Entering as the nation's consensus top recruit in the class of 2024, Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg was expected to dominate from the jump. Still, seeing him take the college basketball world by storm in such a commanding fashion has been nothing short of astonishing and even slightly surprising.
Flagg hasn't merely paced fellow first-year players. If his status atop the latest Wooden Award odds is any indication, he's been the best in the country, which the numbers support. The standout wing achieved something no one in ACC history this millennium has in No. 3 Duke's 80-62 win at Virginia.
COOPER. FLAGG. 🗣️
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) February 18, 2025
The first ACC player with 500 points, 100 assists and 30 blocks in the regular season in the last 25 years 😈 @DukeMBB pic.twitter.com/3LbSke5iwo
A monster double-double and defensive showing propelled Flagg to rewrite ACC record books. He became the conference's first player to record at least 500 points, 100 assists and 30 blocks in the regular season over the last 25 years.
Cooper Flagg already making ACC history in likely one-and-done season with Duke
The crazy part is Flagg accomplished the feat with five games to spare, highlighting how high of a level he's operating at. At times like this, his case as one of the most highly touted one-and-done prospects in recent memory is surely validated. It's also worthy of a reminder that Duke star just turned 18 in December.
No milestone is a better testament to Flagg's impeccable two-way efforts. He's getting buckets at will and displaying solid playmaking ability offensively. Defensively, his reputation as an upper-echelon stopper is well-chronicled, supported by a nation-leading 2.5 defensive win shares.
With each passing contest, the realization that Flagg isn't your average young adult only gets clearer. The Blue Devils sensation carries himself with an incredible sense of maturity, on and off the court, translating to him and Duke ruling the hardwood. He's well ahead of his time, punishing opponents nightly.
Averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 steals per game this season, Flagg's been a sensation all-around contributor. His scoring and defensive prowess aren't shocking, but he's been tremendous as a passer and better than anticipated from beyond the arc. He's making threes at a 36.6 percent clip, which is great considering that was deemed an area of weakness for him coming to Duke.