Duke's Cooper Flagg Named 2025 AP Men's CBB Player of the Year

Duke star and potential top NBA draft pick Cooper Flagg has been named the Associated Press men's college basketball player of the year.

Flagg is the fourth freshman in 64 years to earn the honor, per the AP's Aaron Beard.

He beat out Auburn star Johni Broome for the award after leading Duke with 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

Broome, who has also led his team to the Final Four, led Auburn with 18.7 points, 10.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game during his fifth college season.

Flagg, who received 41 votes, and Broome, who earned 20, were the only two players to receive votes for the award.

After reclassifying to graduate high school in 2024 amid early buzz as to his future draft status, Flagg lived up to the hype even before turning 18 in December of his freshman college season.

He is now the youngest player in history to be named the AP Player of the Year, per CBS Sports' Gary Parrish. Texas star Kevin Durant turned 18 in September of his freshman season before winning the honor in 2007.

Flagg is the eighth Duke men's basketball player to earn the honor, joining Art Heyman (1963), Christian Laettner (1992), Elton Brand (1999), Shane Battier (2001), Jason Williams (2002), J.J. Redick (2006) and Zion Williamson (2019).

The only other freshmen to take home the award have been Durant, Williamson and Kentucky’s Anthony Davis in 2012.

Williamson and Davis went on to become No. 1 picks in their respective drafts, while Durant went at No. 2.

Flagg could follow in their footsteps as he heads into June's 2025 NBA draft as the consensus top pick, including in the latest mock by Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman.

He will first look to cap off the season by leading Duke to the national championship game with a Saturday semifinal win over Houston.