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The excitement is building for us, the thousands of fans eagerly awaiting the NCAA Tournament, with the first round set for March 20-21. Before that, we'll get the official brackets on Selection Sunday, March 16, where Duke, Auburn, Houston and Florida will be the top seeds, with the Blue Devils being the favorites to win the national championship thanks to freshman Cooper Flagg, who just won ACC Player and Rookie of the Year and is very likely to become only the fourth freshman in history to win National Player of the Year, ing Zion Williamson (2019), Anthony Davis (2012) and Kevin Durant (2007).
Flagg is the best player on the best team, as Duke finished as the No. 1 team in the nation, ahead of Houston (2) and Auburn (3). He is on pace to become the first freshman in Division I history to lead his team in every major statistical category - points (19.4), rebounds (7.6), assists (4.2), steals (1.5) and blocks (1.3). Some believe that the 31 games he played, plus the ones in the tournament, won't be his only ones as a Blue Devil, and that he'll be back next season after he mentioned in an interview with The Athletic last month that he wanted to come back. Maybe he doesn't like the idea of landing on the Hornets, Jazz or Pelicans (the worst teams in the NBA).
Can Duke Fans Convince Flagg to Stay?
After Duke's last home game, Flagg said, "The feeling I had - the crowd, it was the loudest it's been all year," as fans desperately tried to keep him from leaving. Now, Duke fans and alumni are putting serious money on the line to keep their superstar. According to the FanStake website, one fan recently bet $7,550, bringing the total to $71,555, as fans desperately try to keep their star player.
But let's be honest - his $4.8 million NIL value is nothing compared to the salary he would earn in the NBA, and he already looks more than ready to compete at the highest level of basketball. 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. A national championship would cement his season as one of the greatest in NCAA history, while helping coach Jon Scheyer secure his first national title and Duke's first championship in 10 years.
All Eyes on Flagg as March Madness Begins
As we head into March Madness, all eyes will be on Cooper Flagg, as well as Auburn senior forward Johni Broome and St. John's junior RJ Luis Jr. along with many other players who promise to make this year's NCAA Tournament a true bucket show leading up to the NCAA Championship Game on April 7 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas. Flagg will be in the ultimate spotlight as he tries to bring home a championship for Duke - something NBA stars Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero haven't been able to do in recent years.