NBA Star in the Making?
Hyped up white dude with a face that has Duke haters ready to boo.
I went to witness the future college basketball news headlines in person as Cooper Flagg held his Duke grand opening against hated Kentucky in downtown Atlanta. The Flagg tasting menu is about what you expect: some banger small plates mixed with some dishes you don’t want to taste again.
#Duke freshman Cooper Flagg gets introduced to the #ATL crowd. #Thebrotherhood #CBB #ChampionsClassic pic.twitter.com/f11LtYCjsE
— Jonathan Adams (@JonDAdams) November 13, 2024
Sure, Flagg’s soft launch came in Duke’s earlier matchup against Maine and Army. But this was the A-side matchup. This was Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson and it is the rare college basketball blockbuster that delivered.
The Cooper Flagg stats include casually dropping 26 points and 12 rebounds against Kentucky, leading all players in both categories. Yet, Flagg’s final minutes felt like the final episode of Game of Thrones with both the player and show wishing for a do-over.
17 year Cooper Flagg vs Kentucky:
26 PTS
12 REB
2 AST
2 BLK pic.twitter.com/ST3VYeIWnw— Overtime (@overtime) November 13, 2024
Here’s to the Good that Duke’s New Star Displayed
Flagg appears straight out of central casting to be Duke’s next villain. Hyped up white dude with a face that has Duke haters ready to boo.
State Farm arena was filled with people like myself who had seen the viral videos and wanted to see what the hype was about. Yet, there were plenty of Kentucky fans who came to both cheer their team and root against Flagg.
#Duke star Cooper Flagg delivered on the hype last night versus #Kentucky, but unfortunately the game will mostly be remembered for the closing seconds. #NBADraft #CBB #BBN pic.twitter.com/Wd3jW0Vivi
— Jonathan Adams (@JonDAdams) November 13, 2024
There’s a reason why NBA rumors peg Flagg as a near lock to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg relies on his mid-range game and is not afraid to take the rock to the cup. Defensively, Flagg is a work in progress but showed a willingness to guard bigger players.
If Team USA came away impressed by scrimmaging against Flagg this summer, then we should also take notice.
The Cooper Flagg Roller Coaster Came to a Bumpy Ending
No one is going to remember the clutch and one basket late in the fourth quarter. Flagg’s performance against Kentucky will be defined by dribbling the ball out of bounds in the final seconds ending Duke’s chances to win.
Cooper Flagg turned the ball over two possessions in a row late in regulation.
No. 19 Kentucky takes down No. 6 Duke 77-72‼️ pic.twitter.com/11fiwuov61
— ESPN (@espn) November 13, 2024
This came after other missed shots in the closing minutes. Flagg’s primetime debut was good, but taking the L meant the Duke star fell short of greatness.
The good news is Flagg is going to have plenty more opportunities, much to the dismay of the haters.
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