Can Kentucky prevent Cooper Flagg from having a massive game in the Champions Classic?

Kentucky will have to try and stop the soon to be #1 NBA Draft pick in Cooper Flagg.

Nov 4, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) looks for an opening to pass during the second half against the Maine Black Bears at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images / Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

The Kentucky Wildcats are getting ready to take on the Duke Blue Devils in Atlanta on Tuesday, and all eyes will be on Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. The freshman phenom is expected to be the number one pick in the 2025 NBA draft, and he is the most hyped-up college player fans have seen in a very long time.

For Flagg, all of the hype is completely warranted as he even competed against the USA Olympic Team this Summer and was holding his own against the best players in the world.

So, while this will be the brightest stage he has played on yet in college basketball, he has played the game in some high-pressure situations and flourished.

The question from the Kentucky perspective is, can the Wildcats find a way to slow Flagg? This game has "a star is born" written all over it for Flagg, so Coach Pope and his team need to know that and find a way to slow him. The problem with this for Kentucky is that if they put all of the focus on Flagg the Blue Devils have a bunch of other elite players.

This is not going to be an easy game for the Wildcats to win, but it will be won with defense. Kentucky needs to have a great day on the defensive end of the floor to have a chance in this high-profile game.

Flagg is the player Kentucky fans need to watch as the Wildcats try to get their first signature win of the Pope era.