Brace yourself—Cooper Flagg just tore through every expectation and blasted into college basketball legend by claiming the 2025 Naismith Trophy, crowning him as the National Player of the Year. And he did it as a freshman. Explosive. Unprecedented. Game‑changing.
Announced in San Antonio on April 6, this honor came just one day after Flagg also clinched the Wooden Award, marking a back-to-back sweep of hoops royalty. His feat? Joining the exclusive freshman club that includes Kevin Durant (2007), Anthony Davis (2012), and Zion Williamson (2019)—all of whom captured the Naismith as rookies. Flagg now stands shoulder-to-shoulder with them in greatness.
He’s not just a winner—he’s a generational force. Flagg averaged a jaw-dropping 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists across 37 games, and that’s not even half the story. He also tallied 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per game—everything this kid touched turned to electric impact.
At Duke, Flagg tore through the ACC, snagging both Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year, becoming only the fourth ACC star to double‑dip in the same season. He also earned consensus First-Team All-American honors and powered Duke to the Final Four.
What a legacy Duke is building. With Flagg joining the ranks of past champions, the program now boasts nine Naismith winners—more than any school in award history.
When asked about this monumental honor, Flagg kept it grounded: “This is an incredible honor and I am truly grateful for the recognition… It’s been a blur. It’s been an incredible year,” he reflected—acknowledging the whirlwind of glory, thanks to teammates, Coach Scheyer, and the staff who “believed in me and let me be me.”
This isn’t just a trophy. It’s a seismic statement. A freshman, barely 18, rewrote the narrative—commanded attention, rewired the record books, and ignited a future that’s already on fire. Cooper Flagg didn’t just win the Naismit
