Cooper Flagg is never out of the news! But this time it is different. Context? Remember the Indiana Pacers vs the New York Knicks, 1995, NBA Playoffs? The Pacers were trailing in the game 105-99. The sighs of ‘defeat’ and disappointment were already there in the air as less than 10 seconds were left in the game. It came like a jolt from the blue for the Knicks, as Reggie Miller cut through the Knicks’ defense like a hot knife through butter and scored 8 points in those final seconds. The game was won, the legacy created, and Reggie Miller? Well, you know the rest. But why the story?

Here is the context. Cooper Flagg’s controversial “over the back” foul in the final seconds of Duke’s 70–67 Final Four loss to Houston has sparked heated debate, with many calling it a harsh whistle in a season-defining moment. The call not only ended Duke’s title hopes but cast doubt, however briefly, on Flagg’s late-game poise. Despite winning the 2025 Wooden Award and drawing comparisons to Jayson Tatum, the foul has stirred questions about how he’ll handle pressure at the next level.

Well, the performance was arguably one of the most iconic clutch performances by a player in NBA history. This is a moment young players still watch on rewind and learn the art of ‘not giving up’. However, Cooper Flagg in the recent loss against Houston might have needed to watch that Miller tape before the game. Because what transpired in the matchup could be forgiven this time, but in the NBA? Good luck doing that.

Yes, we are talking about the missed 12-foot jumper by Cooper Flagg, which was also marred by an allegedly questionable foul call. However, even taking the foul out of the picture, Duke may have relied too hard on their best player, Cooper Flagg, who couldn’t capitalize as Houston snatched on the rebound later and L.J. Cryer effortlessly sealed the game with two ‘clutch’ free throws. Social Media has been abuzz with judgments on Flagg, and it’s not pretty.

‘PlayoffsKee’, who goes by the name ‘KEE’ on X, posted a harsh take on Cooper, which has garnered almost 810k views and 26k likes. The account delivered a harsh verdict on Cooper’s choice of idol, who allegedly may not be the best clutch player around. The account wrote, “When Flagg said his idol was Tatum, I knew he wasn’t clutch 💔“. Well, the choice of idol for Cooper Flagg seems interesting, especially in the ‘clutch’ context.

Reason for comparison? Jayson Tatum is undoubtedly one of the most prominent superstars of the NBA. Having won the championship last year, and has made 6 times to the NBA All-Star. However, the critics have always had their reservations about Tatum’s clutch capabilities. Take, for example, last year’s game the Celtics played against the Denver Nuggets. In that game, Tatum missed one of the most crucial opportunities to make a 3-pointer from a fairly open attempt from the corner with just 45 seconds left on the clock. Several other instances like this have led to the player being widely said to have “amassed a poor record of success” in clutch moments (per ESPN). Well, fans did respond to the post with differing opinions.

Cooper Flagg’s draft stock in jeopardy?

One of the users replied to the X post and wrote, “Like LeBron in the 2011 finals right?” Well, this could be one of the most interesting replies, as Lebron James lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the finals, which is still considered one of the most notable “low points” in James’ life. Another user wrote, “Clown”, potentially disagreeing with the post. And it’s understandable too.

Since every player has highs and lows in his life, Tatum, despite his shortcomings in some moments, has still produced consistently for the Celtics. One user also had a similar disagreement, albeit with a bit of a harsh tone. “Well, good thing your opinion doesn’t matter. You’re tweeting from outside the club and he’ll be getting ready to be drafted. See the difference…”.

Undoubtedly, the draft chances for Flagg are still sky-high. All the major media outlets have already declared the player as the No. 1 overall pick. USA Today termed him as “The do-it-all young star” and gave him the coveted 1st pick. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor also had heaps of praise for the freshman forward and gave him the overall 1st pick. All in all, it seems the miss and the foul may have been doing the rounds and inviting criticisms for now. But in the long run, Cooper Flagg’s dominance still reigns supreme.

Another user was also quite supportive of Flagg as he wrote, “Bro, he literally was the only reason they were even winning the game“. Well, Flagg still was the best player on the court as he produced 27 points with 4 assists and 7 rebounds. Also, how can a single miss wash away a player’s achievements, right?

Now comes the real effect that the Houston game would have on Flagg’s fortunes, i.e., the NBA draft. In the future. The freshman, despite missing, is still one of the hottest commodities in the draft market. Having produced 709 points at an average of 19.2 per game. Which is quite impressive. Though Flagg is currently 18 years old, the players will be eligible for the draft due to the league’s “one-and-done rule”.