Cooper Flagg has had one heck of a final year in high school. It started with him reclassifying last September to rejoin his original class. Soon after, he committed to the Duke Blue Devils, his dream school and the team he’s been a fan of since he was a little kid. He would then lead Montverde Academy to a national title, and along the way, Flagg dominated and received all types of awards.
He would be named McDonald’s All-American and Jordan Brand All-American and compete in the Nike Hoop Summit. Now, he finishes the whirlwind year as On3’s number-one player in its final 2024 recruiting rankings.
🚨NEW🚨 Duke SF signee Cooper Flagg ranks No. 1 & five-stars in the final 2024 On3 150.https://t.co/ot2tt9Qr5H pic.twitter.com/MRt3Ldtoa3
— On3 Recruits (@On3Recruits) April 29, 2024
Ace Bailey, the number two overall prospect, pushed Flagg all season long in. an attempt to overtake him. Still, Jamie Shaw of On3 Sports specifically cited Flagg’s ability and consistency in performing at the highest levels since entering high school as the most significant reason Flagg remained ahead of Bailey. Bailey is hyper-athletic, with great size and a great frame, and he showcased terrific shotmaking but also relied too much on his jump shot. In contrast, Flagg utilizes his ever-improving jump shot as a small part of his ability to get to the basket and be a creator and initiator in half-court, where he makes terrific reads.
The conversation will continue during the summer and through each player’s one and only college seasons at Duke and Rutgers, respectively, as each is on a crash course for the 2025 NBA Draft.
Flagg can now rest and enjoy his time off and being to prepare for the next challenge: becoming a Duke basketball player. He won’t make the trip to Durham for good until sometime in June, but based on everything we’ve seen from Flagg, this young man will not be afraid of the moment or challenge.