Cooper Flagg, Duke basketball players discuss win vs Wake Forest
Following Duke basketball’s win vs. Wake Forest, Cooper Flagg, Sion James, Mason Gillis, Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor discussed the win at Cameron.
DURHAM — The chants from the Cameron Crazies started in the final minutes of Duke basketball’s season finale at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
They continued after the buzzer sounded on the second-ranked Blue Devils’ 93-60 rout of the Demon Deacons on Coach K Court.
“One more year! One more year! One more year!” the Cameron Crazies yelled, directing their plea at Duke freshman Cooper Flagg.
The projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft has likely played his final game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Flagg exited for a final time at the 3:34 mark, embracing head coach Jon Scheyer before sharing a moment with each of his teammates down the bench.
“Obviously, it’s the day and age, we have more than just seniors that it’s gonna be their last time playing in here,” Scheyer said. “Not gonna get into speculating who that is or exactly all that.”
Following the game, in Duke’s locker room, a media member asked Flagg about his future.
“I’m living in the present right now,” Flagg said after finishing with 28 points on 10 of 16 shooting, eight rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, and two steals in almost 34 minutes.
“I’m living in the moment. Taking it day by day, practice by practice, game by game. I don’t know what the future holds.”
Another reporter chimed in, asking Flagg if he allowed himself to think about the possibility of having played for a final time on Coach K Court.
“For sure,” he said. “Just living in the moment. As of right now, it’s our last game of the year in Cameron.”
But he did admit “having a lot of emotion” as Duke honored its seniors, including graduate transfers Sion James and Mason Gillis. Flagg also provided some insight on his favorite memory of the season at Cameron.
“My dunk vs. Pitt,” he said with a smile. “. … That was a pretty good moment. Kind of a surreal feeling.”
As a likely one-and-done season enters the final stretch for Flagg, he took some time to reflect on what Duke means to him before the Blue Devils (27-3, 18-1 ACC) shift their attention to rival North Carolina (19-11, 12-6).
“This is the best place in college basketball, for sure,” Flagg said. “I’ve loved every single minute of being here. Loved everybody I’ve met, everybody I’ve been around for this whole year. It’s been an amazing year.”
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.
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