NFL legend Shannon Sharpe makes his feelings known on Cooper Flagg after Duke star shines in March Madness

Shannon Sharpe, a Hall of Fame tight end, expressed his admiration for Duke star Cooper Flagg following the Blue Devils' 86-66 win over Baylor in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday. The freshman sensation had 18 points, nine rebounds and six assists as Duke advanced to the Sweet 16.

Sharpe, co-host of the "Nightcap" podcast with former NFL wide receiver Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson, had a discussion about Flagg and Duke's chances of winning the national championship.

"Cooper Flagg, he looked good. I mean, you watched him at high school at Montverde, and he was sensational, and he hasn't disappointed," Sharpe said (at 24:08). "He looks like he's going to be the presumptive number one overall pick in this upcoming draft."

When Johnson asked if Flagg would return to Duke next season, Sharpe emphatically replied that the 6-foot-9 guard should not come back.

"How can you get hired as No. 1?" Sharpe said. "I can see if he's going to be like an end-of-the-lottery pick, but he's going No. 1. Come back to do what?"

Chad, a six-time Pro Bowler, also had high praise for Jon Scheyer's team, suggesting the Blue Devils might be the anomaly in college basketball this year. He believes that regardless of the opponent, Duke is unlikely to be beaten and is a clear national title favorite.

Two high school teammates — Cooper Flagg and Robert Wright III — faced off in NCAA Tournament

An intriguing subplot to the Duke-Baylor game was the matchup between Cooper Flagg and his former high school teammate, Robert Wright III, of Baylor.

The two played together at Montverde Academy in Florida last season and were both among the top recruits in the Class of 2024.

A lot can change in a year, as Flagg emerged as a star at Duke while Wright also had a strong freshman season with the Bears, averaging 11.5 points and 4.3 assists per game.

Both started in the March Madness clash between their teams, with Flagg making the first impression in the contest. He made a free throw a little over two minutes into the game. Meanwhile, Wright had to wait until the 11:13 mark of the first half to get on the board with his first points.

While Wright had a decent outing, producing 11 points, two rebounds and three assists for Baylor, the story of the day was Flagg and Duke’s dominant win.