Rival coach says Cooper Flagg is ‘best player’ as Player of the Year race tightens
Cooper Flagg took center stage of the college basketball world on Saturday night when making his Madison Square Garden debut with the Duke basketball team against Illinois.
However, prior to tipoff UCLA head coach Mick Cronin, joining the FOX Sports studio crew in Los Angeles, did not mince words about the Blue Devil freshman and where he stands among the best players in the nation.
“He’s the best player in the country,” the two-time PAC-12 Coach of the Year said.
“I know Johni Broome might win Player of the Year, and he’s a great player, but Cooper Flagg is generational.”
“He’s the best player in the country… Cooper Flagg is generational.”
UCLA coach Mick Cronin with high praise for the Duke guard pic.twitter.com/sjUieSllkM
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) February 23, 2025
The Naismith Player of the Year race has heated back up again after Broome has returned from injury and picked up right where he left off. The Auburn forward took a commanding lead over Flagg early in the season before the rookie began to make up ground.
Flagg became the heavy favorite once Broome went down with an injury but has seen his lead dwindle in the betting markets over the last two weeks.
Cronin said it took him “about 50 seconds” to realize how special Cooper Flagg was when watching him on the AAU circuit.
Flagg got off to a slow start for Duke in its primetime window in New York, scoring just six points in the first half while battling foul trouble and making 1-of-4 shot attempts but found his elite form with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting in the second half and sending a jolt through the sold-out Garden with two thunderous dunks.
“This kid has got the make up as far as his drive, off the court, his mental,” Cronin continued. “He’s a perianal All-Star in the NBA for many years.”
Cooper Flagg has No. 2 Duke (24-3, 15-1 ACC) in position to earn the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament with a strong finish to the regular season which continues on Tuesday night (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN) against Miami (6-21, 2-14 ACC).
