Cooper Flagg has entered the college basketball scene with immense hype, and he’s quickly proving why the buzz around him is well-deserved. Right in his freshman year, Flagg already delivered two impressive 20+ point performances along with a couple of double-doubles. Now, when he took the court against Kansas, things didn’t start off as smoothly as he might have hoped, but despite that, Flagg ignited the crowd and left a sports analyst in awe with a jaw-dropping play in the second half.

On Tuesday night, the Duke Blue Devils faced off against the Kansas Jayhawks, and for much of the first half, Cooper Flagg seemed off his game. He only managed to score two points and took just two shots in the opening period. However, in the second half, with just over nine minutes remaining on the clock, Flagg reminded everyone why he’s one of the most exciting young talents in college basketball.

After receiving a pass from Kon Kneuppel, Flagg charged toward the rim, soaring above his defenders to deliver a powerful dunk that sent the crowd into a frenzy.As the crowd in the arena erupted in excitement and commentators were left in awe of the play, analyst Skip Bayless took to X to share his admiration for Cooper Flagg’s electrifying dunk. He tweeted, “Cooper just planted his Flagg on Kansas with a high-flying, hanging pick-and-roll dunk.” 

Interestingly, moments before praising Flagg’s incredible dunk, Skip Bayless was caught critiquing his lackluster first-half performance and asserting that Flagg was “far by the best player on the floor.”

That dunk brought the game to a thrilling tie at 61-61, reigniting the Blue Devils’ hopes. But despite the momentary surge, it just wasn’t Duke’s night. Cooper Flagg, who had a quieter game by his standards, wrapped up the contest with 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists. Unfortunately, his dip in overall performance mirrored the team’s struggles, as the Blue Devils fell short against the Jayhawks. Nevertheless, Flagg’s jaw-dropping dunk became the talk of the game, sparking a wave of reactions from fans.

Cooper Flagg draws bold comparisons and sparks NBA draft hype

Cooper Flagg wasted no time making his presence felt in college basketball, throwing down his first dunk early in his debut game. Now, with another electrifying slam added to his highlight reel, fans couldn’t resist drawing comparisons to one of the game’s all-time greats.

One user on X couldn’t help but make a bold comparison, declaring Cooper Flagg the best player in the NCAA. In a tweet that caught attention, they wrote, “BEST PLAYER IN THE NCAA. BEST PLAYER SINCE LEBRON JAMES.”

Though LeBron James famously skipped college basketball, the comparison highlights the immense respect fans have for Cooper Flagg’s talent and the excitement he’s generating on the court. As for LeBron, the Los Angeles Lakers star, known as one of the NBA’s most phenomenal dunkers, ranks fourth all-time in career dunks with an impressive 2,088 slams.

Other fans stared in awe at Flagg’s thunderous dunk, marveling as he outmaneuvered three defenders before soaring for the slam. Many shared their reactions in brief yet expressive comments, with one even describing the play as a “cracker.” They wrote: “CRACKER OF THE NIGHT  @AB84 ?!!” & “ON HIS HEAD YA HEARD😭”

Though Flagg has yet to make his NBA debut, scouts already project him as a top prospect in next year’s draft. One fan turned the spotlight on his potential future with the Washington Wizards, jokingly tweeting, “Landing Cooper Flagg makes Wizards’ no-win November worth it, right? 😭😂” With the Wizards struggling this season, holding a league-worst 2-13 record, their poor form might just give them a shot at securing the No. 1 pick—and possibly landing Flagg. For the franchise, the Duke freshman could be the silver lining to an otherwise bleak season.

While Cooper Flagg’s jaw-dropping dunk against Kansas had fans buzzing with excitement, not everyone was ready to join the hype. A segment of fans shifted their focus to a more critical aspect of the freshman’s performance: his four turnovers in the game. For some, it was a concerning repeat of an issue that had previously plagued the Blue Devils, particularly during their loss to the Kentucky Wildcats. One fan, bypassing the dunk’s highlight-reel status, took to social media to address the freshman’s struggles, commenting bluntly, “Cooper Flagg made the same mistake again.”

Though Flagg’s potential is undeniable, moments like these remind everyone that even rising stars have room to grow.