While the college basketball regular season winding down and the rest of the country is celebrating Senior Day, Duke fans got a chance to honor the team’s historic freshman class in Durham on Monday night.
The No. 2 Blue Devils took down Wake Forest 93-60 at Cameron Indoor behind 28 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists from Cooper Flagg, and the home crowd almost couldn’t believe it was their last chance to see the freshman phenom who is assuredly headed for NBA stardom.
Cooper Flagg checked out with 28 PTS to "One More Year" chants from Duke fans 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/4z7kBvvkYb
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) March 4, 2025
As has been the case all season for the Blue Devils, the 6-foot-9 18-year-old from Newport, Maine was the best player on the floor, getting his teammates involved seamlessly while hunting his own shot. Flagg finished 10-16 from the field and added three blocks and two steals in one of his most comprehensive performances of the season.
In a cruel bit of irony for the mostly facetious Cameron Crazies, Flagg’s incredible outing further cemented that he’s a lock to be the No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA draft. In a program that has seen some of the most dominant one-and-done players in college basketball history, Flagg is already the best and he’s yet to play in the ACC or NCAA Tournament. He has one shot at titles to be canonized as a Duke legend, but his regular season is already legendary.
On Monday night, the ESPN broadcast suggested that the ACC Rookie of the Week Award be named after Flagg, and it’s not a bad idea. He’s won it 11 times and is soon to win his 12th out of 18 weeks in the season and will be the ACC Rookie of the Year. He’ll likely also win the ACC Player of the Year, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, National Freshman of the Year, and potentially even the National Player of the Year.
Flagg has spent the season locked in a two-horse race for the Wooden Award with Auburn’s Johni Broome, a fifth-year senior whose path to college basketball stardom couldn’t be more different from Flagg’s.
While I have immense respect for the former zero-star recruit who began his career at Morehead State before achieving star status in the SEC, Flagg should be the pick for NPOY. The freshman is the superior scorer, effective from all levels, the better passer, and the more disruptive defensive force.
Simply put, Cooper Flagg is the best player in the country, and with how he has developed in one season at Duke – which is all he needs and all Duke fans will get – he may someday be the best player in basketball.