No need to question how good Cooper Flagg is as his latest haul of awards puts him in rare company — elite company too.
The only players to sweep the Oscar Robinson Trophy (National player of the year) and the Wayman Tisdale Award (National Freshman of the year) are Zion Williamson, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis. You can now add Flagg’s name to that list.
Cooper Flagg joins Zion Williamson (2019), Anthony Davis (2012) and Kevin Durant (2007) as the only players in NCAA history to sweep the following awards:
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) March 26, 2025
🏆 Oscar Robertson Trophy (National Player of the Year)
🏆 Wayman Tisdale Award (National Freshman Player of the Year)… pic.twitter.com/aBMknNPU59
With it comes all the pressure to be an elite NBA player and as the consensus No. 1 pick in June’s NBA Draft, he could join those players being selected No. 1 overall as well. We all knew how talented Flagg was coming into the college basketball season.
He proved he’s not just the best player in college basketball, but the best NBA prospect this year too. And he’s looking to help Duke win its first national championship since 2015.
Cooper Flagg’s latest accolades solidifies him in college basketball royalty amid NCAA Tournament run
Flagg was already talked about as the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. His latest awards prove exactly why he’s a sought after prospect. The one thing he needs to separate himself is leading Duke to a national championship.
The Blue Devils have looked like the best team in college basketball, despite the SEC and the heavyweights from that conference beating up on each other. Duke has dominated just about every team this year.
During its NCAA Tournament run, the Blue Devils have an averaged 33.5 margin of victory. No team in the Sweet 16 has a bigger win margin than the Blue Devils. And the dangerous thing is Flagg hasn’t even been the star of the squad.
Tyrese Proctor has been the pack leader, averaging 22 points per game. He had a tournament high, 25 points in Duke’s 23-point win over Baylor. Don’t get it confused though, with all the weapons Duke has, they aren’t as good as they are without Flagg.
If his awards are any indication of how his NBA future is, it’s promising. While Williamson and Davis’ careers have been marred by injuries, they’re still elite players in today’s NBA. Durant has risen as one of the most prolific scorers in NBA history.
Flagg might not shoot like Durant does, but he has all the skills and potential to be one of the best players of the future. Don’t take my word for it, though. Just look at what he did during his first year at Duke.