Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball: Kentucky Media Laughs at Player's Cooper Flagg Hype

Perhaps Wildcat guard Kerr Kriisa was genuine in congratulating the Duke basketball rookie, but some people detected sarcasm.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg
Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images
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Duke basketball has won nine of its past 11 meetings with Kentucky. And the Blue Devils are 3-1 against the Wildcats in the Champions Classic.

Of course, Zion Williamson & Co's 118-84 beatdown of the Wildcats in the 2018 edition of the annual event added to Duke's recent bragging rights over the fellow blueblood.

ALSO READ: NBA Blue Devil Zion Williamson Faces Yet Another Setback

On that note, following the Wildcats' 100-72 home win over Bucknell on Saturday, Kentucky guard Kerr Kriisa might've endeared himself to the program's fans with his comment about arguably the most-hyped Blue Devil since Williamson in phenom forward Cooper Flagg.

While talking to the Kentucky media, Kriisa looked ahead to the Duke-Kentucky Champions Classic clash at 9 p.m. ET Saturday in Atlanta's State Farm Arena. In doing so, he elicited chuckles from reporters on hand when expressing his eagerness to square off against the Blue Devils' projected one-and-done from Maine.

"It's gonna be exciting," Kriisa, who spent three years at Arizona and one at West Virginia before transferring to Lexington for his fifth season in college, said about the highly anticipated showdown between Mark Pope's Wildcats (2-0, 0-0 SEC) and Jon Scheyer's Blue Devils (2-0, 0-0 ACC). "You know, probably more exciting for fans. You know, fans like the Duke-Kentucky matchup. But you know, for us, it's another game.

"Obviously, the whole world is talking about Cooper Flagg. So, excited to play against the No. 1 draft pick. So, congrats to him already..."

Flagg has only strengthened that seemingly consensus draft prediction via his early performances for the stacked 2024-25 Duke basketball squad.

The extremely versatile 17-year-old is averaging 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks in only 27.0 minutes per game.

ALSO READ: Duke Freshman's Recurring Issue Stirs Sense of Blue Devil Urgency

Stay tuned to Duke Blue Devils On SI for more Duke basketball news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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