Tag: Cooper Flagg

Duke takes top overall seed in Joe Lunardi’s early 2025 bracketology

With Cooper Flagg leading the top recruiting class in the country, ESPN’s Joe Lunardi thinks the 2025 NCAA Tournament runs through Duke.

The 2023-24 basketball season is still fresh in everyone’s memory, but it’s never too early to gaze toward the 2024-25 campaign.

ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi certainly agrees as he released an early look at the projected 2025 NCAA Tournament field on Tuesday, and he slotted Duke in as his top overall seed.

Fresh off a run to the Elite Eight last season and an ACC Tournament title two years ago, head coach Jon Scheyer welcomes No. 1 overall recruit Cooper Flagg, projected lottery pick Khaman Maluach, and two other five-star prospects in an esteemed freshman class.

Combine the new pedigree with Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, two 2023-24 starters, already announcing their return, and it’s easy to see why so many experts think the team to beat next season plays in Durham.

The incredibly early bracket has Scheyer’s team atop the East region and playing the winner of Norfolk State and Central Connecticut from the First Four games.

Baylor, Connecticut, and Texas rounded out the top four seeds in Duke’s corner of the bracket. Kansas, Alabama, and Houston claimed the other three No. 1 seeds.

Will March Madness run through the Blue Devils next season? Duke fans will have to wait until the fall to get its first indications.

Andy Katz puts Duke second in way-too-early power rankings for next season

Andy Katz released his way-too-early Power 36 rankings for the 2024-2025 season, and the Duke Blue Devils ranked No. 2 overall.

Andy Katz released his way-too-early Power 36 rankings for the 2024-2025 season, and the Duke Blue Devils ranked No. 2 overall.

Duke came in one spot behind the Houston Cougars, whom the Blue Devils defeated in the Sweet 16 this past NCAA Tournament.

Duke boasts the No. 1 recruiting class for next season. Cooper Flagg, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2024, will likely be the face of the Blue Devils next season. Duke’s recruiting class features three other five-star recruits alongside Flagg, including South Sudanese center Khaman Maluach and North Carolina Mr. Basketball Isaiah Evans.

Katz is one of the rare few with someone other than the Blue Devils atop his projected rankings. Duke came in first in the early 2024-25 rankings from USA TODAY Sports, The Athletic, and ESPN.

The team’s roster turnover is still ongoing. As of now, forward Mark Mitchell and center Christian Reeves have entered the transfer portal.

Guard Jared McCain and Kyle Filipowski are both getting NBA Draft lottery projections but have yet to announce whether they’ll return to Duke for another season.

Duke opens as favorites to win 2025 men’s basketball national title, per Fanduel odds

The Blue Devils have the best chance to cut down the nets in 12 months, according to Fanduel’s newly released odds for 2025.

According to Fanduel Sportsbook, no one has a better chance to cut down the nets in 12 months than the Blue Devils.

The Duke men’s basketball team opened as the site’s favorite to win the 2024-25 national title. Head coach Jon Scheyer’s team opened at +1100 to win it all, bolstered by five-star recruits like Cooper Flagg and Khaman Maluach.

“The incoming freshmen should mesh well with Blue Devil holdovers Sean Stewart (57.1 FG%) and Caleb Foster (7.7 PPG),” Fanduel’s Gabriel Santiago wrote in an article about the opening odds. “In all, FanDuel Sportsbook is expecting Duke to make a serious run next season.”

[gambcom-standard rankid=”3011″]

The Kansas Jayhawks have the second-lowest odds at +1200, followed by now two-time defending champion Connecticut at +1300. The Alabama Crimson Tide, North Carolina Tar Heels, and Houston Cougars are all +1500, the only other teams lower than +2000.

Team Odds
Duke Blue Devils +1100
Kansas Jayhawks +1200
UConn Huskies +1300
Alabama Crimson Tide +1500
North Carolina Tar Heels +1500
Houston Cougars +1500
Arizona Wildcats +2000
Gonzaga Bulldogs +2500
Baylor Bears +3000
Kentucky Wildcats +3000

[gambcom-standard rankid=”5″]

Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire

ESPN lists Duke as the No. 1 team in their Way-Too-Early Top 25

Duke the top team in the country in ESPN’s Way-Too-Early Top 25.

Less than 48 hours after Dan Hurley’s Connecticut Huskies completed one of the rare college basketball feats of repeating as national champions, the page has already turned to 2024-25 for the rest of the college basketball world.

ESPN made sure to get its Way-Too-Early Top 25 up late on Monday night, and the number one team in those rankings resides in Durham, NC.

Duke bowed out of the NCAA Tournament this season in the Elite Eight to an NC State team that spent the last 12 games playing incredibly inspired basketball. Duke led in the first half, but State overwhelmed Duke with incredible shotmaking and suffocating defense in the second half to send the Blue Devils home.

Duke is now in the process of reflecting and retooling for next year. There’s a renewed energy around the program as Scheyer will welcome the nation’s top recruiting class, highlighted by one of the most heralded number one high school basketball players since LeBron James, forward Cooper Flagg.

ESPN staff writer Jeff Borzello, who put the rankings together, said this about his decision to put the Blue Devils at the top spot.

