How should Duke approach the NCAA tournament with Cooper Flagg?
Yahoo Sports' Jason Fitz, Isis "Ice" Young, Kevin O'Connor and 13-year NBA veteran Marcus Morris discuss how the Blue Devils should handled their injured superstar entering its first round matchup on Friday.
View more
Now the east, obviously this is all about Cooper Flack.
I wanna get you the latest, OK, because according to the latest information we're getting, Duke is targeting Friday as a potential return for Cooper Flag.
I'm a little surprised, guys.
As we start right there, Duke made it clear that he would be available for the tournament.
I think that was important for their seating.
They wanted to make sure the committee knew that they would have their biggest star, but to me it's a little bit suspect.
You shouldn't need Cooper Flag to win a game against a 16 team.
So I'm surprised.
Yeah, you don't need him, but I think the important thing is here one is that he's rested.
I can't understand that enough.
You're trying to win a national championship.
You gotta win 6 games.
He's gotta be good and healthy and confident for 6 games and what we saw from Duke in the ACC tournament was that they could win without him.
So I don't think I'm expecting him to play a ton of minutes here, Marcus.
Yeah, like we said when we was talking, I think you give him 20 minutes to make sure the will is good.
You get a full week of practice or ice up and whatever.
Obviously we, I can't say they're going to win because obviously we know what can possibly happen, but you give Cooper a little bit of time, 20 minutes, get his feet wet, and you know they can also win without him we all seen that so I mean listen, he has to play.
Uh, the concern I have, guys, is what's it look like, and they got a game.
You got 24 hours rest.
You got a game again and then as they advance, presumably taking on Mississippi State or Baylor, taking on eventually a team like Arizona or Oregon ice, if you're taking on Cooper, you're attacking Cooper, right?
Oh, I'm attacking that ankle every time, every time.
I think you have to.
I think you have to test the ankle and see how he's feeling like that's just not being mean, that's being a competitor but I also think too it's still a young team, right?
This is a team that majority is freshmen and sophomores.
This is their first time in the tournament, so I think all the expectations, all the pressure, all the storylines could also maybe get to Cooper a little bit.
I mean, I think with him when the injury first happened, yes, he'd be shocked in that moment, but then he, he's in a wheelchair.
Yes, he'd be shocked then when he's going to get X-rays, but then he's on the bench in the second half walking under his own power, no not no boot on his foot, looking totally fine.
Maybe he's just like LeBron where he could just regenerate.
He's one of those guys where he turns.
An ankle it's like, oh, I look like I'm out for the season, but then you're right back.
He might just be that type of guy.
So I think it makes a lot of sense for Duke to play him, get the nerves out of the way with that 1st 1 to 16 matchup, play 1520 minutes per game, hopefully a blowout for Duke, you'd be expecting, and then rest him for the second half and be ready for the round of 32, but I'm gonna ask the room a question we've fallen in love with Cooper Flag.
Is it justified?
How good to you when you watch Cooper's tape.
How over the moon are you?
I mean, beyond what even what I could have expected, the expectations for Cooper entering the year were #1 pick, and at this point it's like, well, wait a minute, could he be top 5, top 10 player in the NBA someday because not only is he an elite defender as expected, not only is he an elite connector as a passer and all the little things that he does on the floor, but the scoring, the way he's developed with his ability to create shots from the perimeter not only for his teammates but for himself.
And so obviously he's pivotal for Duke this year.
Con Kipple, he had 14 pick and rolls in that game.
uh, Cooper went out season high for him according to the synergy.
We know other guys on that team can do something, but ultimately you're gonna have close games without him.
Cooper Flag is a guy that makes them a 1 seed, makes them a favorite, and he's the no brainer number one pick this year, no questions asked.
I agree, man.
I love, I love his swag.
I love the way he approaches the game, his pace as an NBA player, and when you watch these younger kids, you wanna see their pace.
You wanna see their change of direction.
Does he understand the game.
He is a complete basketball player to your point.
