“I don’t know if I prepared him well enough”: Duke HC Jon Scheyer questions himself around Cooper Flagg’s freshman season
The No. 1 seed Duke Blue Devils will take on No. 1 Houston in the Final Four on Saturday in San Antonio in the first Final Four appearance for Duke since Jon Scheyer took over as coach.
On ESPN’s "SportsCenter," Scheyer spoke about the development of freshman sensation Cooper Flagg.
Scott Van Pelt asked about how Flagg looked hesitant in high-pressure games early in the season but emerged as the top prospect in the NBA draft class, just as many had expected, as the season progressed.
Scheyer responded by acknowledging Flagg's growth and even questioning his preparation for the young star:
“I think he's always looked like the No. 1 pick in the draft, even early in the year, and, you know, for him, I don't know if I prepared him well enough early in the early in the season for some of the moments he'd be in,” Scheyer said (Timestamp: 1:40).
Scheyer highlighted Flagg’s competitive nature and ability to influence games in multiple ways:
“He (has) such a killer instinct, you know, look for us," Scheyer said. "Fortunately, we haven't been in a lot of close games, and the ones that we have, especially the last part of the year, he's made huge plays for us. ... Part of his genius is the fact that he can win a game with scoring, rebounding, steals, blocks, you name it.
"Whatever you need, whatever that game requires, he finds a way to come up with those plays to help us win.”
Cooper Flagg’s 2025 March Madness run
Cooper Flagg suffered an ankle injury during Duke’s ACC Tournament opener, forcing him to miss the rest of the tournament.
In the NCAA Tournament, Flagg had 14 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two blocks (22 minutes) in the first round against Mount St. Mary's. In the second round against Baylor, he recorded 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
In the Sweet 16 against Arizona, Flagg put up 30 points, seven assists, six rebounds and three blocks. And in the Elite Eight against Alabama, he had 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists.
During the ESPN conversation, Jon Scheyer lauded Flagg and his teammate Khaman Maluach.
“It's funny. Both the guys were talking about – Cooper and Khaman – they should be in high school still," Scheyer said. "How crazy is that? Yeah, and the fact that they're doing these things as freshman in such a really dominant fashion.
"Like you said, they've both had their moments of going through some ... learning curve of figuring out how to be successful in college, but Khaman and Cooper, both them, they're so competitive. They've got big-time motors.”
Flagg has solidified his position as the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.