bad idea for Cooper to have a girlfriend in what will (very likely) be his only year as a college student. “I think that’s smart,” she adds. “It’s safe to not have any feelings.”

Such are the concessions of Flagg’s fast track. The bullet train from Maine schoolboy to mainstream superstar; the catch-him-if-you-can college experience; the reality that what’s coming next might be unlike anything anyone could’ve ever imagined.

share this part. She leans in to explain that everyone agrees it’s probably a bad idea for Cooper to have a girlfriend in what will (very likely) be his only year as a college student. “I think that’s smart,” she adds. “It’s safe to not have any feelings.”

Such are the concessions of Flagg’s fast track. The bullet train from Maine schoolboy to mainstream superstar; the catch-him-if-you-can college experience; the reality that what’s coming next might be unlike anything anyone could’ve ever imagined.

☰

DUKE BLUE DEVILS
Duke star Cooper Flagg, projected to be No. 1 pick in NBA Draft, makes surprise admission about future
Flagg is averaging nearly 20 points per game
Ryan Morik By Ryan Morik Fox News
Published February 15, 2025 3:08pm EST

Cooper Flagg could very likely hold more than his own weight in the NBA today, but by rule, he must be one year removed from high school before going pro.

So, he opted to go to Duke, and while most are predicting he’s a one-and-done, that may actually not be the case.

In a recent interview with “The Athletic,” Flagg, projected to be the No. 1 selection in this summer’s NBA Draft, made a stunning proclamation about his basketball future.

freshman said.

“I still feel like a kid,” he continued. “This is the only way I’ve ever known college. That’s how I see it. I really wouldn’t know how kids felt before, and if this feels different, if this feels more like being a professional. I mean, it’s the same thing for kids in high school, too, getting paid a lot of money. I don’t know. I feel pretty normal.”

Flagg actually started the college season as a 17-year-old, turning 18 just four days before Christmas. (He reclassified to graduate high school a year early.) He was the highest-rated recruit for the class of 2024 and received a Division I offer from Bryant before even completing middle school.

Luka Dončić: ‘Vračam se,’ odločen, da utiša razočaranje!

 

Ljubljana, Slovenija – Po obdobju negotovosti in razočaranj je Luka Dončić, ena največjih zvezd svetovne košarke, uradno napovedal svoj povratek. V izjavi za javnost je Dončić dejal, da je motiviran kot še nikoli prej in da je pripravljen dokazati svojo vrednost tako svojim navijačem kot tudi kritikom.

 

Dončić je v zadnjih mesecih doživljal številne izzive, vključno s poškodbami in vprašanji o formi. Kljub temu je ostal pozitiven in si prizadeval za vrnitev na najvišjo raven. Njegov komentar “Vračam se” je sprožil val navdušenja med navijači, ki so prepričani, da bo Dončić znova dokazal, zakaj velja za enega najboljših igralcev na svetu.

 

Trenerji in soigralci so poudarili, da je Dončić v zadnjem času izkazal izjemno delovno etiko, medtem ko so mu fizioterapevti pomagali, da se povsem opomore. “Luka je več kot pripravljen. Pričakujemo, da bo takoj naredil razliko na parketu,” je dejal eden od članov ekipe.

 

Navijači z vsega sveta zdaj nestrpno čakajo na njegov prvi nastop po povratku, prepričani, da bo Dončić znova blestel in utišal vse dvome. Njegova zvezdniška kvaliteta in želja po uspehu ostajata neomajni.

 

In a devastating blow to Duke University’s basketball program, key player Maliq Brown has suffered an injury that will end his playing career. Brown, a standout forward, was a crucial part of the Blue Devils’ lineup this season, showing remarkable skill and versatility on both ends of the court. Unfortunately, the severity of his injury has left medical professionals with no option but to advise him against continuing to play.

Sources close to the team confirm that Brown sustained a serious injury during a recent practice session. After undergoing extensive testing and evaluations, it was determined that the damage to his knee is irreparable, forcing the 6’8″ player to step away from the game. Doctors have stated that returning to play would pose significant risks to his long-term health, leading to the decision to retire from competitive basketball.

Brown’s departure marks a painful end to what had been a promising career. The freshman had made an immediate impact on the court, averaging impressive numbers in both scoring and rebounding. His leadership and energy were felt by his teammates, and his presence was seen as vital to Duke’s aspirations this season.

