Jim Boeheim Sends Bold Message on Cooper Flagg After Duke Advances to Elite Eight

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Mar 28, 2025 10:46 AM ET

The No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils punched their ticket to the Elite Eight on Thursday night after defeating the No. 4 seed Arizona Wildcats 100-93, led by freshman sensation Cooper Flagg. His performance was one of the best single-game tournament showings ever by a freshman.

Flagg finished with 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds, three blocks, and one steal, tallying 18 points in the first half. His all-around dominance left Arizona with no answer.

As Duke prepares for a showdown with the No. 2 seed Alabama Crimson Tide on Saturday, the potential for history surrounding Flagg and this Duke team is palpable. Former Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim, who led his 2003 national championship team with freshman Carmelo Anthony, has drawn rare comparisons between Flagg and Anthony’s historic run.

“Carmelo was really the first one. There was only one senior on the team, and he didn’t start,” Jim Boeheim, now an analyst with ESPN and the ACC Network, told Mike DeCourcy of Sporting News . “Carmelo was the first freshman, really, that won the thing. But Cooper Flagg can do that. There’s a lot of similarities.”

The 2003 Syracuse team is considered one of the most iconic in college basketball history. Not only did they finish the season with a 30-5 record, but they were primarily made up of freshmen and sophomores.

After Carmelo Anthony led them to a national title, he declared for the NBA draft, where he was selected third overall, joining LeBron James in one of the most talented draft classes ever.

Now, Flagg is already seen as the consensus No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming June draft, should he choose to enter. With Duke just one victory away from a Final Four bid and three from capturing their first national championship since 2015, Flagg's performance this season could cement his place among the greatest freshman in college basketball history.

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

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