REPORT: Charles Barkley Makes Bold Prediction About Cooper Flagg Ahead of NCAA Tournament
The Duke Blue Devils and Auburn Tigers have dominated men’s college basketball this season, earning No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Tournament as a result.
In the lead-up to March Madness, both teams’ star players, Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Auburn’s Johni Broome, have also received individual accolades. Flagg was named ACC Player of the Year, while Broome earned SEC Player of the Year honors. Both were selected for the AP All-America First Team and were named among the 10 semifinalists for the prestigious Naismith Menโs College Player of the Year award.
TNT basketball analyst and former Auburn star Charles Barkley was asked to pick between Flagg and Broome, and his Player of the Year prediction leaned toward Flagg, despite his Auburn ties.
“I think Cooperโs probably gonna win it,” Barkley said in an interview on “Straight Out The Jungle,” an Auburn-focused podcast from the Field of 68 Network. “I would love to see Johni win it, but I think Cooper Flaggโs got to be the leader in the clubhouse because of how dominant Duke has been.”
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ด๐ต๐๐ฒ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐ฐ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ด๐ฒ ๐ฏ๐ฎ๐๐ธ๐ฒ๐๐ฏ๐ฎ๐น๐น โญ๏ธ
Introducing our 2025 Jersey Mikeโs Naismith Menโs College Player of the Year Semifinalists ๐ @jerseymikes | #JerseyMikesNaismith2025 pic.twitter.com/rnG2obAE3j
— Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) March 14, 2025
Both players have posted impressive individual stats while leading their teams. They each average 18.9 points per game, with Broome holding an edge in rebounding (10.6 to 7.5) and Flagg contributing more assists (4.1 to 3.1). Both rank in the top 10 in the NCAA for PER and win shares, according to College Basketball Reference.
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Barkley emphasized that Auburn and Duke are under the most pressure to reach the Final Four, highlighting the immense spotlight on these two national stars.
Flagg’s health is a concern heading into the NCAA Tournament, as he missed Duke’s final two games in the ACC Tournament due to an ankle injury. Head coach Jon Scheyer stated that the goal is to have Flagg ready for Dukeโs opening game on Friday against the winner of No. 16 American and No. 16 Mount St. Mary’s.
Broome will have his first chance to make a case for the Naismith Trophy when Auburn faces No. 16 Alabama State on Thursday.