Kendrick Perkins is back in his bag, and this time it involves Cooper Flagg, LeBron James, and a family tree you didn’t see coming.  But can you blame him? The kid’s been putting up numbers that aren’t just loud—they’re grown. In 37 games this season, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, while shooting a clean 48.1% from the field and nearly 39% from deep. Add in 1.4 steals, 1.4 blocks, and that smooth 84% from the line—and yeah, the hype isn’t just real. It’s earned. In the midst of all this, Perk dropped one of his signature hot takes. Whether it’s method or madness, we have got to see the vision before we judge. And right now, that vision is almost too compelling to ignore!

The take?

“I mean, but look, this is how I look at Cooper Flagg,” Perkins said. “If LeBron James and Kevin Garnett had a baby, you get Cooper Flagg.” Classic Perk hyperbole? Sure. But he’s got backup you can’t laugh off. For instance, according to Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe, Dallas was so sold on Flagg that they sent him house hunting ahead of the draft. And one reason why: his summer 2024 run with the USA Select Team. The 18-year-old went head-to-head with none other than LeBron James, Steph Curry, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, and more.

An NBA assistant coach who watched the Team USA scrimmages told The Globe that “he did things like he expected to do it.  He wasn’t thirsty. It was effortless. … And it’s smooth, it’s not like he’s masking something or is arrogant. He’s just hooping. He can do everything.” In fact, in one of the scrimmage sequences, Flagg confidently drilled a three, posted up Holiday for a mid-range jumper, threw down a tip jam, and hit a fast break pull-up. The assistant coach further said, “I would have told you you were lying if you had told me he had just turned 17.” Well, 18 now, but you get the feeling.

As for Kendrick Perkins, he had more to add to his LeBron-KG baby reference. “When you think about LeBron James, you think of a complete basketball player, right Jay? You just ran off the stats—he led the team in everything. That’s a LeBron James-type thing.” And then there’s the fire: “You talked about his passion, his tenacity. I’m watching KG all over again the way that he plays with a high level.”

But Perkins wasn’t just impressed by Flagg’s skills—he was in awe of the mindset. “We don’t give players enough credit, like Cooper Flagg. I think it’s a skill to have a high motor like he has,” he said. “This is one of the most competitive guys over the last 20 years.” Perkins pointed out that while most high school stars look for the easy path, Flagg did the opposite: “He reclassed up. So he’s running up the chimney looking for the smoke.” And the final stamp of approval?

“I love everything about this young man. I love how humble he is. I love how low-maintenance he is, and how hard working he is—and he’s a generational talent.” That praise doesn’t stop with Perkins.

Cooper Flagg hasn’t even been drafted yet, and he’s already drawing comparisons to LeBron James—from people who really know the game. Brian Scalabrine, who’s been working with Flagg since he was a teen, didn’t hold back. “He trends like LeBron James,” Scalabrine said. “LeBron has a beautiful mind when it comes to this game. Cooper’s brain is right on par with those guys. They just process the game differently.”

And then there’s LeBron James himself, giving Flagg a major nod on his Mind the Game podcast. “I personally think that he wants to be great,” LeBron said. “He had a hell of a year at Duke. A guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better. Super athletic, quick second jump.” Coming from the King? That’s not just praise—it’s prophecy.

On a different note, though, Perk does seem to have a thing for drawing family trees when talking about basketball legacies—and it’s starting to feel like a pattern. Although… the previous instance didn’t particularly end on a good note.

Kendrick Perkins apologizes to Anthony Edwards over ‘family man’ comment

When Kendrick Perkins made a wild claim on First Take — that Anthony Edwards might not be ready to be the face of the NBA because he’s not a “family man” — it sparked instant backlash. Perkins argued that all past NBA faces, from Magic Johnson to LeBron James, shared one common trait: they were married with kids while playing. “You gotta check the boxes when you’re the face of the league,” he said. “You look at Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq, LeBron, Steph… What did they all have in common? While they was all playing in the league, they all were family men.”

The problem? Not only was the comment deeply personal and out of place, it was also factually flimsy. Bird wasn’t married until a decade into his NBA career. Shaq has admitted to cheating. Magic contracted HIV while being unfaithful. Kobe and Jordan’s personal histories? Also well-documented and complicated. Perkins essentially tried to gatekeep the title of “face of the league” using standards that even his own examples didn’t live up to — and fans let him hear it.

To his credit, Perkins owned up to it. The next day, he went on social media and posted a public apology: “Anthony Edwards is one my favorite players in the League if not my favorite player. I apologized privately so I’m apologizing publicly to the young [king] for my comments on First Take yesterday,” he wrote on X. “My bad young fella. I was not taking a personal shot at you but I could see how it could have been taken that way.”

That moment of humility came as Edwards, just 23 years old, continues to carry the Timberwolves through deep playoff runs and steadily builds a resume worthy of the NBA’s top billing, with or without a ring or a wedding band. And going back to Cooper Flagg, will Perk have to retract this one? Don’t hold your breath. If Cooper Flagg delivers even half of what the stats, scouts, and execs are seeing—and if he stacks the right plays—Perkins may finally get to say: “Told y’all.”

Are you buying into the LeBron-KG comp? Drop a comment below and let us know whether it’s warranted or if Perkins is just being Perk.