Cooper Flagg Returns to Earth in Duke Loss

Cooper Flagg saw his nearly unprecedented streak of hot play end in a loss to Clemson.

Feb 5, 2025; Syracuse, New York, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) shoots against Syracuse Orange forward Petar Majstorovic (6) during the first half at the JMA Wireless Dome. Mandatory Credit: Rich Barnes-Imagn Images | Rich Barnes-Imagn Images

Projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg made his return to earth official on Saturday night, scoring 18 points on 17 shots as Duke’s 16-game win-streak was snapped by Clemson.

Flagg and co. certainly didn’t go down without a fight. With just a minute left, Flagg re-gave the Blue Devils a lead with a massive three, making the contest 71-70 in favor of Duke. Clemson would answer, though, and a turnover from the 18-year-old freshman would essentially seal the game.

The game would’ve been a high points for most prospects — 18 points, five rebounds, three steals and a block — but only looked lesser for Flagg in stark contrast to his latest stretch of play.

From mid-December until the beginning of February, Flagg played a man possessed, scoring 23.6 points on 53% shooting overall, adding 7.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.1 blocks per game. Perhaps most importantly, he shot a blistering 44% from beyond the arc on over four attempts. 

Saturday’s performance certainly isn’t an indictment on the freshman in any way. He’s more than proved himself in his short time with the Blue Devils, and one game can’t penetrate his air-tight draft stock. But it can certainly be a learning point for Flagg, which he’s had plenty of so far this season.

Flagg’s proved his mettle on the defensive end, and has improved enough offensively in such a short time to warrant no less than No. 1 stock. Per an earlier scouting report from NBA Draft on SI: “When it comes to the offensive side of the ball, Flagg has really improved in recent years. He has developed a skillset on that end that now projects him as the type of player who can be a number one option at the next level. He plays a physical brand of offense, really leveraging his size and skill to create advantages for himself. He’s a three-level scoring threat, with room still to improve his jumper.”

On the year, he’s averaged 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game while looking like the obvious No. 1 talent in the 2025 NBA Draft. Duke next takes on California on Wednesday, Feb. 12.

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