According to Jon Scheyer, Duke star Cooper Flagg is unlike any other athlete he has ever coached.

Jon Scheyer has been a part of many wonderful moments at Duke.

He won a national championship as a player in 2010, then again as an assistant coach under the re

nowned Mike Krzyzewski five years later, in 2015.

Even in his limited tenure as Durham’s head coach, Scheyer has mentored a number of outstanding players. However, in his third season as head coach of the Blue Devils, he is working with a player that is unlike any other he has ever coached. Scheyer boldly asserted that about freshman sensation Cooper Flagg, who has emerged as probably the best player in college basketball in just his first season.

Flagg has helped Duke climb to No. 2 in the rankings, win 14 consecutive games entering Saturday night’s game against North Carolina (6:30 p.m. ET, ESPN), and lead the Blue Devils to a 10-0 record in the ACC. All of this and more has left a lasting impression on his head coach, who was asked by ESPN’s Jay Bilas — a former Duke standout himself — if he had ever coached a player like Flagg before.

“No. Cooper’s different,” Scheyer remarked during a Saturday morning segment on ESPN’s College GameDay. “He has an excellent sense of how to win. The important plays at vital moments throughout the year have been off the hook.”

Scheyer acknowledged that Duke’s coaches had to get Flagg to take charge more in games since he is so selfless.

“At the end of the day, we’re at our best when Cooper is in attack mode,” Scheyer said.

Flagg has started all 20 of the Blue Devils’ games this season. He averages 19.9 points per game, along with 8 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.2 blocks in 31.8 minutes. Flagg shoots 48.7% from the field and 32.9% from three-point range.

He is presently the betting favorite to win the Wooden Award as national player of the year (-330 on FanDuel). He would be the first freshman to win the award since Zion Williamson in 2018-19, and only the fourth overall. Flagg is also highly predicted to be the top choice in the 2025 NBA Draft.

On Saturday night, Flagg will receive his first taste of the Duke-UNC rivalry. Duke is a 13.5-point favorite on FanDuel.