Several college basketball stars have taken a step forward into stardom during the 2024-25 season, including notable names like Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome and Marquette guard Kam Jones. According to ESPN’s NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony, however, there’s no one better than Duke freshman Cooper Flagg.
“Flagg has put a stranglehold on the No. 1 pick conversation,” Givony wrote in a social media post. “Emerging as the best player in college basketball despite recently turning 18.”
The 6-foot-9 freshman scored 18 points against the Clemson Tigers on Saturday, 14 of which came in the final six minutes thanks to a trio of 3-pointers. Between January 11 and February 1, he put up at least 21 points five times in six outings with an ACC freshman record 42 points against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and he’s averaging 19.5 points per game for the season.
The real note, however, has been Flagg’s improvement on the edges of his game. He entered college as an elite defender and downhill scorer, and he’s put up 1.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per night on the defensive end, but he’s become a deadly 3-point shooter and elite facilitator. He’s dished out 4.0 assists per game, including a five-game stretch in which he averaged 5.4 in January, and he’s made 21 of his 44 threes (47.7%) since December 31.
Through his first 23 collegiate games, Flagg has 12 20-point performances and six double-doubles.
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