Once he gets into the NBA and gets into a system where they uses him and all his like all his spots and get him to where he like where he wants the ball out on the court.
He has sky is the limit.
I see number one pick, me and my brother go back and forth on this all the time.
I think he could be a really good NBA player, like top notch NBA player.
Yes, for championship team and I love his parents, man.
Did you see him dunk on the cat the other day?
And his mom, his mom on his head listen that that to me, to me that excites me.
That means that the family is all everyone is invested in this is invested in this kid and it shows like he comes with a fire to the game that you would love to see from a young kid like that.
Close
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
21 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Tyrese Haliburton's rapid rise to superstardom is unprecedented
We're witnessing something unprecedented: The coronation of a superstar in hyperspeed. Usually the rise is gradual. We see it coming. The tide rises slowly, like the ebb and flow of waves, before the tsunami hits. But Tyrese Haliburton's ascension has been different. He's a spark that turned into a raging inferno in record-setting time, catching everyone by surprise. The NBA has never seen anything like it. Just last summer, Haliburton used self-deprecating humor to cope with the disappointment — and embarrassment — of hardly getting any playing time for Team USA during the Olympic Games. He posted a photo of himself on Instagram wearing the gold medal and wrote, "When you ain't do nun on the group project and still get an A." In February, he didn't make the All-Star team after a lingering hamstring injury prevented him from training much over the summer. And heading into the postseason, he was voted by his own peers as the most overrated player in the league in a poll by The Athletic. Haliburton wasn't even on the radar for becoming the league's next superstar, with names like Victor Wembanyama, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic towering over him. But in a whiplash-inducing span of just under two months, Haliburton has completely rewritten the narrative. Said LeBron James: "Players will run through a wall for certain guys, and they will do that for Hali." Added Dwyane Wade: "Haliburton is a f---king superstar." The thing is, Haliburton's greatness is impossible to ignore. It's flashy and gaudy and has come in the form of four buzzer-beaters or go-ahead shots in the final five seconds of the fourth quarter or in overtime this postseason. (He has five in his career.) Only one player has made more clutch shots than him, James, who has had eight such shots over his 22-season career. Making four of those shots in a 47-day span is stunning. To do it during the playoffs? That's something else altogether. They instantly went viral on the internet. They were replayed on every sports show. They were visceral. They were digestible, leaving even people who don't care about sports with their mouths ajar. Haliubrton has slapped us all across the face with his superstardom. It's different from any other player's. Take Nikola Jokić, for example. You can watch him dominate for two hours and still be surprised that he had 20-plus points, 20-plus rebounds and 20-plus assists. His dominance is subtle, artful, easily overlooked. Perhaps the excitement of Haliburton's run this postseason can most easily be compared to the awe that Stephen Curry inspires when he has his famous shooting explosions. But we saw Curry's rise. When he led Golden State to their first championship in 40 years in 2015, the Warriors had the best record in the league that season. We watched him for seven months before he crowned himself as a superstar in the playoffs. Really, with everyone else who has become a superstar in the NBA, we have had our finger on their pulse. We saw the pressure they faced, we watched them overcome obstacles, we cheered (or heckled) them as they crossed the finish line. Kobe Bryant's went from air-balling the ball four times in a playoff game his rookie year to turning himself into the Black Mamba. James went from being a 16-year-old who was labeled "The Chosen One" into a 40-year-old who was top-five in MVP votes this year. Michael Jordan went from being the Detroit Pistons' punching bag to becoming a six-time champion. Haliburton is obviously nowhere near their level. But we've had our eyes fixed on the young players in the league, waiting to see who was going to become the next face of the league. If Edwards was having this type of performance in the postseason, no one would've batted an eye. If Doncic had led the Lakers three wins shy of a championship, as Halibuton has with the Pacers, we would've understood how that happened. But Haliburton? The Pacers weren't even necessarily expected to get past the first round of the playoffs. He seemingly came out of nowhere. And he has done it in the most dramatic of fashions, helping the Pacers cheat death four times this