The Blue Devils’ coaching staff and fans are heartbroken by the news. Head coach Jon Scheyer expressed his support for Brown, praising his work ethic and resilience both on and off the court. “Maliq is a tremendous player and an even better person. We are all devastated for him, but we will support him in every way possible moving forward,” Scheyer said.

Though his playing career has been tragically cut short, Brown’s legacy at Duke will endure, and his impact on the program will not be forgotten. The Blue Devils are expected to adjust their lineup and continue their season in honor of Brown’s dedication and contributions.

Anthony Davis Shock Fans; Announces return to Los Angeles Lakers for another Season!…. Read more

Duke basketball freshman phenom Cooper Flagg put on a show once again for the Blue Devils in an 80-62 win at Virginia (13-13, 6-9 ACC) last night with a game-high 17 points to go along with 14 rebounds on 8-of-16 shooting from the field.

The Blue Devils are now 23-3 overall and 15-1 in conference play.

Flagg also broke two more ACC records over the last day to add to add to his fantastic freshman campaign at Duke.

The freshman was named ACC Rookie of the Week for the tenth time this season this week, tying the ACC record for the most times earning the accolade.

Flagg joins Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson (1990), UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough (2006), and fellow Blue Devil Jabari Parker (2014) as the only ACC freshman to earn the award ten times.

Flagg will hold the record on his own if he can do so one more time over the last three weeks of the regular season.

The superstar averaged 23 points, five rebounds, and four assists on 55.6% shooting from the field and 50% shooting from three-point range in Duke’s 2-0 week with a 78-57 win over California (12-14, 5-10 ACC) and a 106-70 victory over Stanford (16-10, 8-7 ACC), both at home.

Along with his historic season among ACC freshman, Flagg also cemented himself with having one of the best single seasons in conference history.

Flagg is the first ACC player in the last 25 years to collect 500 points, 100 assists, and 30 blocks in the regular season.

While playing in just 26 career games, he’s accomplished a feat no other ACC player has been able to do over the course of the last quarter century.

Flagg is averaging 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, four assists, 1.2 blocks, and 1.6 steals a game on 48.6% shooting from the field and 36.6% shooting from beyond the arc. He leads the Blue Devils in all five of those major statistical categories.

He remains the frontrunner for the John Wooden National Player of the Year award with Auburn’s Johni Broome right on Flagg’s tail.

Flagg is currently -170 to win the award with Broome at +120 odds per ESPNBET. Flagg overtook Broome earlier in the season as the leader after Broome missed some time with a severe ankle sprain.

Next up for the Blue Devils is a huge non-conference matchup at Madison Square Garden against Illinois (17-9, 9-7 Big 10) on Saturday night (8:00pm ET, FOX). The Blue Devils are 0-2 on neutral courts this season with losses to Kentucky and Kansas.

A former Elder High School football standout is transferring back home as the University of Cincinnati Bearcats added tight end Joe Royer out of the transfer portal from Ohio State Monday afternoon.

Royer had been limited by injury with the Buckeyes, playing in four games behind starter Cade Stover and Gee Scott Jr. Royer entered the portal on Dec. 7. He caught one pass for five yards against Minnesota Nov. 18.

A redshirt season, depth and injuries resulted in Royer playing in 14 games over three seasons with four receptions for 24 yards. In the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal vs. Georgia he had a reception and played 28 snaps. The death of his mother that season resulted in some missed games and he spent much of 2023 on the Buckeyes’ injury list.

Royer is 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, some 30 pounds heavier than his days at Elder where he was a four-star prospect for coach Doug Ramsey’s Panthers.

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Elder grad Joe Royer transferring to UC football from Ohio State

Cincinnati Enquirer

A former Elder High School football standout is transferring back home as the University of Cincinnati Bearcats added tight end Joe Royer out of the transfer portal from Ohio State Monday afternoon.

Royer had been limited by injury with the Buckeyes, playing in four games behind starter Cade Stover and Gee Scott Jr. Royer entered the portal on Dec. 7. He caught one pass for five yards against Minnesota Nov. 18.

Joe Royer has two seasons of eligibility

A redshirt season, depth and injuries resulted in Royer playing in 14 games over three seasons with four receptions for 24 yards. In the 2022 College Football Playoff Semifinal vs. Georgia he had a reception and played 28 snaps. The death of his mother that season resulted in some missed games and he spent much of 2023 on the Buckeyes’ injury list.

