Tag: Cooper Flagg

Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer praises Cooper Flagg’s effort, says ‘he always competes’

While speaking with ACC Network on Wednesday, Duke coach Jon Scheyer effused praise for his No. 1 recruit’s effort and what it means.

Nobody needs to be told [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] is talented.

The No. 1 player in the Class of 2024 spearheads a historically good Duke recruiting class, and there’s a reason the 6-foot-9 Maine native already gets buzz as a generational prospect. He can handle the ball like a guard, he can block shots into the bleachers, he can run point in an offense. Anything a coach wants Flagg to do, he can do exceptionally well.

Duke head coach Jon Scheyer doesn’t think that’s the most important part of Flagg’s repertoire, however. During a segment with ACC Network on Wednesday, Scheyer heaped praise onto something else about the Montverde Academy product: his effort.

“No matter when I’ve seen him, if it’s a Sunday morning at 8 a.m. after playing for a few days, whether it’s watching him play on ESPN, you know, the national championship game this year, he always plays the same way,” Scheyer said. “He always competes, 100% effort, and I think that’s a separator.”

“Obviously, you look at his athleticism, talent, size, and skill is off the charts,” the Blue Devils program leader added. “But to me, it’s how he competes and who he is as a teammate.”

The Blue Devils enter the 2024-25 season as one of the favorites to win it all thanks to Flagg, five other top-50 freshmen, and transfers like Tulane’s Sion James, Syracuse’s Maliq Brown, and Purdue’s Mason Gillis.

Duke men’s basketball will be one of the tallest teams in the country next season

With no players on the roster shorter than 6-foot-5, the Blue Devils have size on their side in 2024-25.

[autotag]Tyrese Proctor[/autotag] is 6-foot-5.

The returning junior’s height sounds pretty unremarkable by basketball standards. He’s tall for a ball-handler, and a wing who can average nearly four assists per game offers flexibility.

That reaction changes when it’s revealed Duke won’t have a shorter player on the roster next season.

The Blue Devils have 11 players on the roster for the 2023-24 season, and they have an average height of 79.4 inches — a hair above 6-foot-7. The tallest team in the nation last year, Florida State, averaged 79.3 inches.

Proctor and Caleb Foster, the two returning guards, both measure in at 6-foot-5, as does five-star freshman Kon Knueppel. Darren Harris and Isaiah Evans, two other members of the 2024 recruiting class, stand 6-foot-6, as do Purdue transfer Mason Gillis and Tulane transfer Sion James.

Every other player on the team will be at least 6-foot-8.

Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 recruit in the nation and the presumed top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, is 6-foot-9, and he might play as a small forward for the Blue Devils.

Based on Duke Wire’s projected starting lineups, the Blue Devils’ first five will either have an average height of 79.8 inches or 80.2 inches. The smallest realistic starting lineup would be 6-foot-5 Foster, 6-foot-5 Proctor, 6-foot-6 James, 6-foot-9 Flagg, and 7-foot-1 Maluach, which is still an average of 79.6 inches.

No matter how head coach Jon Scheyer wants to arrange the starting lineup, the Blue Devils will be taller than whoever they play in 2024-25.

247Sports says Rutgers basketball’s Ace Bailey ‘has the highest upside in the class’

Ace Bailey had a shot at being the No. 1 recruit in the nation.

Ace Bailey was in serious contention to be the top player in the 2024 recruiting class according to 247Sports. The Rutgers basketball commit is expected on campus this summer.

A five-star forward, Bailey is the No. 1 player in the nation in the USA TODAY High School Sports rankings. He is the highest-ranked recruit in Rutgers basketball history.

In this week’s final rankings for the class of 2024, Duke commit Cooper Flagg was ranked No. 1 in the nation. Bailey was ranked second with his future Rutgers teammate [autotag]Dylan Harper[/autotag], a five-star guard, rounding out the top three.

Flagg, Bailey and Harper all recently played in the McDonald’s All-American Game. Harper was the game’s Co-MVP.

Bailey, who showed off not just his athleticism but some elite range this past season for McEachern (Powder Springs, Georgia), had a legitimate case to be the nation’s top-ranked recruit.

In writing for 247Sports, director of scouting Adam Finkelstein praised the growth of Bailey:

“As for Bailey, he’s improved at such a rapid rate. In the process, he’s shown flashes of true stardom this year with his combination of wing size, athleticism and tough shot-making ability. As a result, he could actually have the highest upside in the class if everything goes right for him.”

Finkelstein did caution that Bailey will need to continue rounding out his game, especially his shot selection.

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Rutgers has a top-10 recruiting class in the nation according to 247Sports. It features four total players ranked in the top 150 nationally.

Duke Blue Devils, Jon Scheyer add Tulane Green Wave transfer guard Sion James

Duke adds Tulane transfer Sion James.

The Duke Blue Devils landed their third transfer of the offseason when Tulane transfer Sion James announced his commitment on Friday. On3’s Joe Tipton first reported the decision.

