Coach K Calls Cooper Flagg a Hell of a Competitor and Future NBA MVP

Ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft tonight, take a look back at what former Duke University head coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski had to say about Duke freshman and expected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.

“Cooper, in his freshman year, is definitely the best freshman that has ever played [for Duke],” Coach K said on SiriusXM College Sports Radio’s “Dusty and Danny in the Morning” back in April.

“I work for the NBA now, and I was just at their Board of Governors meetings, and one of the talks I had with a couple of owners was that we need to have those American stars,” he continued. “We have a lot of international stars. I think five of the last six MVPs, or maybe six out of six. And Cooper can be that. Hopefully, he stays hungry and healthy. His future will be incredible.”

In January, on an episode of his exclusive SiriusXM show, “Basketball & Beyond with Coach K,” Coach K called Flagg “a hell of a competitor” and “the best player in the country.”

“He’s such a great teammate. You can see him on the bench. He has joy for his teammates. He’s only 18 … He’s joyful with his group, he’s not joyful with the opponent,” he said.

For more 2025 NBA Draft coverage, tune in to SiriusXM College Sports Radio and SiriusXM NBA Radio.