Duke’s Cooper Flagg was described as a ‘generational’ player after his performance in the win over Wake Forest
Cooper Flagg scored 24 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out six assists while playing 39 of 40 minutes in the game. Duke Blue Devils’ 63-56 win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on Saturday.
Duke, the No. 2 team in the nation, improved to 17-2 and 9-0 against ACC opponents. It was Flagg who gave the Blue Devils the shot they needed in the second half to pull away Wake Forest. At one point, Flagg scored three times on a stretch of seven straight possessions.
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Duke’s Cooper Flagg blocks a shot by Wake Forest’s Juke Harris in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
Defensively, Duke switched from man-to-man to zone to slow down the Demon Deacons with about eight minutes left in the game. Flagg admitted he had never played zone before. He finished the game with two blocks.
Flagg’s legend is only growing ahead of his likely jump to the NBA. It’s a performance like the one against Wake Forest that only cemented him as a potential generational talent at the next level. He even left an indelible impression on Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes.
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Duke’s Cooper Flagg drives as Wake Forest’s Tre’Von Spillers defends in Winston-Salem, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
“Generational,” he said when asked describe Flagg. “I’ll give you an example – their leading scorer last year was the first pick in the second round. This guy is going to be the first pick in the first round. Big difference.
“He’s hard to guard. He’s got all the tools. The great thing about him … is his unselfishness. He really wants other people to succeed.”
Flagg is average 19.5 points, 8 rebounds and 4.2 assists this season. Duke has 12 more games before the conference tournament begins.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer talks with Cooper Flagg, left, and Kon Knueppel during the Wake Forest game, Saturday, Jan. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)
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Flagg and the Blue Devils play Monday night against NC State.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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