As the Final Four approaches, the debate over the best player in college basketball has intensified. The Naismith National Player of the Year and Wooden Award races appear to be a showdown between Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Auburn’s Johni Broome. While ESPN’s Jay Bilas has strongly endorsed Flagg, pointing to his unprecedented statistical dominance in the ACC, Paul Finebaum has taken a different stance.
During The Paul Finebaum Show, the SEC Network analyst didn’t hold back, declaring that the best player in the country is clear—though he didn’t specifically name who he believes will take home the prestigious awards. His comment about overcoming injury suggests he may have been referring to Broome, but it remains open to interpretation.
Both players have put up stellar numbers. Broome is averaging 18.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 51.2% from the field. Flagg, on the other hand, is posting 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game with a 48.3% field goal percentage and a 37.4% three-point shooting mark. Given his versatility and impact on both ends of the court, Flagg is widely considered the favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
With the Naismith Award set to be announced on April 6 and the Wooden Award following on April 11, both Flagg and Broome have one final opportunity to bolster their cases in the Final Four. Auburn faces Florida at 6:09 p.m. ET on CBS, while Duke takes on Houston at 8:49 p.m. ET. If either player leads his team to a championship, it could be the final factor in determining who truly deserves the title of the best player in college basketball.
