Cooper Flagg has been named The Associated Press men’s college basketball national Player of the Year, becoming only the fourth freshman in the award’s 64-year history to receive this honor.
The 18-year-old Duke star from Newport, Maine, won a close race with Auburn’s Johni Broome, receiving 41 of 61 votes. Flagg joins Zion Williamson (2019), Anthony Davis (2012) and Kevin Durant (2007) as the only freshmen to win the prestigious award.
Flagg has lived up to the enormous expectations placed on him as the nation’s top-ranked recruit and potential No. 1 NBA draft pick. He leads Duke in scoring (18.9 points), rebounding (7.5), assists (4.2) and steals (1.4) while ranking second in blocks (1.3) heading into the Final Four matchup against Houston.
“I hold myself to a high standard, high expectations,” Flagg told the AP. “Just because I know how much work I’ve put in and how many hours I’ve spent grinding and putting that work in.”
After January 1, Flagg elevated his game, improving his scoring average to 20.1 points while shooting 51% from the field and 43.4% from three-point range.
Flagg’s mother, Kelly, who relocated to North Carolina with her husband Ralph to be near their son during his freshman year, noted his exceptional ability to handle pressure.
“He’s so comfortable with who he is, and he’s always been that way,” said Kelly Flagg. “That’s why he doesn’t get rattled easily, because he believes in himself and it doesn’t really matter to him what other people think.”
