The Dallas Mavericks struck gold when they selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft last week. On Tuesday, July 1, a Mavs fan shared highlights of the former Duke Blue Devils star’s incredible performance against the Arizona Wildcats in the 2025 NCAA Tournament on X (formerly Twitter).
Flagg took his game to another level when he faced No. 4 seed Arizona in the Sweet 16 in March this year. He stuffed the stat sheet against the Wildcats, racking up 30 points, seven dimes, and six boards in the Blue Devils’ 100-93 win. He was also a menace on the defensive end, recording three blocks and one steal in 37 minutes.
X user @knifetalkmavs explained in his post that this was the game where he knew that Flagg was going to be a ‘generational NBA talent.’ The fan concluded their message by adding that this was the greatest performance by a freshman in the history of March Madness.
This is the game where I realized that Cooper Flagg was going to be a generational NBA talent.
He finished with 30 pts, 7 assists 6 rebounds and 3 blocks.
It was the greatest performance by a freshmen in the NCAA tournament of all time. pic.twitter.com/xpTb5yIefk
— 🔪🗣️ (@knifetalkmavs) July 1, 2025
Flagg was already in fine form entering the Sweet 16 showdown against Arizona. He helped Duke beat No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s in his NCAA Tournament debut, amassing 14 points, seven boards, five assists, and two blocks in the Blue Devils’ 93-49 victory in the first round.
The 18-year-old continued his solid play in the second round against No. 9 seed Baylor Bears, recording 18 points, nine rebounds, six dimes, and one block in Duke’s 89-66 win. He shot 5-for-11 from the floor and 7-for-9 from the charity stripe against the Bears.
Cooper Flagg Made History with Sweet 16 Performance Against Arizona
Cooper Flagg made history with his performance against Arizona in March, becoming the first freshman in March Madness history to record at least 25 points, five rebounds, and three blocks in an NCAA Tournament game.
Flagg also became the first Duke player to have 30 points, five boards, and five assists in a March Madness game. Moreover, the teen phenom became the third Duke freshman to score at least 30 points in an NCAA Tournament game, joining Jared McCain and Zion Williamson on that exclusive list.
KEEP READING: ‘You Are Sweaty’: Cooper Flagg’s Mom Did Not Hold Back on Unfiltered Comments During Son’s No. 1 Overall Pick Announcement
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