NEW YORK (AP) — Cooper Flagg has certainly lived up to the hype. So it seems a foregone conclusion the freshman phenom from Duke will become the top pick in this year's NBA draft.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood has a different idea.
“I hope he stays in school. I mean, if I’m the NCAA or the ACC, I’m figuring out an NIL deal to keep that dude in school, because he’s everything that’s right about our game,” Underwood said Saturday night after his team got blown out by Flagg and the third-ranked Blue Devils.
“Somebody threw out some story about it. I hope he stays. Man, he’d be great. He could probably make more here than he could in the NBA. He’s also got really good people around him, and that helps."
With about 50 professional scouts on hand for a game featuring multiple elite prospects, Flagg had 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in his Madison Square Garden debut. Duke romped to a 110-67 victory that was so lopsided that coach Jon Scheyer emptied his bench in the final minutes as delighted Blue Devils fans chanted, “Our house! Our house!”
Playing before a sellout crowd of 19,812 just steps from Broadway, the Blue Devils (24-3) earned their fourth consecutive victory and 20th in 21 games. They've won eight straight at The Garden, dubbed “The World's Most Famous Arena.”
“I thought it was an incredible atmosphere,” Flagg said. “Just loved the energy. Saw so much blue in the crowd.”
Flagg only played 23 1/2 minutes. But after the game, Underwood was asked if the 6-foot-9 forward from Maine is the best player in the country.
“Sure. Not even close," he said.
So, why stay in school?
“He’s 18. He’s just an 18-year-old kid. Go have fun. Chase a girl. I mean, just enjoy the opportunity,” Underwood explained. "I get the whole thing. That’s slotted, he’s going to make what he is. And I’m speaking just completely randomly. I don’t know the kid or the family. But, gosh darn, man, I’m excited about college basketball.”
Coming into the game, Flagg was averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game — leading the Blue Devils in all five categories.
“I don’t want to play against him anymore," Underwood said. "But I just think he’s really good, and now we have NIL and, man, he could really build a heck of a brand I would think.”
Takeaways
Illinois: Hampered recently by illnesses and an injury to forward Morez Johnson Jr., the Fighting Illini have faded following a 12-3 start. They've lost three straight — all by at least 14 points to teams ranked in the top 11 at the time.
Duke: Eyeing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils boast one of the nation's stingiest defences. They delivered an outstanding performance on that end of the floor in their first game since defensive stopper Maliq Brown dislocated his left shoulder in Monday's win at Virginia.
Key moment
After getting whistled for two fouls in the first 11:18 of a quiet first half, Flagg opened the second period with a fast-break dunk. He added another jam minutes later and gave the Duke throng in a soldout crowd of 19,812 what it came to see.
Key stat
Illinois missed its first 17 attempts from 3-point range and finished 2 for 26 from beyond the arc.
Up next
Illinois: Will resume Big Ten play at home Tuesday night against Iowa.
Duke: Visit Miami on Tuesday night.
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