Royer is 6-foot-5 and 255 pounds, some 30 pounds heavier than his days at Elder where he was a four-star prospect for coach Doug Ramsey’s Panthers.

Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.

A GCL-South stat stuffer

Royer led the Greater Catholic League-South in receiving yards in 2019 with 70 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns playing on Elder’s Division I state runner-up team that finished 12-3. As a junior playing in 11 of Elder’s 13 games, he had 32 catches for 617 yards and five scores.

One of his Elder High School teammates is UC guard Luke Kandra, who recently graded out as the country’s top Power Five right guard according to Pro Football Focus and was named an AP Third Team All-American.

The Duke basketball team is still searching for answers when it comes to Maliq Brown’s dislocated shoulder, or at least that is what Jon Scheyer is saying publicly.

Following an 18-point victory over Virginia on Monday, Scheyer revealed to reporters after the game that Brown suffered a dislocated left shoulder in the first half but did not have any further details other that he would undergo more imaging.

“It’s just going to take some time to see how he heals and recovers,” the Duke head coach said on Tuesday during an appearance on The Field of 68.

“We probably won’t know anything definitive this week. We’ll see about his status in the next week or so.”

Brown logged just ten minutes before his exit from the game and had two points, one rebound, and two assists. He returned to the Blue Devil bench during the second half with his arm in a sling.

It feels certain that Duke will not have its defensive wizard when it battles Illinois on Saturday night (8:00 p.m. ET, FOX) inside Madison Square Garden to conclude its non-conference slate of games based on Scheyer’s comments.

This will be the second time that Maliq Brown has missed multiple games with an injury this season after sitting four consecutive games with a toe injury.

Khaman Maluach, Duke’s starting center, did not put together his best performance against the Cavaliers with just two points and four rebounds following his 17-point showing against Stanford last week.

The Blue Devils could rely on fellow freshman Patrick Ngongba II to play more of a role in Brown’s absence, similar to what he did during his first injury absence of the season. Ngongba posted eight points in 11 minutes on Monday night.

Duke’s next ACC game is slated for Tuesday, February 25 (7:00 p.m. ET, ESPN) against Miami.

1. Luka Dončić šokiral navijače; Napoveduje vrnitev k Dallas Mavericks še eno sezono! Preberi več…👇👇

 

COPYRIGHT 2025 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

As Team USA prepared for the Olympics last summer, they gathered in Las Vegas for practices and training. While future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and others received plenty of attention as usual, it was 17-year-old Cooper Flagg who had a breakthrough performance. During a scrimmage, Flagg held his own against the world’s best players, showing the skills and smarts that made him the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Since then, Flagg has only helped his draft stock with a dominant freshman season at Duke. The Blue Devils (19-2) are No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and 11-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have won 15 consecutive games, the longest streak in Division 1, and are coming off an 87-70 victory on the road over rival North Carolina.

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With Freshman Phenom Cooper Flagg, Duke Is An NCAA Tournament Favorite

ByTim Casey, Senior Contributor.

Tim Casey is a reporter who covers basketball and sports business.

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Feb 04, 2025, 06:00am EST

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Duke’s Cooper Flagg (2) high-fives head coach Jon [+]

COPYRIGHT 2025 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

As Team USA prepared for the Olympics last summer, they gathered in Las Vegas for practices and training. While future Hall of Famers LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant and others received plenty of attention as usual, it was 17-year-old Cooper Flagg who had a breakthrough performance. During a scrimmage, Flagg held his own against the world’s best players, showing the skills and smarts that made him the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Since then, Flagg has only helped his draft stock with a dominant freshman season at Duke. The Blue Devils (19-2) are No. 2 in the Associated Press poll and 11-0 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They have won 15 consecutive games, the longest streak in Division 1, and are coming off an 87-70 victory on the road over rival North Carolina.

Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward who turned 18 in December, is having one of the best seasons in recent years regardless of age. He is first in analyst Ken Pomeroy’s Player of the Year standings. His 2.737 rating is the second-highest since KenPom began publishing the data in the 2010-11 season, only trailing Wisconsin’s Frank Kaminsky, who had a 2.794 rating in the 2014-15 season.

Flagg leads Duke with 20 points, 8 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. As CBS Sports noted last month, former LSU star Ben Simmons is the only freshman to lead a team in all five of those categories since the NCAA began tracking those statistics in the 1985-86 season.