Duke's Cooper Flagg named Naismith Men's College Player of the Year

DURHAM, N.C. -- The freshman phenom Cooper Flagg had a record-breaking year.

In 2025, Flagg was named the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year after a stellar season with the Blue Devils that ended with the Final Four.

Each year, the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year award is given to the nation's best men's college basketball player. The recipient of the Naismith Trophy is determined by a board that includes NCAA basketball head coaches, administrators and media members.

The recipient of the Naismith Trophy is determined by a board that includes NCAA basketball head coaches, administrators and media members.

Other awards

Flagg won AP men's college basketball player of the year and become the fourth freshman ever to win the John R. Wooden Player of the Year.

He was also named ACC rookie and player of the year.

Previous Naismith Winners

1969: Lew Alcindor, UCLA

1970: Pete Maravich, LSU

1971: Austin Carr, Notre Dame

1972: Bill Walton, UCLA

1973: Bill Walton, UCLA

1974: Bill Walton, UCLA

1975: David Thompson, N.C. State

1976: Scott May, Indiana

1977: Marques Johnson, UCLA

1978: Butch Lee, Marquette

1979: Larry Bird, Indiana State

1980: Mark Aguirre, DePaul

1981: Ralph Sampson, Virginia

1982: Ralph Sampson, Virginia

1983: Ralph Sampson, Virginia

1984: Michael Jordan, North Carolina

1985: Patrick Ewing, Georgetown

1986: Johnny Dawkins, Duke

1987: David Robinson, Navy

1988: Danny Manning, Kansas

1989: Danny Ferry, Duke

1990: Lionel Simmons, La Salle

1991: Larry Johnson, UNLV

1992: Christian Laettner, Duke

1993: Calbert Cheaney, Indiana

1994: Glenn Robinson, Purdue

1995: Joe Smith, Maryland

1996: Marcus Camby, Massachusetts

1997: Tim Duncan, Wake Forest

1998: Antawn Jamison, North Carolina

1999: Elton Brand, Duke

2000: Kenyon Martin, Cincinnati

2001: Shane Battier, Duke

2002: Jason Williams, Duke

2003: T. J. Ford, Texas

2004: Jameer Nelson, Saint Joseph's

2005: Andrew Bogut, Utah

2006: JJ Redick, Duke

2007: Kevin Durant, Texas

2008: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

2009: Blake Griffin, Oklahoma

2010: Evan Turner, Ohio State

2011: Jimmer Fredette, Brigham Young

2012: Anthony Davis, Kentucky

2013: Trey Burke, Michigan

2014: Doug McDermott, Creighton

2015: Frank Kaminsky, Wisconsin

2016: Buddy Hield, Oklahoma

2017: Frank Mason III, Kansas

2018: Jalen Brunson, Villanova

2019: Zion Williamson, Duke

2020: Obi Toppin, Dayton

2021: Luka Garza, Iowa

2022: Oscar Tshiebwe, Kentucky

2023: Zach Edey, Purdue

2024: Zach Edey, Purdue