Duke freshman voted best player in college basketball by D1 coaches

An anonymous survey of over 100 college basketball coaches revealed Duke forward Cooper Flagg as the best player in the 2024-25 season.

Matt Norlander and Gary Parrish of CBS Sports have an annual tradition where they anonymously survey 100+ Division 1 college basketball coaches a handful of pertinent questions heading into the new season.

The latest was a poll asking coaches who will be college basketball’s best player in 2024-25, and unlike last year – when basically everyone was in agreement on Purdue big man Zach Edey – there was quite a bit more parity this time around.

The leading vote getter at 36% was Duke incoming freshman Cooper Flagg, followed by Alabama guard Mark Sears (22%), Kansas big man Hunter Dickinson (16%), and North Carolina guard RJ Davis (15%).

Auburn forward Johni Broome and Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner also received votes, along with six other unnamed players.

Flagg would join rarified air if he were to win national player of the year as a freshman, joining Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, and fellow Duke star Zion Williamson.

After representing Team USA on the Select Team this summer, and reportedly wowing coaches and players when competing against Durant, LeBron James, and others, the hype train has long left the station for Flagg and his upcoming season with the Blue Devils.