Cooper Flagg has once again shown his worth to his fans by dropping an impressive 42 points against Notre Dame. The 6’9″ guard continues to elevate his game, showing no signs of slowing down. He is now looking at a new prestigious title to hold after the first prospect of the said title has recently suffered an injury.

CBS journalist Matt Norlander recently weighed in on Cooper Flagg’s performance in an episode of ‘Eye on College Basketball’ podcast. “With the fact that Broome is now not going to play for at least two games.. I think Flagg has overtaken him.”, said Norlander.

Johni Broome has recently suffered an ankle injury that puts Flagg ahead for the Naismith Player of the Year. Along with the fact that Cooper has now scored a career-high 42 points, it’s quite possible that he can get ahead of Broome.

Norlander was not initially convinced of Flagg’s potential when his colleague Gary Parrish pointed it out earlier. “I thought you were a little ahead of schedule.” Norlander said. After the game against Notre Dame, it is impossible to deny that Flagg is indeed a worthy contender for Player of the Year. Flagg’s accomplishments seem even more significant when you consider the fact that he turned eighteen just last month.

Norlander went on to talk about the game against Notre Dame. “the best game of his career and one of the best games we’ve seen from a player this season”, he added. Flagg also got 7 assists which is his highest since November 2024. The rookie has become the first freshman to make so many points since JJ Redick did so back in 2006.

But what exactly are his odds at the title? and how far is he from Johni Broome to be the first prospect to receive the auspicious award? Let’s dive into it and see what people are saying about Flagg’s immense potential.

Cooper Flagg’s +400 odds that he must beat to become NPOY

According to BetCarolina, Johni Broome currently stands at a 41.7% chances at the title with the odds of +140. Meanwhile, Flagg follows second with 20% chances at the title with +400 odds. If Flagg’s record-breaking performances continue, we might be looking at narrower odds in the coming days. Not to mention the fact that the number of games Broome will miss is still unclear.

Flagg’s performance against the Notre Dame has gathered praise from across the basketball world. The ex-Duke Carlos Boozer too acknowledged Flagg’s chances at the NPOY title. “.. Flagg has exceeded some of the expectations we had. I thought he was going to be the best freshman in the ACC.. He has a real chance to be the national player of the year.”,  he recently said.

With Broome currently sidelined and March Madness approaching, all eyes are on Flagg. Let’s see how the Maine-born freshman takes on The Miami Hurricanes this Tuesday.