Cooper Flagg has completed his lone season with the Duke Blue Devils, and it was nothing short of historic.
Joining Duke as the nation’s top-ranked recruit, Flagg lived up to the hype and more—capturing both the Wooden Award and the Naismith Player of the Year honors in his freshman year. He guided the Blue Devils to a stellar 35-4 record, earning victories over Alabama, Arizona, Baylor, and Mount St. Mary’s in the NCAA Tournament before falling to Houston in the Final Four. Along the way, he also led Duke to both ACC regular-season and tournament championships.
With college basketball behind him, the spotlight now shifts to the 2025 NBA Draft, where Flagg is the overwhelming favorite to be selected first overall.
In a recent interview, Flagg discussed his NBA aspirations and named LeBron James as the player he’d most like to face.
“LeBron,” Flagg said. “I want to play against him—because it’s LeBron. Not many players will get that opportunity, so I think it’d be amazing just to share the court with him.”
The comments quickly sparked reaction across social media, with fans expressing their support and excitement for his future.
“Hard work pays off,” one fan wrote, while another added, “He’s going to be a star in the NBA.”
“Awesome,” one fan wrote in reaction.
“Congratulations to him in advance,” another added.
“I’m excited to see what Cooper Flagg brings to the NBA. His work ethic is top-tier, and it’s always great to see young talent like him preparing for the draft,” said another fan.
“Somebody give this guy a contract,” one fan joked.
Duke guard Cooper Flagg (No. 2) has quickly become one of the most talked-about prospects in basketball.
As Flagg eyes the NBA, he’s made it clear that facing LeBron James is a goal—and with good reason. James, now 40 years old, just completed his 22nd season in the league and is nearing the twilight of his legendary career. Opportunities to play against him are becoming increasingly rare.
Despite his age, James continues to perform at an elite level. In the most recent season, the Lakers star averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game.