It’d be hard for any freshman to meet the expectations that await Duke basketball star [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], but when fans account for the fact that the 17-year-old reclassified after originally being a Class of 2025 prospect, it sounds almost impossible.
Jon Scheyer, his coach for the upcoming season, isn’t worried.
According to a Wednesday story from ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, the third-year Blue Devils coach thinks his first-year superstar will live up to his billing.
“I have total belief when we step on the floor that we feel we have the best player on the court right away,” Scheyer said. “He’s going to have a terrific season.”
The top-ranked freshman in the country has already shared the court with NBA legends earlier this summer when he was the only collegiate player on the U.S. Select Team. He scrimmaged against the American Olympic team, which eventually won gold, and even scored some points. Former NBA MVP Kevin Durant offered nothing but praise for the Blue Devil.
However, Flagg won’t turn 18 until December. The Blue Devils play the Kentucky Wildcats, Arizona Wildcats, and Kansas Jayhawks within his first six collegiate games, and at the team media day last week, Scheyer urged patience for the freshman sensation.
“Beginning of the season, he’s going to go through some stuff,” Scheyer said that day. “That’s part of it. But being there for him in those moments and then growing as a player is why he came to Duke.”