Flagg ran away with the ACC Rookie of the Year honors in the preseason poll, but North Carolina guard RJ Davis was named Player of the Year by a comfortable margin. While it’s hard to find flaws in Davis’s game after last year’s 21.2-point campaign, the Tar Heels lost three of their five best players from last season. Even with some talented freshmen and the development of Elliot Cadeau, it’ll only be harder for UNC’s All-American to offer up a repeat performance.

Flagg, on the other hand, has the skillset to stuff a stat sheet and the surrounding talent to let him do so. The freshman likely won’t average 20 points per game, but five rebounds with a block and a steal apiece feels like a sure bet. Only two players in the conference (one of them being Filipowski) matched that trifecta in 2023-24. On top of that, between his dunks and blocks, he’ll produce a viral clip in almost every game, and the extra attention will only help him stay at the forefront of voter’s minds.

If Flagg can add consistent double-digit scoring nights with a head-to-head win or two over Davis, he’ll make the argument easy.