Carmelo sees ‘similarities’ to Flagg’s title quest

• Myron MedcalfApr 5, 2025, 04:19 PM ET

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  • Covers college basketball
  • Signed up with ESPN.com in 2011
  • Graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato

SAN ANTONIO– Perhaps more than anyone else, Carmelo Anthony understands the stakes this weekend for Cooper Flagg when Duke faces Houston in the Final Four on Saturday.Twenty-two years back,

Anthony led Syracuse to the championship game, likewise as a freshman phenom. That achievement, in addition to his NBA and Olympic exploits, helped him protect a spot in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Popularity, which revealed its 2025 class on Saturday.”I think what we are seeing with [

Flagg] has some similarities to the run that I had,”Anthony said Saturday throughout the Basketball Hall of Fame press conference at the Alamodome. “I would likewise like to point out that you’ve got to take your hat off to [Duke coach Jon Scheyer] too because the way that he was able to orchestrate that team and put the pieces around [Flagg] so he can be able to head out there and thrive and do what he does and become the nationwide player of the year.”Editor’s Picks 2 Associated Flagg, who was called the Associated

Press Gamer of the Year today, has actually been a dominant force for Duke this season. The 6-foot-9 forward is likewise the predicted No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. This season, he is balancing 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.3 blocks and 1.4 takes per game. He also has actually linked on 37 %of his 3-point attempts.” From a basketball standpoint, I believe what we have actually seen from [

Flagg], from a skill set perspective, I do not believe we have actually seen that in a long time,” Anthony stated.”He’s someone who can manage the game and command the game in the way that he can in all elements, from rebounding to weakside, blocking shots to defense and liquidating, and likewise, he can go get a container too, so that includes a little bit more to your game. I simply enjoy viewing him as a player. If he could go get this champion, then he would sit at that small table at Duke University.”Billy Donovan, the previous Florida Gators and current Chicago Bulls head coach who was likewise inducted into the Basketball Hall of Popularity this week, stated Flagg is representative of a new generation of professional athletes who have gotten in the NBA over the last few years. “One thing that sticks out to me besides the skill level is the persistence,

the durability and the competitiveness, “Donovan said on Saturday.”And [Dwight Howard] and [Anthony] know much better than anybody, and I remained in college for a long period of time: These guys have a different frame of mind competitively. And if you don’t have that mindset, it’s truly, really tough to endure up there as a player. And he appears to have that type of state of mind that’s going to serve him well.”Added Howard, who was also called to the Basketball Hall of Popularity today:”I think he’s an awesome young player. Coming into the NBA at a really young age could be very difficult. And I believe that his time at Duke, the manner in which the personnel has truly assisted him grow as a player and an individual, he’s going to be excellent in the NBA, and I’m eagerly anticipating seeing him prosper.”Anthony said his experience is also various from Flagg’s because his Syracuse group did not face the same pressure the Duke freshman has actually withstood this

season. Plus, Flagg is playing against “grown guys,”according to Anthony, which has also affected his journey during his freshman season.When he does reach the NBA, nevertheless, Anthony stated Flagg will go through the exact same modification duration that he and other previous college standouts withstood when they made the very same jump.”I simply hope that we provide him some grace and offer him time to establish for a couple of years,”Anthony stated.