“Duke entered this past season as a national title contender, but never quite seemed to put it all together for an extended stretch and ultimately fell in the Elite Eight. Jon Scheyer will have two of the best NBA prospects in the country next season, in No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg and projected top-five NBA draft pick Khaman Maluach, but the Blue Devils could have point guard issues if Jeremy Roach decides not to take advantage of his fifth option year.”

Borzello also published a projected starting five that featured Flagg, Tyrese Proctor, Caleb Foster, Mark Mitchell, and Maluach. The issue is that Mitchell announced his intent to enter the transfer portal on Tuesday afternoon, so he will not be on the 2024-25 version of the Duke Blue Devils. Duke will likely opt to find a shooter to help space the floor with Flagg and also give those minutes vacated by Mitchell to rising sophomore Sean Stewart should he opt to return.

Tyrese Proctor has not announced whether he plans to enter the portal, opt for professional opportunities, or return to Duke. If we assume Proctor returns, he’s likely a captain and must leap like Wendell Moore. There’s a lot of talent there, but it needs to become consistent. A decision from Jeremy Roach also remains up in the air, and having a fifth-year senior could be massive.

All that aside, Duke plans to utilize the transfer portal, too, so Duke’s roster construction for next year is far from done, with more names expected on their way out, i.e., Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain, expected to be drafted in the first round.

Duke sits atop USA TODAY Sports’ early 2024-25 men’s college basketball rankings

USA TODAY Sports released its early rankings for the 2024-25 men’s basketball season on Tuesday morning, and guess who sat atop the list?

The Blue Devils might be the consensus top team in men’s basketball next season.

USA TODAY Sports writers Paul Myerberg, Erick Smith, and Eddie Timanus released their early projected rankings for the 2024-25 season on Monday morning, just hours after Connecticut cut down the nets for the second straight year. The trio had Duke at the very top of the list.

The Blue Devils made the Elite Eight this year, defeating No. 1 seed Houston on the way. Next year, head coach Jon Scheyer welcomes four five-star prospects and two more four-star freshmen into the building. Myerberg, Smith, and Timanus said the 2024 recruiting class makes the Blue Devils one of the youngest, deepest teams in the country.

“It will be on coach Jon Scheyer to push all the right buttons and find the best rotation for a team that looks on paper to be very capable of winning the national title,” they wrote.

It remains to be seen which players from this past season will return, with starters Kyle Filipowski, Jared McCain, Tyrese Proctor, and Mark Mitchell weighing the NBA or the transfer portal, but the USA TODAY Sports staff believes in the Blue Devils no matter who stays or goes.

Alabama, who made the Final Four this season, came in second in the site’s early rankings. Iowa State, Kansas, and the national champion Huskies followed to finish the top five in order.

Rival North Carolina came immediately after in sixth. Clemson (13th) was the only other ACC team on the list.

The Athletic has Duke first in too-early rankings for 2024-25 season

The Blue Devils and the No. 1 recruiting class in the country could run the men’s college basketball scene next season, according to The Athletic’s rankings.

The Athletic released its early top 25 for the 2024-25 men’s college basketball season on Monday evening, and the Blue Devils were first in the rankings.

The Blue Devils made the Elite Eight this season, and despite (probably) losing presumed first-round picks Kyle Filipowski and Jared McCain to the NBA, they have the top overall recruiting class in the country. Cooper Flagg, the highest-ranked prospect in the country, will lead a freshman class with three other five-star prospects and two more four-star players.

The Athletic’s CJ Moore and Sam Vecenie, who put the rankings together, gave an expected starting five in the rankings, too. They had Jeremy Roach, Tyrese Proctor, and Caleb Foster coming back to start alongside Flagg and Khaman Maluach.

“This is the deepest team in college basketball as presently constructed at the time of recording,” the duo wrote. “This Duke team kind of has everything.”

Moore and Vecenie emphasized that the Blue Devils, in their projections, have a balance of freshmen and veteran leadership.

Gonzaga was second in the site’s rankings, with Houston, Iowa State, and Connecticut rounding out the top five. North Carolina came in ninth in the rankings, and Miami (18th) was the only other ACC team in the top 25.

Cooper Flagg named Chipotle Nationals MVP, Darren Harris makes all-tournament team

Duke signee Cooper Flagg helped his high school team win a national title on Saturday en route to tournament MVP honors, and future teammate Darren Harris joined him on the all-tournament team.

After he helped lead Montverde Academy to a national title at Chipotle Nationals on Saturday afternoon, Duke signee Cooper Flagg was named the MVP of the boys’ tournament.

Flagg, the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024 and the face of Duke’s vaunted recruiting class, scored 16 points and added eight rebounds and six blocks in the title game victory over Paul VI Catholic.

Flagg also dropped 28 points in the semifinal win over Columbus and 16 points in the quarterfinal game against AZ Compass Prep to end the three-game run with an average of 20 points per game.

Darren Harris, another future Blue Devil who led runner-up Paul VI, also made the five-player all-tournament squad. Harris broke through with a 36-point performance against IMG Academy in the quarterfinals.

