Duke freshman Cooper Flagg has become just the fourth freshman to win the prestigious John R. Wooden Award as the most outstanding men’s college basketball player. Flagg edged Auburn’s Johni Broome for the top spot, with Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr., Alabama’s Mark Sears, and Purdue’s Braden Smith as finalists.
Flagg’s impressive performance earned him the award during a dominant season, where he led Duke to ACC regular-season and conference tournament championships, and their first Final Four appearance since Mike Krzyzewski retired. He also won both ACC Player of the Year and Rookie of the Year awards.
With an average of 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists heading into Saturday’s national semifinal showdown against Houston, Flagg solidified his position as the clear-cut leader to be selected No. 1 in June’s NBA draft.
Flagg set a new ACC freshman record for points in a game with an outstanding performance against Notre Dame in January, where he scored 42 points and led Duke to a win. His remarkable statistical month of January saw him average 25.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.9 assists while shooting 57.9% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range.
Despite missing the semifinal and championship games due to an ankle injury, Flagg regained his top form in the NCAA tournament with a standout performance against Arizona in the Sweet 16. This marks the first time since Duke’s Zion Williamson won the award in 2019 that a freshman has taken home the honor, joining Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (2012) and Texas’ Kevin Durant (2007).
Source: https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/44545818/duke-cooper-flagg-becomes-4th-freshman-win-wooden-award