Duke star Cooper Flagg receives Larry Bird compliment from legendary college basketball coach

Jim Boehiem appears on OutKick's "Don't @ Me with Dan Dakich" to talk Duke star Cooper Flagg.

Legendary college basketball coach Jim Boeheim had high praise, and a lofty comparison, for Duke star Cooper Flagg.

Boeheim, 80, was asked how good Flagg is when compared to some of the NBA’s greats. 

"I think he is almost – to me, he’s [Larry] Bird-like, a little bit. Except he is quicker, faster, more athletic, doesn’t shoot it as well, but his shot’s coming," Boeheim said during a recent appearance on OutKick’s "Don’t @ Me with Dan Dakich."

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Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (Rich Barnes-Imagn Images)

In 27 games played, Flagg is averaging 19.5 points per game while averaging nearly eight rebounds and four assists per game. 

The 18-year-old Maine native is the catalyst for a 24-3 Duke team that is currently ranked second in the nation behind Auburn. 

To Boeheim, it’s clear that Flagg is the best player in the college game. 

"People that say other people are better than him just don’t know anything about basketball. I mean it’s just crazy.  I mean they’ve got to be – I don’t know what they’re watching. Maybe they are just trying to be contrarian or something, I don’t know," Boeheim said. 

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Illinois' Kylan Boswell (4) drives past Duke's Cooper Flagg. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

"Cooper Flagg, he’s the best all-around player in terms of doing all the things in college basketball that I’ve seen. I mean there’s better shooters, better rebounders, better passers, but he’s a defender."

There is something else Boeheim says Flagg brings to the table in addition to being one of