$4.8 million NIL-valued Cooper Flagg makes bold claim about Duke legend Christian Laettner: "I think I'll beat him"

Duke freshman Cooper Flagg, projected to be the top overall pick in this year's NBA draft, made a bold statement on Wednesday. He claimed he would outscore former Duke star Christian Laettner in a game of 21.

Hoops Tribune shared a video on Instagram showing Flagg discussing how many points he would score against Laettner in a hypothetical matchup.

"That's a good question. I think I'm going to beat him, so I think I'm going to score 21," Flagg said.

The game is a classic one-on-one contest where players score points by making baskets and free throws. The goal is to reach exactly 21 points to win. If a player exceeds 21 points, their score resets to 11.

Flagg, who holds a $4.8 million NIL valuation (per On3), likely has his confidence buoyed by his stellar freshman season with the Blue Devils. He averages 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

Laettner also had an excellent college career at Duke, playing a key role on national championship teams in 1991 and 1992. In his senior year, he averaged 21.5 ppg, 7.9 rpg and 2.1 steals per game.

ESPN analyst compared Cooper Flagg to Christian Laettner

Earlier this year, ESPN analyst Jay Bilas compared Duke sensation Cooper Flagg and Blue Devils legend Christian Laettner.

During an ESPN broadcast of the Duke versus Notre Dame game on Jan. 11, where Flagg finished with a career-high 42 points, Bilas praised the freshman standout.

"I think we’re allowed to say that he’s a complete player," Bilas said. "He’s been better (than the expectations) frankly. He’s been better. The maturity level and I think the level of competitiveness that he has, it honestly reminds me of the kind of competitor that Christian Laettner was when he was here at Duke."

The 6-foot-9 forward/guard is leading Duke in nearly every statistical category, from points and rebounds to assists and blocks this season. He led the Blue Devils to a 33-3 record, winning both the ACC regular season and tournament titles.

Duke is among the favorites to win the NCAA Tournament, with +220 odds on ESPN Bet.