There is no question that Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer assembled one of the most talented teams in college basketball history this season, led by freshman sensation Cooper Flagg. However, the team choked up a seven-point lead with 1:26 to play in one of the biggest Final Four collapses ever. And just a few hours later, Scheyer had to introduce Flagg at the Naismith Award ceremony.

“Me and him obviously didn't get a lot of sleep last night. We had an incredible battle and a tough loss,” Scheyer told the crowd assembled to watch Flagg pick up his Naismith Award. “But I don't want that to get in the way of the amazing season that this guy's had. He's been an absolute joy to coach. He's done some historic things for our program.”

“You guys see the stats. You guys see the highlights. I just wanted you to know the person that he is every single day,” Jon Scheyer continued. “He got a 4.0 first semester. He's the best teammate. He shows up every single day to work, prepare. And when the lights are the brightest, he really comes to play.”

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Cooper Flagg had, inarguably, one of the best freshman campaigns in college basketball history. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while playing excellent defense as well. This led to the Blue Devils star joining Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and (fellow Duke baseball alum) Zion Williamson as just the fourth-ever freshman to win the Naismith Award. Paige Bueckers also won the award as a freshman.

Like Durant and Williamson, Flagg fell short of a championship, leaving Davis as the only first-year Naismith winner to lift the trophy at the conclusion of March Madness.

The other thing that Cooper Flagg will probably share with Durant, Davis, and Williamson is that he will likely leave the Duke basketball program after just one season and become a top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.