In No. 4 Duke’s 76-47 win over Pittsburgh Tuesday evening, freshman sensation Cooper Flagg continued to showcase why many consider that he would be the No. 1 total choose within the 2025 NBA Draft.
You in all probability already noticed the play at this level. With underneath 18 minutes left within the second half, Flagg, guarding a giant within the low put up, jumped into the passing lane, stole the ball and broke out into the open court docket. The 6-7 ahead wanted simply three dribbles to get into the paint. As soon as in scoring vary, he took off a couple of steps contained in the free throw line and threw down a one-handed tomahawk slam over a 7-foot middle.
Duke outscored Pittsburg 37-21 after Flagg’s dunk.
“I think him and I were pissed because I think there was a disagreement on the out-of-bounds call beforehand,” Duke head coach Jon Scheyer stated when requested about Flagg’s dunk after the sport. “I was still focusing on that, he was still focusing on the next play, which I should’ve been, too.
“So, I just caught the end of it. It reminded me of, like, a Zion [Williamson] kind of play. That’s what it reminded me of, because of how it sparked Cameron [Indoor Stadium].”
Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) dunks over Pittsburgh’s Guillermo Diaz Graham.
Was it school basketball’s dunk of the 12 months? Presumably. Flagg’s legend continues to develop, and that’s the reason bottom-dwelling groups throughout the NBA — the Nets included — would reasonably lose video games than miss out on the prospect to draft an elite prospect like him.
The Nets nonetheless have work to do in the event that they hope to even sniff the No. 1 total choose in June. In accordance with Tankathon’s newest projections, Brooklyn would choose at No. 7, No. 19, No. 25 and No. 27 if the season ended right this moment. It presently has a 32% likelihood at a High 4 choose and a 7.5% likelihood of touchdown the No. 1 total choose.
“He gets angry, but he’s loose at the same time,” Scheyer stated. “He loves being in the arena, but he’s got an edge to him now, and it can go quick. We saw that tonight. He picked up his third [foul] and it just got him going.”
Flagg, 18, completed with 19 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in opposition to Pittsburgh. Fourteen of his factors got here within the second half on 5-of-7 capturing. He’s averaging 20.8 factors, 7.4 rebounds and 4 assists over his final 5 video games for Duke.
“He’s proven it with who he’s played with and how he’s done it in such a mature way,” Scheyer stated. “He’s just so competitive, and he just brings out a lot of good stuff from his teammates.”