Duke legend Carlos Boozer’s son, Cameron Boozer, made the five-man team as well for his efforts with Columbus High School.

Montverde boys basketball completes undefeated season with win at Chipotle Nationals

Cooper Flagg and Montverde took down Paul VI to win the prestigious Chipotle Nationals and complete the undefeated season.

All season, Montverde boys basketball was, on paper, the best team in the league. Stacked with five-star talent, stopping the Eagles wasn’t as simple as stopping No. 1 2024 recruit Cooper Flagg — it was about stopping everyone.

The paper translated to the court. Nobody could stop the unit. The regular season came and went without a loss; the Eagles proved themselves once again in the prestigious Chipotle Nationals.

They took down Paul VI, ranked No. 4 in the Super 25, by a score of 79-63 to hoist the hardware and cap the undefeated, 34-0 season.

The offensive star today was Curtis Givens, who poured in 24 points off the bench. He made six 3-pointers and shot 7-for-11 from the field while adding three assists and three rebounds. A four-star LSU commit, Givens’ role of coming off the bench wasn’t because of his skill — it was a testament to that of the team, and his willingness to fulfill what the group needed most. His 26 minutes on Saturday were third-most on the team.

The most minutes went to Flagg, whose six blocks, one steal and eight offensive rebounds were as integral as his offensive performance. He had 16 points, but largely deferred on that end as he only attempted nine shots.

You can see in this short highlight clip that both a block and a steal from him led to immediate points:

Five-star Maryland commit Derik Queen, who won the McDonald’s MVP award last week, had a nice game, scoring 19 points, six rebounds, and four assists.

Paul VI was led once again by Darren Harris, whose superb Chipotle Nationals run came to a close with 16 points on inefficient shooting. He was electric in the opening rounds, but Montverde managed to hold him to just 5-for-14 shooting. It sealed a remarkable season for the Panthers, who went 35-3 and whose only losses were to Montverde (twice, including the championship) and Columbus (who fell to Montverde in the semifinals).

Montverde’s run of excellence sends its seniors out on a high note. The entire starting lineup was made up of five-star players, and with four-star Givens coming off the bench, they met — and perhaps exceeded — the immense expectations put upon them this year. The Eagles also set up a future run, with five-star sophomores Caleb Gaskins and Kayden Allen getting in on the action.

It’s Montverde’s seventh Chipotle (formerly GEICO) championship, and they’re hoping to be back next year for another run.
They join their sister Eagles as champions, who completed the three-peat earlier in the morning.

It’s a good day and a good year to be an Eagle.

Related: Montverde girls basketball three-peats as Chipotle Nationals champions

Cooper Flagg, Montverde win Chipotle Nationals title

Flagg, the No. 1 overall recruit in the class, helped Montverde Academy defeat Paul VI Catholic and some future teammates in the Chipotle Nationals title game on Saturday.

Duke signee Cooper Flagg and Montverde Academy won the Chipotle Nationals title on Saturday afternoon, defeating Paul VI Catholic 79-63 in the championship game.

Flagg, the top recruit in the Class of 2024, scored 16 points in the final game after he made six of his nine field-goal attempts. He made two 3-pointers, came down with eight rebounds, and rejected six blocks in 31 minutes of playing time.

The win caps off an undefeated 33-0 season for the Florida powerhouse.

Flagg defeated two future teammates on Paul VI’s side. Four-star recruits Darren Harris (16 points, three rebounds, three assists) and Patrick Ngongba (11 points, four rebounds, three assists) will both join Flagg in Durham as part of Duke’s top-ranked 2024 recruiting class.

Montverde also took down Cameron and Cayden Boozer, the twin sons of former Duke star Carlos Boozer and five-star 2025 prospects, in the semifinals.

Watch: Duke signee Cooper Flagg gets T’ed up for hanging on rim after dunk

Cooper Flagg got a technical foul for hanging on the rim after dunking in the semifinals game against Columbus on Friday.

The nation’s top high school boys basketball recruit Cooper Flagg was playing at full intensity in the semifinal round of the prestigious Chipotle Nationals tournament on Friday, facing off against top-5 team Columbus, also from Florida. On Columbus is one of the top players in the class of 2025, Cameron Boozer, who at one point battled for the top spot in the 2025 rankings — with Boozer leading for an extended period.

Time has passed; Flagg has reclassified to the class of 2024, and has since sat atop the group of upcoming graduates. But in this game on Friday, it appeared there may still be some rivalry, which Flagg gave evidence to as he put on some light dramatics after throwing down a dunk.

You can see it in the first clip of this highlight package:

It wasn’t much, but you can see him use the rim to raise himself after he jammed it. It was enough for the referee to give him a technical.

It wasn’t enough to derail Montverde, who coasted to an 84-70 win over Columbus. Flagg recorded 28 points on 9-for-14 shooting, six rebounds, three assists, and a block and steal apiece.

Boozer scored 29 points, but was inefficient as he shot 10-for-24 from the field and 3-for-11 from 3. He showed his all-around skill, also posting four rebounds and five assists.

Montverde went on to beat Paul VI in the championship, securing the Chipotle Nationals championship and an undefeated season.

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