The prodigy. One of the best to ever grace a college basketball court. A generational talent. That’s what they call Cooper Flagg, and he lives up to it every single time. In Duke’s last home game against Wake Forest, the Blue Devils made history, securing their 18th ACC conference victory of the season—the most ever in a single season. And they clinched a share of the regular-season title. But while all of that mattered, the real story wasn’t the win. 

It was the crowd. The chants. The moment. And we all know exactly who it was about.

Duke was minutes away from completing a perfect record at home with a dominant Senior Night when the buzzer sounded, and freshman phenom Cooper Flagg checked out—possibly for the final time at Cameron Indoor Stadium. 

The “Cameron Crazies” weren’t letting that slide. “One more year! One more year!” they roared, pleading for their star rookie to run it back. Will he? Well, it looks like he hasn’t made his mind yet. 

“I mean, I’m living in the present right now, living in the moment, taking it day by day. … I don’t know what the future holds,” the baller said. That’s not exactly a no, right? Could this love force him enough to run it back for another year? Guess we’ll find out soon. For now, all we know is, the projected No. 1 overall pick isn’t committing to a decision just yet, but with a ridiculous 28-point, 8-rebound, 7-assist, 3-block, 2-steal performance, he certainly proved exactly why he’s at the top

Meanwhile, Jon Scheyer was feeling emotional too—just not for the same reason. You know, he was hit with the reality of it all. Before the game, he was so proud of his team for being so unselfish and driven. “These guys have been incredibly unselfish,” he said, reflecting on what could be his best Duke squad yet.  

And then suddenly, it smacked him right in the face. This was their last time together at Cameron. He remembered his own senior night, walking onto that court thinking it was his last time ever playing there. Coaching wasn’t even on his mind back then, and yet, here he was, guiding what might be his best squad yet.

“I just really tried to focus on the game plan, focus on being the best coach I could be for these guys, and just proud of the killer instinct. You know, it’s not normal what these guys are doing,” the coach said. And he was absolutely right.

Because this Duke squad hasn’t just beaten the rest of the ACC—they’ve bullied their conference rivals. 12 wins by 20+ points. Five by 30+. Through 19 league games, they’ve outscored opponents by a ridiculous 421 points, averaging out to a 22.16-point gap per game. 

And through it all, there’s one undeniable truth. Just in the freshman year, Flagg has proven he’s arguably the best player in college basketball. 

Duke puts its weight behind Cooper Flagg’s NPOY case

Flagg has been putting on a show all season. He is leading the team in points (19.3), rebounds (7.6), assists (4.1), and steals (1.6). So, after yet another electric performance, Duke did what any good hype squad would—they made it official.

“NPOY kinda night for Cooper Flagg,” the Blue Devils posted on social media, officially launching his National Player of the Year campaign.

To put it into perspective, the race is basically down to two guys: Flagg and Auburn’s big man Johni Broome. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, Flagg is still the frontrunner at -180, while Broome trails at +135.

For most of the season, it’s been these two in a deadlock, pushing each other with every game. Broome started as the early favorite, dominating from the jump. But when he went down with an ankle injury, Flagg took over the spotlight.

Both players have been absolute forces. Auburn star is averaging 18.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game for the #1-ranked Tigers, shooting 50.5% from the floor. He’s been a beast in the paint, unstoppable on both ends.

Flagg, on the other hand, has been the model of consistency. If he wins, he’ll be Duke’s first NPOY since Zion Williamson in 2019. If Broome takes it, he’ll be Auburn’s first ever.

But before any trophies get handed out, there’s one last test: Duke vs. UNC on Saturday. A rivalry. A title on the line. But if Clemson and Louisville both take midweek L’s? Duke gets it early.

Let’s see what happens!