The Duke Blue Devils have had a plethora of elite talents in their ranks over the course of history. That’s why Cooper Flagg is looking to become the next player on that long list.
Flagg, unlike most modern players, takes pride in playing both ends of the floor. Hence, some have compared him with another big forward with 3-and-D expertise, like Andrei Kirilenko.
However, as impressive as his defense has been, his offense hasn’t fallen much behind. According to Koby Del Rosario of Sportskeeda, with his 17.5 points per game, Flagg is on pace to match or surpass Kyrie Irving and Brandon Ingram’s scoring average at Duke.
Cooper Flagg is averaging the same scoring numbers as Kyrie Irving
“Should the freshman sensation improve on his current point average of 17.5 points per game for the rest of the campaign, he could potentially surpass the aforementioned players during their days in college,” wrote Del Rosario. “Irving was tallying the same scoring average as Flagg during his one-and-done stint at Duke. Meanwhile, Ingram had only produced 17.3 ppg during the 2015-2016 season.”
Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats at McKale Center on November 22, 2024 in Tucson, Arizona.
Of course, he’s still far behind other former Blue Devils stars, such as Zion Williamson or Marvin Bagley, who eclipsed the 20-point mark during their days at Durham.
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Even so, with complementary averages of 8.5 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game, Falgg is one of the most complete and well-rounded prospects we’ve seen in years.
