Cooper Flagg Joins Zion Williamson On Exclusive NCAA List

Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg joins New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson on exclusive NCAA list

Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a play against the Houston Cougars during the second half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The Duke Blue Devils 2024-25 season came to a shocking end on Saturday night, as the Houston Cougars made a miraculous comeback in the final minutes to head to the National Championship to face the Florida Gators on Monday night. While their season is over, the phenomenal season of Cooper Flagg can't be overlooked.

The freshman star cemented himself as one of the greatest freshmen in NCAA history. Flagg led his top-ranked Duke team in all five major categories, which earned him some hardware along the way. While he won awards for being the top freshman in the ACC and the nation, he also won the most prestigious award in the country to put him in elite company.

Duke's Cooper Flagg joins Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson as the only men's freshmen to win the Wooden Award 🔥

ELITE COMPANY 👏 pic.twitter.com/y1fy9pJlNV

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 5, 2025

Flagg became just the fourth freshman to ever win the prestigious Wooden Award, given to the nation's most outstanding player for men's and women's. Flagg joins fellow NBA stars Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and Zion Williamson to do so. All three of those players were selected in the top two of their NBA Drafts, with Durant being the only one not to go first overall.

Flagg also becomes the second Duke freshman to ever win the award, meaning the Blue Devils are the only program to have two freshmen to win the award. Assuming he declares for the 2025 NBA Draft, he's the expected top overall pick as well.

Apr 5, 2019; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson accepts the Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year award from Barry Bedlan during a press conference for the 2019 men's Final Four at US Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images | Shanna Lockwood-Imagn Images

Given New Orleans' current situation in the standings, there's a chance that Flagg and Williamson team up next season if the Pelicans jump to the first overall pick. The Pelicans entered Sunday with a 12.5% chance of landing the top selection.

Related Articles

Zion Williamson Gets Brutally Honest After Blowout Loss to Warriors

New Orleans Pelicans Make Roster Move After Loss to Warriors

Brandon Ingram's Honest Statement on Pelicans' Loss to Warriors