Duke's Cooper Flagg Wins 2025 Wooden Award

Just hours before Duke’s Final Four bout with Houston, it was announced that freshman Cooper Flagg has won the 2025 Wooden Award.

It was announced on Friday he had become the youngest player to ever win the AP’s Player of the Year Award, and he now has another prestigious trophy to add to his growing collection. The John R. Wooden Award is annually given to the best player in the country both on and off the court, and is more often than not granted to upperclassmen, save for a generational freshman talent here or there.

The projected top pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg has been unprecedentedly dominant in his lone season with the Blue Devils, not only statistically, but in leading them deep into the NCAA Tournament, too.

So far, Flagg’s averaged just under 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 48% overall for the Blue Devils.

Per an earlier scouting report on Flagg: "Not only is he the exact archetype of an NBA superstar at 6-foot-9 with the ability to play multiple positions and dominate both ends of the floor, but he’s also extremely young. After reclassifying in high school, Flagg will not turn 19 until two months into his rookie season."

He’s long been the projected No. 1 pick in the ’25 draft, and has little resistance this year as a dominant two-way force in college basketball. There will be no dethroning him from that standing in the coming months, even with a loss tonight versus the Cougars. At 6-foot-9, he has a highly-coveted two-way game consisting of suffocating defense and a more than workable offensive skillset.

He’s been similarly dominant in March Madness, and is now just a few hours away from facing off against a fellow No. 1 seed in Houston, who is sure to offer a challenge. 

Houston and Duke tip off at 7:49 p.m. CT tonight.