4 hours Ago By Hunter Cookston
Since the beginning of the season, all the attention in college basketball has been on Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Since his senior year of high school, Flagg has been compared to some of the greatest players to ever play basketball at a high level. He knew that coming to Durham this past summer would bring with it enormous public expectations.
With the regular season coming to a close, it’s safe to say that the six-foot-nine, 205-pound freshman from Newport, Maine, has exceeded expectations. Flagg is a leading candidate for National Player of the Year, alongside Auburn’s Johni Broome. There hasn’t been a race this close in several years.
As the season winds down, Flagg and Duke have been quickly dispatching their opponents. Over the weekend, the Blue Devils defeated Florida State by 35 points. Flagg recorded 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block in just 20 minutes of play.
The Blue Devils are starting to dominate teams as the March Madness Tournament approaches. On Monday night, Flagg played what could potentially be his last game inside Cameron Indoor Stadium. However, the Duke fans made it clear they wanted him to return next season.
The favorite to win ACC Player of the Year had an incredible night, scoring 28 points, grabbing 8 rebounds, dishing out 7 assists, blocking 3 shots, and collecting 2 steals. Duke’s social media team had a little fun with Flagg’s performance, taking a playful jab at Broome, his competition for National Player of the Year. “NPOY kinda night for Coop,” Duke’s social media team posted.
While there is no clear favorite for the prestigious award, Flagg has been playing better than Broome recently. Even though Flagg has a strong chance of winning the award, his primary focus is on winning a national championship..
