Former Duke basketball star Jay Bilas showed some love to the next generation of Blue Devils on Thursday when he released his Preseason All-America teams.
Bilas put five-star freshman Cooper Flagg, the Preseason ACC Rookie of the Year, on his Preseason All-America First Team ahead of the 2024-25 season.
Flagg, who also made the Preseason All-ACC First Team and the Preseason AP All-America Team, is considered the heavy favorite for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The 6-foot-9 forward is one of the most anticipated high-school talents of the decade thanks to his combination of athleticism and speed, allowing him to handle the ball and guard along the perimeter while also being one of the most prolific shot-blockers in the nation.
“He is the best thing to come out of Maine since lobster,” Bilas wrote. “Skilled, competitive and talented.”
Alabama Crimson Tide guard Mark Sears, North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis, Kansas Jayhawks center Hunter Dickinson, and Creighton Bluejays center Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Flagg put together 22 points, six assists, and four blocks in his first exhibition performance against Lincoln, looking the part on both ends of the court.