“This guy is a total a** kicker”: NBA draft analyst heaps praise for Cooper Flagg after 42 points vs Notre Dame
Cooper Flagg showcased why he is the top college prospect and the best pick in NBA mock drafts during the No.4-ranked Duke Blue Devils' 86-78 win over Notre Dame on Friday. The 6-foot-9 guard dropped 42 points on 78.6 percent shooting alongside seven assists and six rebounds. It was a career-best outing for Flagg, making for the fourth consecutive game he has shot more than 58 percent from the field.
NBA draft analyst Jonathan Givony then outlined the key aspects of Flagg's game that will make him an immediate contributor to an NBA team.
He (Cooper Flagg) scored 42 points against Notre Dame and a lot of it was off sheer will, that's what makes Cooper flag special," Givony said to ESPN's Malika Andrews (1:28 onwards). "Yeah, the skill is incredible but the competitiveness, the intensity, the aggressiveness. He has no off switch. This guy is a total a** kicker."
"Everything he does is full speed 110%. He has a different mentality than most guys and he's going to be a difference maker from day one on a bad team because it's infectious, the way that he practices and the way that he plays."
Even though Cooper Flagg shot the ball exceptionally well, the instrumental element was his free throws. Behind his continuous aggression, the guard solidified 17 trips to the charity stripes on Friday and only missed one. He averaged just 5.4 free throw attempts per game before entering the contest.
Cooper Flagg writes history with his 42-point display
The Maine native not only made Duke history with his 42-point performance but also became the first freshman in ACC history to put up the figure. He overtook JJ Redick's 40 points in 2006, RJ Barret's 33 points in 2018, Zion Williamson's 35 points in 2019 and more.
After that, Cooper Flagg reflected on the significance of his performance, claiming that it was nothing short of a dream come true.
"It's an incredible list of players and freshmen that have come through Duke, whether they've stayed four years, stayed two years, stayed one year, it's an incredible list of names," Flagg said in a locker room interview.
"So just to even be mentioned among them is just a dream come true for me. It's something I dreamed about since I was a little kid."
Flagg is now averaging 23.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists and six blocks across the first six ACC games. He is also shooting the ball over 55 percent.