Cooper Flagg is hit with unexpected pressure as Duke fans make a bold gesture

The Duke Blue Devils (27-3) are projected to finish second in the rankings behind Auburn and first in the East Region heading into March Madness. With freshman sensation and projected first overall pick in the NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg, excitement is through the roof at Duke as they seek their first title in 10 years - back when Mike Krzyzewski was still leading the team. Duke's only loss on this 2025, and only one since late November against Clemson, ended a 16-game winning streak that was the longest active streak in the nation. They will now play their final game of the season on March 8 against North Carolina at the Dean Dome.

Flagg's Dominance Shines in Potential Farewell Game

If it was his last home game in a Duke uniform, he went out on a high note. Flagg finished with 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 2 steals. Flagg has mentioned that he would like to stay at Duke for another year, but the lure of the NBA, along with the salary he will now earn, far exceeds his NIL value of $4.8M. "The feeling I had -- the crowd, it was the loudest it's been all year," Flagg said. "I was back on defense, and I could almost feel the building shaking." Whether that feeling will be enough to lure Flagg back for another year, as the crowd implored Monday, remains a dubious proposition given his NBA draft stock. But Flagg said this season at Duke has exceeded his expectations, and leaving Cameron for what may be the last time was another memory worth cherishing. "This is the best place in college basketball, for sure," Flagg said. "I've loved every single minute of it. It's been an amazing year." Just listen to the arena chanting for him to stay.

Flagg could have been attending his high school prom this year, but instead he could be leading Duke to Jon Scheyer's first national championship as head coach. Flagg leads Duke in every statistical category and is the main reason they can make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. He is a lock to win Freshman of the Year, but he also has a strong case for National Player of the Year, which would make him just the fourth freshman in history to win it, ing Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis and Kevin Durant. What a list.

Flagg has been named ACC Rookie of the Week a record 11 times this season and has won both the Rookie and Player of the Week awards five times. In January, he set an ACC freshman scoring record with 42 points in a win over Notre Dame. He is doing everything he can to make this a historic season for Duke and, more importantly, for himself. Of course, Flagg's individual dominance has caught the attention of NBA scouts, with teams like the Wizards and Hornets closely monitoring his progress ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. With those teams among the favorites to win the draft lottery - franchises that have been mired in mediocrity for years - Flagg must be thinking about his future. But for now, his focus remains on Duke and what he can accomplish as a freshman.