Former NBA player Chandler Parsons, who played small forward in the NBA from 2011 to 2020, made a statement about Duke star Forward Cooper Flagg. Parsons, 36, knows a thing or two about what it takes to make it in the league. On Wednesday, Parsons appeared on FanDuel TV’s Run It Back, alongside co-hosts Michelle Beadle and Lou Williams, and gave Flagg, 18, a public endorsement. Read on for further details.
Chandler Parsons’ Statement
Chandler Parsons played nine seasons for four teams in the NBA between 2011 and 2020. Parsons averaged 12.7 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game in 400 regular-season games while shooting 46.2% from the field goal line and 37.3% from the three-point line. Parsons’ NBA career ended in 2020 after getting hit by a drunk driver, suffering career-ending injuries, and settling a personal injury lawsuit.
ESPN’s Seth Greenberg compared Cooper Flagg to some NBA greats, such as Jayson Tatum, Grant Hill, and Scottie Pippen. Parsons explained why Flagg was different. Parsons said, “You know why this means Cooper Flagg is different? ‘Cause we’re not just comparing him to another white dude who played in the NBA. Comparing him to those three names, I see the similarities, he’s got the dog in him, the swag, the game in him.”
Parsons continued, “The kid’s a stud. I’ve seen people say he’s the greatest Duke freshman of all time. He has the face-of-the-NBA-type hype going into it, and there are still rumors he might go back to college. So, this kid’s a stud. He’s gonna be very, very good.” Flagg has more than lived up to the hype. He’s Duke’s leader in points (19.4), rebounds (7.6), and assists (4.2). He’s also dominating in steals (1.5) and blocks (1.3).
About Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg is only 18 but has been making a name for himself in the ACC and the NCAA. Flagg is a Newport, Maine, native who attended Nokomis Regional High in Newport, ME, and Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, before attending Duke in 2024. He won multiple National High School Player of the Year honors as a senior. He was subsequently named the top recruit of the 2024 class.
Flagg is from an athletic family. His father, Ralph, played NJCAA basketball at Eastern Maine Community College in Bangor, Maine; his mother, Kelly, played NCAA basketball at the University of Maine in Orono, ME; his fraternal twin brother, Ace, verbally committed to play at the University of Maine starting in 2025-26; and his older brother, Hunter, played boys’ basketball at Nokomis Regional High in Newport, ME.
Flagg’s Injury
Cooper Flagg’s injury sent shockwaves through the NCAA world on Thursday afternoon. Flagg suffered a left ankle injury late in the first half. He went up for an uncontested rebound and crashed to the floor after appearing to have his left foot land on the foot of Georgia Tech Forward Darrion Sutton. He was taken to the X-ray room in a wheelchair at halftime and later walked back to the bench on his own accord without a boot but didn’t return.
The No. 1 Duke Blue Devils eventually defeated the No. 8 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 78-70, but the Blue Devils’ win in the ACC Tournament came at a cost. Duke improved to 29-3, while Georgia Tech fell to 17-16. Duke also saw Forward Maliq Brown suffer a shoulder injury in the first half. Brown was a key reserve and versatile defender widely viewed as a vital part of Duke’s championship hopes.
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