Flagg Will Fly at the 2025 NCAA Tournament

For the first time since 2019, when Zion Williamson led the Duke Blue Devils to the Elite Eight, the consensus top prospect in June’s NBA Draft is set to be a central figure in the NCAA Tournament.

While Paolo Banchero helped Duke to the Final Four in 2022, his status as the first overall pick remained up in the air until draft day. That will be far from the case for Cooper Flagg this time around, as the re-classified freshman has been viewed as the clear top prospect since long before he arrived in Durham as a 17-year-old.

All Flagg has done since then is further cement himself as the latest potentially franchise-altering talent to hit the hoops scene. Flagg has been a dominant two-way force in a way that’s reminiscent of Anthony Davis -- who put together one of the best college basketball seasons ever in his lone year at Kentucky.  

Albeit in a historically weak ACC, Flagg averaged 21.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.8 stocks (steals + blocks) in conference play. For as good as those numbers are, it's fair to expect him to level up this month -- despite a worrisome fall in the ACC Tournament, which cut Flagg’s conference play short.

Duke played four top-25-ranked opponents this regular season and Flagg ascended accordingly, with averages of 21.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.1 stocks in those contests.

Ranked No. 1 in the country at the conclusion of the regular season and as a No. 1 seed for the NCAA Tournament, Flagg and Duke are a +280 favourite to win a sixth college basketball championship this month.

With the NBA, and the first pick in June’s draft, beckoning, one last dance for Flagg and the Blue Devils awaits. 

Click here to view all NCAA Tournament odds at BET99.

*Odds as of March 18, 2025.