Cooper Flagg Is Legitimate Wooden Award Candidate

Duke incoming freshman Cooper Flagg has yet to play a minute of college basketball, yet he's already proven he can play at an NBA level. The 17-year-old spent the last week in Las Vegas as a member of the select team that competed against Team USA at the Olympic training camp.

All eyes were on Flagg, who was the first college player to participate in a Team USA training camp since 2013, when Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart competed. Official stats weren't recorded, but those in attendance estimated Flagg finished with anywhere from 14 to 17 points. He hit threes, had putback dunks, and ran the floor better than any other player on the Select Team.

Flagg's confidence, competitiveness, and moxie impressed not only his teammates but also the top NBA players he faced. Pair those intangibles with his combination of size, skill, and versatility, and it's easy to see why he is widely regarded as one of basketball's future stars.

Flagg will spend the upcoming season in a Duke uniform before making his way to the NBA Draft where he is already projected to be the number one pick in 2025. It's not every year NBA teams consider tanking for the top draft pick, but this season is certainly one of those!

Flagg To Win The Wooden Award (+1000, DraftKings)

If Flagg can stand out in the manner he did against top NBA talent, imagine how he's going to look against college players. He's already earned a handful of top accolades, being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Mr. Basketball USA, and the Naismith Prep Player of the Year in 2024.

DraftKings has odds for the 2024-25 Wooden Award posted, but Flagg isn't on that list. Instead, they have a separate bet that you can place on whether or not you think he'll take home the accolade: Yes, he'll win (+1000) or no, he won't win (-2500).

His +1000 odds to win the award place him third among all players, behind UNC's RJ Davis and Kansas' Hunter Dickinson, who are both priced at +800.

Kevin Durant became the first freshman to ever take home the Wooden Award, having won it back in 2007. Since then, Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson are the only other freshmen to take home the title of college basketball's most outstanding player.

Duke is sitting at +1200 to win the National Championship, with UConn, Kansas, and Alabama all sitting at +1000. If the Blue Devils win this year's title, Flagg will be one of the main reasons for their success. They also have more Wooden Award winners than any other men's program, with six winners.

At +1000, there isn't as much value in betting on Flagg to win the award compared to other players further down the board. That said, after his performance on the Select Team, I'll certainly be betting on him at this price and will look to add to it if a better one available throughout the year.