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As the Duke basketball team faces the Alabama Crimson Tide, the unit is led by star Cooper Flagg who once again put on a show at the March Madness tournament. Flagg shined in Duke basketball's Sweet Sixteen win over Arizona which led to a response from former Blue Devil and sports analyst Jay Williams who had a bold take on the 18-year-old.
In the victory over Arizona, Flagg finished with 30 points on nine of 19 shooting from the field to go along with seven assists, six rebounds, and three blocks. Concurrently, Williams would say on ESPN's “Get Up” that Flagg is the “most complete freshman Duke has had in basketball history.”
“I think he's the most complete freshman Duke has had in basketball history,” Williams said. “I do, I think he is by far the best college basketball player in the game today, by far, because he does it on both sides of the ball. Defensively, he's everywhere. Offensively, he's a playmaker. There's a reason why I continue to call him Cooper the American flag, like this dude. It's just you see posters of him in his face on an American flag because of how he plays. He's just a complete, all-around spectacular player. Duke is a great team, but obviously, this dude is just he's built differently than a lot of people I've seen in a long time.”
“I think he's the most complete freshman Duke has had in basketball history.” 😯 @RealJayWilliams and @SethOnHoops react to Cooper Flagg's performance against Arizona in the Sweet 16. pic.twitter.com/Vv5u7RLf4e
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) March 28, 2025
Subsequently, there's no wonder that Williams had this opinion as the outing against Arizona blew a lot of people's socks off, including Bue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer who said it's among the “best tournament performances” he's been a part of.
“That was one of the best tournament performances I've ever coached or been a part of,” Scheyer said after via ESPN.
Duke basketball's Cooper Flagg gets complimented after Sweet Sixteen
After the masterful performance from Flagg, it also led to analyst Seth Greenberg to touch on his best traits on offense and defense.
“The dude is 18 years old,” Greenberg said. “His feel for the game, he makes the game easier for everyone else, his vision as a passer, his ability to make the game easier for everyone else. His feel for the game. He can score it, he can get in the lane, make plays for others, he rebounds the ball. His ability to impact the game defensively with his length, his ability to make the game easier for everyone else. The dude impacts the game every single time down the floor.”
Consequently, while Flagg's physical traits are on full display on the court, Scheyer would also comment on his mental ability to focus on the task at hand.
“He just did what he was supposed to do, and he'll move on and get ready for Alabama,” Scheyer said. “I think that's the beauty of it with him. He doesn't get caught up in all that…What I've wanted from him is not to defer.”
At any rate, Flagg and the Blue Devils are on the quest for a national championship as they next take on the Crimson Tide in the Elite Eight on Saturday.
