Cooper Flagg Impresses Fans in Return from Injury, Duke Rolls in March Madness Opener

After missing some time with an ankle injury, it didn't take long for Duke star freshman Cooper Flagg to find his groove in Friday's NCAA tournament first-round matchup against Mount St. Mary's.

Flagg had 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks as Duke cruised to a 93-49 win to advance to the round of 32. The Blue Devils, who are the No. 1 seed in the East Region, will face No. 9 Baylor on Sunday.

Duke jumped out to a 13-2 lead in the first four minutes of the game and never looked back, taking a 54-28 lead into halftime. The Blue Devils led by as many as 46 points in Friday's matchup.

In addition to Flagg's strong performance, junior guard Tyrese Proctor had a game-high 19 points for Duke.

Still, Flagg was the star of the show, as fans on social media were impressed by his NCAA tournament debut:

Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. He's already drawing comparisons to some of the league's biggest stars, like Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.

Flagg will continue to put his skills on display as he tries to lead the Blue Devils to a national championship this year.