postseason. In each of those games, he made either a buzzer-beater or the go-ahead bucket. In Game 5 of the first round of the playoffs, the Pacers won after trailing the Milwaukee Bucks by seven points in the final 35 seconds, The dagger: Haliubrton made a layup with 1.3 seconds left to force overtime. In Game 2 of the second round of the playoffs, the Pacers won after trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by seven points in the final minute. The dagger: Haliburton made a 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds left. In Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Pacers won after trailing the New York Knicks by 14 points in the final 3 minutes, The dagger: Haliubrton made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to send the game into overtime. In Game 1 of the Finals, the Pacers won after trailing the Oklahoma City Thunder by nine points in the final 3 minutes, The dagger: Haliubrton made a 21-footer with 0.3 seconds left. Haliburton's rise has quite simply been incomparable. To go from being considered the most overrated player in the league to the face of the postseason in fewer than two months? We've never seen anything like it. It's hard to define a superstar. Does a player need to win an MVP to deserve that classification? A championship? Do fans determine who gets that label? Do former superstars crown the next generation? This much is for sure: Haliburton has taken the basketball world by storm. We didn't even know to be watching for him. Now, we simply can't take our eyes off him. Melissa Rohlin is an NBA writer for FOX Sports. She previously covered the league for Sports Illustrated, the Los Angeles Times, the Bay Area News Group and the San Antonio Express-News. Follow her on Twitter @ melissarohlin . FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Tyrese Haliburton Indiana Pacers National Basketball Association recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Shaquille O'Neal picks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the next face of the NBA: "If he wins a championship this year, it's his league"
Shaquille O'Neal picks Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the next face of the NBA: "If he wins a championship this year, it's his league" originally appeared on Basketball Network. Let's face it: the NBA is struggling to identify its next superstar after LeBron James and Stephen Curry. While there is no lack of talent, there remains a missing X factor: a superstar whose skill combined with charisma can lead the league into the future. The definition of popularity and star power has changed with the evolution of social media. Advertisement Fans today have more access to their favorite NBA superstars than ever. The overexposure has led to an absence of mystery. This was not the case in the previous eras, with legends such as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird who exuded aura. Another crucial factor is that the league hasn't found a talent since LeBron and Steph that is able to bring the game to a new dimension. Touching down upon the subject during the latest episode of the "Pivot Podcast," Shaquille O'Neal explained why greatness isn't handed it out, it's taken. The four-time champion shared Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's example, as he picked him as the next face of the league. "Right now, SGA is taking it, and he's taking it surely and smoothly. He ain't saying, not being arrogant about it. When I watch guys play and I get criticized for this a lot because my thing is, I've seen Magic, I've seen Jordan, I've seen Kareem, I've seen greatness. I've played with Penny, played with Kobe, played with D-Wade and LeBron. I've been part of greatness. If you're not in that category, I'm not giving you no type of props," revealed "The Big Diesel," who is widely regarded as the most dominating center of all time. Advertisement Talking about potential, Shaq added the following: "When they talk about who the next guy is, I say you got to give it to SGA right now because he's taking it. If he wins a championship this year, it's his league," claimed the Lakers legend, who was part of the last 3-peat in the NBA, between 2000 and 2002. Shaq's definition of greatness Often regarded as a tough critic, impressing Shaq is no easy feat. The three-time Finals MVP can be brutal with his words sometimes. Nonetheless, there have been instances of the fifteen-time All-Star giving due where needed. Addressing the subject of greatness, Shaq dished out some names, "SGA is in there now. Stephen Curry's in there now. Giannis and Joker, those guys are in." Advertisement Certainly, it's hard to disagree with "Big Diesel" in this case, given all the above names have proved themselves at each level. As Shai looks to secure his first championship, "The Chef," "Greek Freak," and "The Joker" have been granted the G-12 classification by the most dominant in history. Related: Luc Longley on why he and Michael Jordan couldn't get along: "Mike was doing