The Duke Blue Devils rode Cooper Flagg’s hot hand again in a 63-56 win over the Wake Forest Demon Deacons. He scored 24 with seven rebounds and six assists, and he played all but one minute.
However, as impressive as he was on offense, his defense turned even more heads. With Jon Scheyer going from man-to-man to zone, a first in Flagg’s career, he still dominated and even had a couple of blocks.
That’s why Wake Forest coach Steve Forbes had no choice but to tip his hat to Flagg, who, on top of playing lockdown defense, scored three times in a row against a helpless Demon Deacons’ defense.
Wake Forest coach says Cooper Flagg is ‘generational’
“Generational,” Forbes said of Flagg. “I’ll give you an example – their leading scorer last year was the first pick in the second round. This guy will be the first pick in the first round. Big difference.“
“He’s a tough guy to guard. He’s got all the tools. The great thing about him… is his unselfishness. That he really wants other people to succeed,” the coach continued.
Flagg’s well-rounded game still has him atop most mock drafts. And in today’s offense-centric NBA, it’s refreshing to see someone taking pride in their defense for a change.