9 stories reflect on Cooper Flagg’s incredible Duke basketball journey
This collection of reporting explores Cooper Flagg’s year at Duke, tracing his path from early injuries to tournament endings. Stories cover moments like Flagg working through a blurred vision injury against Florida State, missing much of the ACC Tournament with an ankle sprain, and being central in Duke’s collapse against Houston in the Final Four.
The coverage highlights his farewell at Cameron Indoor Stadium and tracks his rapid stardom both on and off the court, including prominent national TV commercials and his eventual decision to enter the NBA Draft.
Accounts also revisit Flagg’s Maine basketball days, detailing his early impact before he reached national attention.
Read the stories below.
NO. 1: BLURRED VISION LEFT COOPER FLAGG “SCARED.” HOW THE DUKE BASKETBALL STAR OVERCAME THE INJURY
A national player of the year candidate and the projected No. 1 pick in this summer’s NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg was twice hit in the face and did not finish the first half against Florida State. | Published March 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman
NO. 2: COOPER FLAGG’S ‘FRESHMAN NIGHT’ CAMERON FAREWELL HINTS AT WHAT MAY BE STILL TO COME
Cooper Flagg’s stat line in Monday’s 93-60 win over Wake Forest was impressive enough: 28 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, two steals. It barely scratched the surface of his impact. | Published March 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock
NO. 3: THERE WAS ALWAYS MORE TO DUKE THAN COOPER FLAGG, BUT NOW THE BLUE DEVILS HAVE PROVEN IT
With their freshman star in foul trouble, it took everyone and everything else the Blue Devils had to hold off the Tar Heels, 82-69, and clinch the No. 1 seed in the ACC tournament. | Published March 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock
NO. 4: LET COOPER FLAGG UP THE LADDER TO CUT DOWN THE NET IF DUKE WINS ... BUT WIN IT WITHOUT HIM
After Cooper Flagg’s gruesome-looking ankle injury Thursday against Georgia Tech, Duke needs to put its freshman star in bubble wrap until the NCAA tournament. | Published March 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock
NO. 5: ‘THE RIGHT TEAM. THE RIGHT COACH.’ WHY DUKE BASKETBALL HAS BEEN ALL COOPER FLAGG HOPED
Already an ACC champion, a consensus all-American and national player of the year, Cooper Flagg chases an NCAA championship before heading to NBA as the likely No. 1 pick | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman
NO. 6: EARLY DOMINANCE: AN ORAL HISTORY OF DUKE STAR COOPER FLAGG’S RISE TO PROMINENCE IN MAINE
We all know how good Cooper Flagg is at basketball now. But how good was the Duke star as a freshman ... in high school? | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Levasseur
NO. 7: SELLING COOPER FLAGG, DUKE’S VERY MODEL OF A MODERN COLLEGE BASKETBALL SUPERSTAR
For decades, college athletes had to not only refuse commercial opportunities but pretend they didn’t exist. Now, everyone can cash in, but no basketball player has cashed in like Duke’s Cooper Flagg. | Published April 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock
NO. 8: GONE IN 60 SECONDS: DUKE’S COLLAPSE BRINGS THE COOPER FLAGG SEASON TO A SHOCKING END
Up six in the final minute, Duke let the lead and a chance to play for a national title slip away as Cooper Flagg’s last shot comes up short. | Published April 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Luke DeCock
NO. 9: COOPER FLAGG LED DUKE TO AN ACC TITLE AND THE FINAL FOUR. THE NBA IS NEXT
National player of the year Cooper Flagg, who led Duke to the ACC championship and Final Four as a freshman, enters the NBA Draft and is expected to be the top pick. | Published April 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Steve Wiseman
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.