Duke’s Cooper Flagg is drawing comparisons to NCAA and NBA legends as he prepares for March Madness. The freshman phenom has a chance to join an elite group of tournament greats, and The Sporting News’ Bill Bender believes he’ll deliver.
Bender has picked Duke to win it all, predicting Flagg will follow in the footsteps of Carmelo Anthony and Anthony Davis by leading his team to a national championship as a freshman.
Flagg is expected to return from an ankle injury in time for the tournament. Anthony carried Syracuse to its first and only national title in 2003, while Davis helped Kentucky secure a championship in 2012. Now, Flagg is in position to make his mark.
The projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Flagg has been Duke’s driving force all season. He leads the Blue Devils in points (18.9), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.1), steals (1.5), and blocks (1.3). With Duke likely securing a No. 1 seed, all eyes will be on Flagg to turn championship predictions into reality.
Cooper Flagg just wrapped up his regular season with Duke and leads the team in everything 😳 pic.twitter.com/MdBwVrtXna
— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) March 9, 2025
Flagg remains the headliner, with CBS projecting him as the No. 1 overall pick by the Washington Wizards. The Duke freshman is averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 4.2 assists while shooting 37.7% from three.
With March Madness just days away, Flagg has a chance to turn an already impressive season into something legendary.
Cooper Flagg remains the clear favorite
March Madness is here, making it the perfect time to watch the top 2025 NBA draft prospects in action. Projected first-round picks like Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Maryland’s Derik Queen, Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears will compete in their conference tournaments and the NCAA tournament.
Flagg remains the clear favorite for the No. 1 pick in a draft class stacked with freshmen. As of March 12, Washington owns the NBA’s worst record at 13-51, followed by Utah (15-50) and Charlotte (16-48).
Cooper Flagg back next week for the Big Dance.
— Zion O. (@DukeNBA) March 15, 2025
The best player in America returns
pic.twitter.com/EMKYf1RnR5 https://t.co/5RxMAUMLwJ
The league’s three worst teams each have a 14% chance of landing the top pick, while the fourth- and fifth-worst teams hold 12.5% and 10.5% odds, respectively.
But history isn’t on their side. Last year, Atlanta jumped to No. 1 despite just a 3% chance, while Detroit, the league’s worst team, fell to No. 5. The same thing happened in 2023 when the second-worst Spurs won the lottery, and Detroit again dropped to fifth, according to FOX Sports.
The last time the NBA’s worst team landed the No. 1 pick was in 2018 when Phoenix selected Deandre Ayton.
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I am a writer passionate about telling the stories behind the game of basketball. From the culture and personalities shaping the sport to the moments that define it, I explore basketball beyond the box score.
