The top-seeded Duke Blue Devils are slight favorites (+220) over fellow No. 1 seed Florida (+275) to win the 2025 national championship, according to ESPN Bet. However, before they can chase the program’s 12th national title game appearance, Duke (35-3) must first get past No. 1 Houston (34-4). Many college basketball analysts favor the Blue Devils as the championship frontrunners, largely due to the presence of freshman sensation Cooper Flagg.
Through four NCAA Tournament games, Flagg has been dominant, averaging 19.5 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.8 blocks per game. With Houston riding a long winning streak since their last loss on Feb. 8 against Clemson, Duke will need Flagg to be at his absolute best to advance. The ACC Rookie and Player of the Year has consistently been the best player on the court, and many believe he has the potential to lead Duke to a national title.
If Flagg continues his remarkable play, ESPN analyst Mike O’Donnell believes he could make NCAA history. “Cooper Flagg is going to be up for National Player of the Year, he should win Freshman Player of the Year, and he’ll be the No. 1 pick in the draft,” O’Donnell said. He went even further, stating that if Duke reaches the championship game, Flagg’s tournament run would surpass that of Carmelo Anthony’s legendary freshman season at Syracuse.
“What he’s doing offensively and defensively, the numbers speak for themselves,” O’Donnell added. “He is a complete player in every sense, and if he wins it all, everyone will be talking about it. But even if Duke falls short, I believe he’ll still have the greatest freshman NCAA Tournament performance ever, surpassing Carmelo Anthony.”
Carmelo Anthony, a 10-time NBA All-Star and former scoring champion, led Syracuse to its first-ever national championship in 2003. During that historic run, he averaged 20.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, delivering double-doubles in each of his final three tournament games. Anthony was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player after setting a freshman record with 33 points in a single game, solidifying his place in NCAA history.