what he did to rookies, what he was doing to me" Potential candidates for the future The process of identifying the future face of the NBA continues to be challenging. Nevertheless, there are certainly a couple of names who are truly deserving and could possibly take the baton. These nominees are the proper blend of skill and personality. Advertisement Starting with SGA, others capable of making the cut include Anthony Edwards, Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, Ja Morant and Victor Wembanyama. That said, it won't be easy to replicate the impact of LeBron or Steph, who continue to dominate at a high level. Related: "He checks every single box for what you want" - Kendrick Perkins says Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is ready to be the next face of the NBA This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
25 minutes ago
- Yahoo
"I always go back to the UNLV Rebels of the early 90s" - Dan Patrick thinks that the Thunder have been so dominant that they don't know how to play one-possession games
"I always go back to the UNLV Rebels of the early 90s" - Dan Patrick thinks that the Thunder have been so dominant that they don't know how to play one-possession games originally appeared on Basketball Network. The Oklahoma City Thunder have been so dominant this year, blowing out their opponents on a regular basis. The Thunder held a +12.8 points per game differential against the opposition during the regular season. In the playoffs, that number has dropped to +10.1 points per game, which is still impressive. Advertisement However, popular podcaster Dan Patrick says that the Thunder beating their opponents with ease all season long came back to haunt them in Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Finals. According to Patrick, with the Indiana Pacers erasing a 15-point lead and making it a one-possession game, the Thunder forgot how to execute in clutch games and ended up losing. "Teams that win by a large margin, I'm always very leery of them when they get into a one-possession game. You're winning by 13 points per game. And I always go back to the UNLV Runnin' Rebels of the early 90s. They're blowing everybody out. And I wondered 'What happens when they get into a one-possession game. If they do, they got into a one-possession game against Duke. They had problems with the inbounds pass, the play that was set up and Duke goes on to win the national title," the renowned journalist said. UNLV did not know how to execute in a close game The UNLV Runnin' Rebels entered the 1991 NCAA men's basketball tournament with an undefeated 30-0 record and an impressive 28.3 points per game average winning margin. Although two of their four NCAA tournament games before the Finals were decided by only eight points, they had never seen a one-possession game prior to the title game. Advertisement Down by two points, 77-79, with 12.7 seconds left to play, UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian drew a play for star Larry Johnson. But after LJ received the inbounds pass, he could not get a decent look against Christian Laettner and ended up with a hurried pass to Anderson Hunt, who missed the potential game-winner. Patrick added that the Thunder looked lost, too, but at the defensive end. "I'm screaming, waking up everybody at the house, and I'm going - with Haliburton getting the ball 'Don't let him go right. Make him pass it,' Don't let the best guy beat you, even though he played horribly. Tyrese Haliburton has become one of the great clutch shooters in NBA postseason history. The numbers back that up. They let him go right. Caruso doesn't double. He falls back on Pascal Siakam. And Haliburton raises and seals it. Pascal Siakam could have hit the game-winning shot. I would have been okay with that. I cannot let the guy who has done this over and over and over and over," added DP. Related: Shaquille O'Neal reveals which two dunks in his NBA career are his favorite: "He was all over me, and I was like, 'Get the fu** off me'" Haliburton has been on an all-time run Patrick has a point. The Pacers stealing the game in the last second is one thing. But letting Haliburton do it with ease is another. Anybody who has followed the 2025 NBA Playoffs since the first round knows that Hali has made a last-second game-winner in each of the first three rounds. Advertisement It was pretty obvious that the Pacers were going to their star guard on that final possession. But as Patrick said, not only did the Thunder allow him to get the ball, but they let him dribble to his strong side and failed to double-team him. Maybe it was meant to be as some are saying the Pacers are a team of destiny. But maybe it's the Thunder forgetting how to execute in one-possession games because they've been too good this year. Related: Paul Pierce says Shai Gilgelous-Alexander would be the best player in Thunder history if he wins the title: "This is one of the all-time great historical runs" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
