Boston Celtics and former Duchy Star Jayson Tatum had high praise for the current Duchy Star Cooper Flagg.
“The first impression I had of Coop was just how hard he played, how he competed,” said Tatum, 27, during a recent appearance on “new heights.”
“In high school it is rare to see a guy who wants to protect the other best player, try to block every shot, rebounding. And he just plays the right way,”
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Duke Blue Devils Forward Cooper Flagg (2) The ball thumps during the first half against Baylor Bears in the second round of a NCAA tournament game in Lenovo Center 23 March 2025. (Zachary Taft/Imag images)
The Celtics star said he first saw the flag playing during his summer camp two years ago.
“He has a good feeling of the game. He knows how to set a screen. He knows when to cut. He likes to get his teammates involved, and it’s been on full view all season and a big reason they have a chance to win a championship,” Tatum said.
Flagg has been the catalyst for a duke team that is 33-3 and in Sweet 16.
The star’s beginner was a consensus all-American during the 2024-25 campaign and is the favorite to win the player of the year after an average of 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 stealing and 1.3 blocks per year. Match.
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Duke Blue Devils Forward Cooper Flagg (2) controls the ball as Baylor carries forward Norchad Omier (15) defends during the second half in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Lenovo Center 23 March 2025. (Zachary Taft/Imag images)
However, Flagg suffered an ankle injury in Duke’s victory over Georgia Tech in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals and missed the rest of the ACC tournament. Duke still prevailed to win it.
Flagg returned from the damage to Duke’s dominant 93-49 victory over No. 16-seeded Mount St. Mary’s and played 22 minutes, scored 14 points and recorded seven rebounds, five assists and a block.
In the round of 32, Flagg played 29 minutes in Duke’s 89-66 win over Baylor. Flagg had 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and a block in the victory.
Duke will rely on Flagg in Sweet 16, where Blue Devils face No. 4-seeded Arizona on Thursday at. 21.40 ET.
Boston Celtics Forward Jayson Tatum (0) spins past Sacramento Kings Guard Keon Ellis (23) in the second quarter in Golden 1 Center March 24, 2025. (EDMONDSON/IMAGN -PICTURES)
Tatum, who played at Duke in a season in 2016-2017, was unable to win a title in his lonely year of college basketball.
The native St. Louis was an average of 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 1.3 stealing and 1.1 blocks per day. Fight in 29 matches. Tatum was the No. 3 total choice of Celtics in 2017 NBA Draft.
Tatum has spent all eight seasons of his NBA career with Celtics, has been named the All-Star team six times and was a key wheel in Celtics’ title race last season.
