Childhood dream comes true for Cooper Flagg, enters exclusive club with Zion Williamson, JJ Redick and other Duke legends

Cooper Flagg put on an absolute show as he dropped a career-high 42 points in an 86-78 win against Notre Dame on Saturday. The performance not only set a Duke freshman record, it also firmly cemented Flagg's name among some of the greatest players to ever suit up for the Blue Devils.

After the game at Cameron Indoor Stadium, the 6-foot-9 forward opened up about how special it felt to join the illustrious group of Duke greats, including JJ Redick, Zion Williamson, Marvin Bagley III and Danny Ferry.

"It's an incredible list of players, and freshmen that have come through Duke, whether they've stayed four years, stayed two years, stayed one year, it's an incredible list of names," Flagg said.

"So just to even be mentioned among them is just a dream come true for me. It's something I dreamed about since I was a little kid."

Cooper Flagg surpassed Zion Williamson's 2019 Duke freshman scoring record of 35 points in the win over the Fighting Irish. He also became the first Blue Devils player since JJ Redick in 2006 to eclipse the 40-point barrier in a single game.

Flagg's 42-point performance was also the most points scored by a Duke player since Danny Ferry's 58-point outing against Miami in 1988, the highest single-game total in school history. The Maine native has climbed to fifth, tied with Tate Armstrong, on Duke's all-time single-game scoring list.

"There’s been so many incredible players to come through here, as freshmen, wanting us to go to the league. So just to know that that kind of break side is really special," he added.

Cooper Flagg's impressive performance against Notre Dame

Duke sensation Cooper Flagg erupted for 42 points on 11-of-14 shooting from the field in the Blue Devils' 86-78 win over the Fighting Irish on Saturday. He also scored 4 3-pointers and converted 16-of-17 from the free-throw line.

Here is his full stat line vs. Notre Dame:

• 36 minutes played
• 42 points
• 7 assists
• 6 rebounds
• 0 blocks
• 1 steal
• 3 turnovers
• 11-14 FG
• 4-6 3PT
• 16-17 FT

Cooper Flagg drew 13 fouls in the game, which led to his 17 free throw attempts. Although he missed recording a double-double, his seven assists tied his career high, which he set against Seattle on Nov. 29.

Flagg, a potential No. 1 pick in next year's NBA Draft, has now scored 20+ points in eight of Duke's sixteen games this season. He is averaging 19.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals per game.