James declared for the NBA Draft while retaining his eligibility earlier this spring. After a pre-draft workout in Memphis last week, James officially visited Duke, and the rest is history.

The newest Blue Devil is listed as a 6-foot-6, 220-pound guard who appeared in 31 games for the Green Wave during the 2023-24 season, leading the team in minutes at nearly 37 per game. He was highly productive, with averages of 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per contest while shooting 51% from the field. He was proficient from deep, too, shooting 38% with an effective field goal percentage of 59 percent, good for the 84th percentile in college basketball last year.

James’ value to Duke is his physicality and slashing ability. One area Duke has lacked in the last couple of seasons was a guard consistently getting downhill to the lane and finishing regularly. James has the size and strength, coupled with an excellent first step, to be a menace to opposing defenses as he attacks the lane. Half of his shot attempts last year were at the rim, where he shot 62%.

He also played point guard for the Green Wave, highlighted by his 13% assist rate. He routinely initiated offenses for Tulane and could create shots for others even when out of sets.

[autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag]’s second season at Duke improved in many areas from year one. However, it was not without turbulence. That’s part of the growth process for a young coach—especially one without any head coaching experience before he took over the job from the legendary Mike Krzyzewski.

After an appearance in the Elite Eight that saw them lose to NC State, it was back to the drawing board for Scheyer and his staff as they look to bring Duke its sixth national championship and first since 2015.

Seven players from the 2023-24 team entered the transfer portal. The type of mass exodus that would have any program scrambling. Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster announced their intentions to return. Duke has six freshmen inbound, led by high school basketball’s best player, Cooper Flagg. The Blue Devils already added Purdue transfer Mason Gillis and Syracuse big man Maliq Brown from the portal.

Duke now has three guards who aren’t freshmen. They can rely on one to bring the ball up. It also gives Duke another wrinkle of versatility, as James can seamlessly guard positions 1-3. Hence, it allows Scheyer to run a full three-guard lineup like this past year or have one of Proctor, Foster, or James come off the bench as a big-time stabilizing force for Duke’s second unit.

This addition also allows Duke not to rely on freshmen Darren Harris, Kon Knueppel, and Isaiah Evans nearly as much and will enable them to ease into the college game.

Duke’s impact transfer portal pursuits are wrapped up. Any other transfers are likely for deep bench depth and are unlikely to be counted on as meaningful contributors nightly.

247Sports analyst predicts Cooper Flagg will win ACC Rookie of the Year in 2024-25

247Sports’ Brandon Jenkins predicted next year’s best freshmen in each major conference on Thursday, and he went chalk in the ACC.

247Sports scout and recruiting analyst Brandon Jenkins went conference by conference to predict the best freshmen in the country on Thursday. His selection for the ACC should be no surprise.

Jenkins predicted that Duke signee Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in the final 2024 ranking, would win ACC Rookie of the Year honors.

The 6-foot-9 Maine native is already getting the word ‘generational’ tossed around about his potential, and NBA fans even have one eye on the 2025 draft as they await his future. He’ll be the most anticipated Blue Devils signee since Zion Williamson.

“The Blue Devils project to be one of the best teams in the country next season and Flagg is the primary reason why,” Jenkins wrote.

The Blue Devils have contended for this award in each of the past three seasons. Paolo Banchero and Kyle Filipowski won the honor in near-unanimous fashion in 2022 and 2023, respectively, before the sharpshooting Jared McCain finished second in this year’s voting.

Cooper Flagg holds on to top spot in final 247Sports recruiting rankings

Duke signee Cooper Flagg, the presumptive No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, beat out Rutgers’ Ace Bailey for the top spot in 247Sports’ final 2024 rankings.

247Sports released its final 2024 recruiting class rankings for men’s basketball on Wednesday, and star Duke signee Cooper Flagg maintained his grip on the top spot.

Flagg, heralded as a generational prospect by some, kept the No. 1 ranking for the entire year. He helped lead Montverde Academy to an undefeated season and a national title at Chipotle Nationals as a senior.

“He’s the surest thing in this class,” said Adam Finkelstein, who discussed the 247Sports rankings reveal. “Both at Duke and beyond.”

Rutgers signee Ace Bailey, who finished second in the final rankings, pushed Flagg until the end, however. In an article discussing the rankings, Finkelstein said he thought Flagg had the higher floor but Bailey’s developmental pace is impressive.

“(Flagg)’s going to be a winning and highly versatile two-way player and is one of the early favorites to be a top pick in the 2025 NBA draft,” Finkelstein wrote. “Is he an offensive alpha at the highest level? That’s the part that is still to be determined.”

Finkelstein also flagged Khaman Maluach, another Duke signee who finished as the fourth-ranked player in the class, as someone fans need to be patient with as he progresses.

