Durham, NC: Guard Cooper Flagg turned Cameron Indoor into his stage against Pittsburgh, delivering an astonishing 19-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist masterpiece for the Duke Blue Devils that left no doubt about his star power.

Flagg is projected to be the first-overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The former Montverde Academy all-star is averaging 17.4 points and 8.4 rebounds for the Blue Devils while shooting about 45% from the field. Flagg has been the leading scorer for Duke in eight of their games this season and has been the lead rebounder for ten games; this is the most out of the entire roster.

Flagg’s consistency is one of the crucial factors in ensuring Duke’s repeated successes over their opponents, especially since schools such as Kansas and UNC are top rivals in their schedule, with UNC also being an in-conference rival.

Cooper Flagg’s playing style perfectly blends grit, finesse, and basketball IQ all at once. At 6’9” with elite athleticism, he’s a versatile two-way force who impacts the game at every level.

Offensively, Flagg combines a seamless mid-range jumper and excellent finishing at the rim via contact, making him a matchup nightmare. He thrives in transition, either pushing the pace himself or running the floor for easy buckets, and his unselfishness fits seamlessly into Duke’s system.

Defensively, Flagg is a game-changer. His length, quickness, and timing make him an elite shot-blocker and a disruptive presence in passing lanes. He can guard multiple positions, switching seamlessly from guards to forwards, which gives Duke flexibility on that end of the floor.

Above all, Flagg’s intense competitiveness set the tone for his teammates, making him a star and a leader on and off the court.

But to tell you even more about how much of an insane player Flagg is, he threw down what is now being debated as the Dunk of The Year. Flagg got the steal off a fast break, then put PItt forward Jorge Diaz Graham on a t-shirt.

In this game versus Pitt, Flagg was called “the engine,”, particularly on the offensive end of the floor, where he was able to get to and finish at the rim, move shifty in the pocket, and shoot the three-ball; it safe to say Flagg was a triple-threat on the court tonight.

Cover photo credits via Ben McKeown – Associated Press