Jayson Tatum played with the Duke Blue Devils before the Boston Celtics selected him as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft. During his one-and-done season, the five-star recruit helped the Blue Devils win the ACC Championship.
Tatum, 27, revealed during a guest appearance on "New Heights," a podcast hosted by Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his brother, ESPN analyst Jason Kelce, that filling out his March Madness bracket was "pretty easy" this year, as he picked his alma mater to win the NCAA Championship.
Travis agreed that Duke appears to the be the team to beat with freshman phenom Cooper Flagg leading the way. With so much hype surrounding the Oscar Robinson Trophy winner, the Chiefs star asked Tatum his honest thoughts on Flagg.
The NBA champ praised Flagg's talent and work ethic as Duke prepares to play Arizona in the Sweet 16 on March 27. "The first impression I had of Coop was just how hard he played, how he competed," the six-time All-Star said.
Two years before scrimmaging against the 18-year-old during Team USA practices last summer, Tatum first saw Flagg play in person while hosting his inaugural JT Elite Camp.
"In high school, it's rare to see a guy that wants to guard the other best player, trying to block every shot, rebounding. And he just plays the right way," Tatum noted.
"He has a great feel for the game. He knows how to set a screen. He knows when to cut. He likes to get his teammates involved, and it's been on full display all season and a big reason why they have a chance to win a championship."
Overall, Tatum is always rooting for his fellow Blue Devils. "It's a brotherhood," Tatum added. "Anyone who's ever played for the program, whether they are 10 years younger than me or 10 years older, it's always love."
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This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 6:47 PM.