Cooper Flagg was the most talked-about player in all of college basketball last season. He lived up to the hype by leading Duke in every major statistical category.
Jon Scheyerâs team looked poised to win the whole thing and reclaim the national championship for the first time since 2022. Unfortunately, that wasnât the case, and some blamed Flagg for it.
With the clock expiring and an opportunity to advance to the championship game, Flagg missed the biggest shot of his collegiate career. Even so, heâs not going to cry over the spilled milk.
Cooper Flagg wonât beat himself up over final botched possession in college
âIâm not going to beat myself up over whether I could have taken one more dribble or whether I could have done something different,â Flagg told Sports Illustrated. âIt was a tough shot, but I donât think youâre going to get an easy shot in that opportunity. If you look at any game-winner at any level, I donât think thereâs a lot of wide-open [ones]. You get to a spot, you raise up, and you trust the work that you put in over time. Iâm just going to live with what I trusted.â
Cooper Flagg
Notably, that wasnât the only time Flagg had a chance to lead his team with the ball in his hands down the stretch and failed, but thatâs all a part of growing and learning.
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Now, heâs about to turn pro, and he canât allow himself to dwell on the past or focus on what couldâve been. You have to have a short memory if you want to succeed in this business.