Cooper Flagg aside, Duke’s remaining 2024 signees all finish in the top 50 of On3’s final rankings

Taking a look at the rest of Duke’s 2024 class in the final rankings.

Cooper Flagg cemented himself as the clear-cut No. 1 prospect in America during his final season in high school, leading Montverde Academy to an undefeated season en route to a national championship. He took home many awards and made multiple statement appearances during high school basketball’s most prestigious postseason all-star games, like the Nike Hoop Summit and Jordan Brand Classic.

However, he’s not the only prospect the Blue Devils are set to bring in this summer. Duke’s 2024 class is pretty historic, even without considering Flagg. In the final On3 rankings, all six Duke signees finished within the top 50 spots.

Khaman Maluach, a projected lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, slots in at ninth in the final rankings. His performance in the Nike Hoop Summit wasn’t spectacular, but his work at NBA Academy Africa and in the Basketball Africa League showcases why he’s considered a potential top-five pick in next year’s draft. The 7-footer has the tools to be a game-changer for Duke next season alongside Flagg.

Kon Knueppel finished at 17th, and his blend of size and skill gave him an easy path to playing time off the bench next season as a steady offensive presence. He can shoot the ball, handle it, and even initiate offense.

Isaiah Evans dominated social media, especially in North Carolina, as he cemented himself as one of the state’s best high school players in state history. His North Mecklenburg high school team won a state championship at North Carolina’s highest classification, and they rode the wave of Evans’s talented shotmaking and fiery competitive spirit to get it done. Evans may be slight physically, but his length, energy, and shotmaking will be valuable to Duke next year. On3 ranked him as the 25th-best prospect in their final rankings.

Patrick Ngongba joined the Blue Devils in November. While his high school season was very short due to an injury that kept him out until March, he showcased a little of his game in the Chipotle Nationals. Getting his conditioning back and back into shape is his biggest hurdle as he gets ready for Duke, but even with his injuries, On3 ranked him as their 35th-best prospect.

Last but certainly not least, Darren Harris clocks in at 43 in the final rankings. The sharpshooting guard raised many eyebrows in his senior season, highlighted by an electric showing at the Chipotle Nationals alongside Ngongba on their Paul VI Catholic team that finished the season ranked second in the country. Harris can shoot the cover off of the ball, and because of that, it’s hard not to see him competing for minutes come November.

Duke’s class has a lot of depth and versatility, and it will be fun seeing all the talented freshmen get on campus and try to acclimate themselves to the college game. Duke may have six freshmen coming in, but it’s hard not to be excited about what they can offer next year’s team.

Cooper Flagg finishes senior year as number one prospect in On3’s Top 150 rankings

Cooper Flagg fends off Ace Bailey in final on3 recruiting rankings.

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.

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.

Bulls urged to tank for 2025 NBA Draft and chance at Cooper Flagg

The Chicago Bulls should start prepping for the future, and that means eyeing Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Chicago Bulls have spent the past two seasons swimming in a sea of mediocrity, and they’ve been okay with it. However, now that it’s clear that something isn’t working, they need to focus on the future. Morten Stig Jensen of Sports Illustrated recently broke down why the Bulls need to start prepping (and tanking) for the 2025 NBA Draft and a chance at selecting Cooper Flagg.

“Last year, despite having every reason to, the Chicago Bulls refused to tank. This cost them a shot at Victor Wembanyama,” wrote Stig Jensen. “This season, despite once again having every reason to, they once again refused to tank. Fortunately, their timing this time around was far better given that there is no Wembanyama on the draft board this year.

“However, with the 2025 draft coming up next year, the Bulls need to actually put themselves in a position to compete for the services of a possible superstar. Because what’s the point of just making the play-in year after year and ultimately getting nowhere? Cooper Flagg represents the next big name, and the next big chance of securing your franchise a player you can lean on for 15 years.”

Getting a guy like Flagg could chance the course of the Bulls franchise, so they need to be ready to make it happen (or at least get a top pick in the 2025 draft).

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Duke basketball signee Isaiah Evans shares photo of him and Cooper Flagg at Jordan Brand Classic

Evans, a five-star recruit, shared a photo of him and future Duke teammate Cooper Flagg from the Jordan Brand Classic on Monday.

Isaiah Evans and Cooper Flagg played on different teams during Sunday’s Jordan Brand Classic in Brooklyn, but they’re clearly excited to play together in Durham this fall.

On Monday morning, Evans shared a photo of the two standing together during the game on social media.

Flagg scored 19 points and came down with 10 rebounds during the showcase, but Evans and Team Flight came away with the victory.

Evans and Flagg, two of the six stellar freshmen in Duke’s top-ranked 2024 recruiting class, already have plenty of experience with each other. They played on the same team at the McDonald’s All-American Game and the Nike Hoop Summit before they squared off in Sunday’s game.

In fact, during the Hoop Summit, they went viral after Flagg set Evans up for a dunk and jumped in the air as Evans threw down the jam. Evans tweeted about that moment, too.