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Jayson Tatum Reveals Opinion of Duke Star Cooper Flagg

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Caleb Reed | Last updated Mar 27, 2025 8:00 AM ET

Ahead of the Duke Blue Devils matching up with the Arizona Wildcats in the Sweet 16, there have been a few days without collegiate action in the NCAA Tournament. Even then, there's been no shortage of opinions and takes on teams and players competing in the event.

In fact, former Duke star Jayson Tatum recently joined Jason and Travis Kelce on their podcast, New Heights . While the former Blue Devil discussed a variety of topics, one of the most interesting takeaways from the interview was Tatum's thoughts on Cooper Flagg.

"The first time I saw him play live was two summers ago," Tatum said. "The first impression I had of Coop was just how hard he played. How he competed. In high school, it's rare to see a guy that wants to guard the other best player, trying to block every shot, rebounding. He just plays the right way he has a great feel for the game...It's been on full display all season and a big reason why they have a good chance to win a championship.”

Jayson Tatum on his first impression of Cooper Flagg:

“The first impression I had of coop was just how hard he played… and he just plays the right way he has a great feel for the game.”pic.twitter.com/L9QvVDWHPd
— (@lockedupjb) March 26, 2025

This is high praise from Tatum, who just won an NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics, but it isn't surprising. Flagg has dominated college basketball all season, but he's been a highly impactful two-way talent at every level he's played over the past few years. An NBA superstar in the making, Tatum has been able to see it firsthand for multiple years now.

The feel, talent, work ethic and mindset of Flagg will set him apart as he looks to win a championship in the coming weeks before being selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.

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

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