44 percent from the field, but at only 25% out of three.

But it’s still early days and Flagg is still only 17 years old. His ability to impact the game in all its facets continues to impress, and it’s hard to imagine he won’t be the top pick in next summer’s NBA draft.