“I’ve been watching her for four or five years now. No one tells Steph Curry to stop taking great shots, right?” Often dubbed the Stephen Curry of women’s basketball, even Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White couldn’t help but draw the comparison. Caitlin Clark has taken the WNBA by storm with her incredible court vision and sharpshooting skills. Her electrifying playmaking and charismatic personality made her a fan favorite and a key factor in boosting the league’s popularity and ratings.

Now in her sophomore run with the Indiana Fever, the popularity is nothing new for the NCAA all-time leading scorer. So, it made sense why not only Iowa natives, but even legends from all fields, like Maya Moore and Travis Scott, wanted to watch her dominance in person. Moreover, Clark has even managed to cook a storm in the NBA. Several men’s basketball celebrities including Steph Curry himself and LeBron James have voiced support for Clark.

In fact, player Luca Doncic also called Clark as the best women’s hooper. But the latest name to join the list of celebrities in awe of Clark is none other than Cooper Flagg. The former Duke Blue Devil’s star made a a 24-second admission regarding his admiration for Clark. A user shared a clip on X (former Twitter) with the caption, “Cooper Flagg puts Caitlin in his WNBA Mount Rushmore “I might put Caitlin Clark on there just because she’s changed the game so much and it’s heading in the right direction. And I just love what she’s been able to do.””

The clip features Flagg in an introductory press conference after becoming the No.1 overall pick in the NBA draft on June 25, 2025. In the interview, Flagg gushes on his top Mount Rushmore players from the men’s as well as women’s leagues. “My Mount Rushmore NBA players I would say Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, LeBron and probably Kobe,” Cooper said after much thought. Well, it was no surprise that the rookie mentioned league’s legends for the prestigious honour. But this did not end here.

“And then WNBA, Candace Parker, Brittney Griner,” Flagg pondered. “I think A’ja Wilson is on there. And then I might put in Caitlin Clark on there just because she’s changed the game so much and it’s heading in the right direction.” He added a special mention for the Indiana Fever star, praising her for positively impacting and shaping the women’s league. And boy is she right!

Clark has significantly influenced the league ever since she stepped in the pros as a rookie. A shocking example of Clark’s influence was noticeable when she was recently sidelined owing to a left quad injury. The television ratings for the WNBA regular season dropped massively by 53%, just because the Fever star was sidelined. On the other hand, her loud and dominating 32-point comeback against the New York Liberty was celebrated with over 2.8 million viewers. Now that’s a celebrity!

This comment by the player comes months after Flagg was asked to name his top Duke players for Mount Rushmore. “I would say JJ Redick, Christian Laettner, Grant Hill,” Cooper had said. “Those three are definite for me. I think for the fourth there’s so many different ways that I could go but I’ll put Zion (Williamson) there, just personally.” While he named the Duke veterans, Williamson was an interesting pick for the Duke Blue Devils alum. After all, Zion was only athlete to be associated with the program for just one year, as opposed to other four-year players on the list.

HC Jon Scheyer was all praise for Cooper Flagg

“The very first thing I wanna say is how proud I am to coach these two guys next to me, in our entire team. I mean, it’s been a special ride that ended in a heartbreaking way,” the emotional HC referred to his two best players, Cooper Flagg and Tyrese Proctor, in an interview after a gut-wrenching last-minute defeat during the Final Four.

Speaking of his star player, head coach Jon Scheyer said, “He always competes, 100% effort, and I think that’s the separator. Obviously, you look at his athleticism, talent, size, and skill-it’s off the charts. But to me, it’s how he competes and who he is as a teammate.” With an average of 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, the AP Player of the Year has always been dedicated to basketball and his coach, Scheyer.

Needless to say, Cooper Flagg was a standout player at the Devils. This prodigy re-classed at the age of 17 and verbally committed before joining the Duke University to follow his passion. And who better than Scheyer to fuel the fire? Constantly pushing Flagg into giving some his finest on-court performances, Scheyer played a major role in shaping the superstar. And the coach’s enjoyed the journey, too.

With Cooper officially in the pros, how can HC Scheyer provide justice to Coach K’s legacy by rebuilding a promising yet lasting roster for the program? Despite facing several de-commits this season, can Duke Blue Devils players stand true to the program’s culture and soar them to new heights or transform into the HC’s biggest concerns? Only time will tell.