Cooper Flagg commits to Duke: Top high school prospect – tipped to become NBA’s No. 1 draft pick in 2025 – spurns UConn to join Blue Devils

Top high school prospect Cooper Flagg announced his commitment to Duke on Monday.

The projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft received offers from UConn and Kansas, but said he saw himself as a Blue Devil from his second campus visit.

“After I got to campus, I really started imagining myself in Durham,” Flagg told SLAM. “All the love I felt made me very excited seeing all the Crazies and the atmosphere in Cameron. I am honored to have the opportunity to join the fraternity.”

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer began scouting the 6-foot-4 forward on the 15U Nike EYBL circuit. In August, Flagg announced he was being reclassified to the class of 2024, making him eligible for the 2025 NBA draft after one season in college.

One college coach compared Flagg to a modern NBA wing, according to ESPN.

‘Tall, athletic, versatile and can dribble, pass and shoot. I think the intensity and competitiveness he plays with will translate very smoothly to the next level.”

The Maine native led Nokomis Regional High School to a state title as a freshman before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida. Flagg’s numbers have nearly doubled over the past two seasons under coach Kevin Boyle. In 25 games as a sophomore, Flagg averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Earlier in October, Flagg averaged 19 points, 8.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists in the Border League in Las Vegas.

Flagg was named MVP at the National Basketball Players Association Top 100 Camp in Orlando, Florida in June. In July, Flagg was four assists away from a quadruple-double at Nike EYBL Pearl Jam, with 38 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and 11 blocks in a win over ProSkills of Texas.

Flagg transferred to Montverde Academy to play for legendary high school coach Kevin Boyle

Flagg also represented the United States as a 15-year-old at the 2022 FIBA ​​U17 World Cup. Flagg averaged 9.3 points and ten rebounds while leading the team in steals (2.4) and blocks (2.9) per match, helping the United States to a gold medal finish. Flagg was named U.S. Male Athlete of the Year in December.

“Flagg is just different,” an NBA scout told ESPN. “He has the mental makeup. He is consistent with his mentality, motor skills and production. If he doesn’t develop an ounce of his offensive package from today, he may still have a shot at defensive player of the year at the NBA level. Just the progression he shows with the live ball game, making shots off the bounce, the instinctive reading and play on both ends and how he subsequently conducts himself has a chance to become a transformative basketball player in the sports as a whole. .’

Flagg joins fellow top prospects Isaiah Evans (No. 8), Kon Knueppel (No. 22) and Darren Harris (No. 45) in Duke’s highly rated 2024 recruiting class. Duke remains No. 5 VJ Edgecombe and No. 19 Chasing Pat Ngongba. both of whom attended Duke’s Countdown to Craziness with Flagg earlier in October.