Duke Posts Three Words on Cooper Flagg After Historic Freshman Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Rodney Knuppel | Last updated May 7, 2025 1:54 AM ET

Cooper Flagg is gearing up for life in the NBA, and there's little doubt he'll be the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25.

The standout forward had a remarkable freshman season at Duke, appearing in 37 games and averaging 19.2 points per contest. He led the Blue Devils to the Final Four, where they narrowly lost a hard-fought battle to the Houston Cougars, 70-67.

Standing at 6-foot-9, Flagg dominated both on the court and in postseason accolades. He swept major awards, including National College Player of the Year, the Lute Olson Award, NABC Freshman of the Year and the Julius Erving Award.

Duke wasn’t done celebrating his one-and-done season. On Tuesday, the program shared a simple but effective message on social media for their sharp-shooting star and future NBA lottery pick:

3 ball gains @Cooper_Flagg

3 ball gains @Cooper_Flagg pic.twitter.com/aWpk9tpi25
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) May 7, 2025

The post featured a graphic showing just how much Flagg's three-point shooting improved throughout the season. In the first half, he shot just 25% from beyond the arc. That number jumped to an impressive 47.2% in the second half. His “off the dribble” three-point percentage also surged from 22.2% early in the season to 50% later on.

In his final game in a Duke uniform, Flagg played 36 minutes, hit 3-of-4 shots from deep, and finished with 27 points and seven rebounds.

One of his most electric performances came during the Sweet 16 matchup against Arizona. Flagg dropped 30 points and made 3-of-5 shots from long range, helping the Blue Devils outlast the Wildcats in a high-scoring 100-93 victory.

The NBA Draft lottery is set for May 12 and will offer a clearer picture of where Flagg might land for the 2025-26 season. The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, and Charlotte Hornets each hold a 14% chance of securing the top pick.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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