Cooper Flagg has taken the college basketball world by storm in his freshman year at Duke, proving why he’s projected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Last Saturday, the Blue Devils put on a clinic at Madison Square Garden, dismantling Illinois 110-67 in a blowout that went down in the record books as Illinois’ worst loss ever and Duke’s biggest win at MSG. Cooper Flagg contributed 16 points, seven rebounds and five assists in less than 24 minutes to showcase his all-around game. The 110 points were the most scored by a college team at the iconic venue since the legendary six-overtime Syracuse-UConn game in 2009. At 24-3, Duke’s stingy defense and Flagg’s brilliance have put them in prime position for a No. 1 seed with March Madness less than a month away.

Under Jon Scheyer, who’s proving to be a worthy successor to Coach K, Duke looks unstoppable. Flagg’s season averages – 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and four assists on 48.6% shooting from the field and 37.3% from deep – underscore his dominance. With just four games remaining, including a trip to Miami and a season-ending showdown with North Carolina on March 8, the Blue Devils are rolling into the tournament with just one loss since late November. Expectations are high, and if Flagg continues to shine and the defense holds firm, this is a team that could bring down the nets in April.

Paul George Favors Ace Bailey Over Flagg

While most experts consider Flagg the clear No. 1 pick, Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George recently stirred the debate by suggesting that Rutgers’ Ace Bailey might have a higher upside. On his “P with Paul George podcast“, the eight-time All-Star gave his take on the upcoming draft class, stating that he would take Bailey over Flagg if given the choice. Here is what PG13 had to say

I think Ace Bailey is a little bit more raw talent with still a ton of upside, i think Cooper Flagg, not to say he doesn’t have upside, he has amazing upside as well, but I think Ace Bailey has a little bit more upside to him. I think Ace Bailey can scratch a little bit more off of his surface than Cooper Flagg can. Which I think both will be All-Stars, both will be superstars once they develop and get to the NBA.

George even went so far as to compare Flagg and Bailey’s potential rivalry to the legendary Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird battles of the 1980s, given their similar size and skill sets, i think it’s a little too soon for that. However, while Bailey is undoubtedly a talented prospect, his situation at Rutgers was far from ideal. Despite his impressive averages of 18.4 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, Rutgers has struggled to a 14-14 record and is unlikely to make the NCAA Tournament. Meanwhile, Flagg has been the best player on one of the top teams in the country, making it hard to see any team passing on him with the No. 1 pick.

Paul George Struggles as Sixers’ Season Slips Away

At 34, Paul George should be winding down a stellar career, but this season with the Sixers has been a slog. He’s averaging career lows since before his Most Improved Player days with Indiana in 2012-13 – he’s currently averaging 16.2 points per game on 43.2% shooting, a far cry from his best years. He was a force again in 2018-19 with Oklahoma City, scoring 28.0 points per game and finishing third in MVP voting. Even in 2020-21 with the Clippers, he averaged 23.3 points on 46.7 percent efficiency. Now, with Philadelphia at 20-37 and losers of eight straight, George hasn’t found his groove. The East’s mediocrity keeps the play-in alive – they are 2.5 games behind Chicago – but 14 of their last 24 games are on the road. Maybe it’s time for George to hang up his sneakers and focus on podcasting, where his takes, like the Bailey-Flagg debate, are still generating buzz.