Tag: Cooper Flagg

Duke basketball opens the 2024-25 season third in the College Sports Wire power rankings

College Sports Wire released its 2024-25 men’s basketball power rankings on Monday, and the Blue Devils open the year as a top-three team.

College Sports Wire’s Andy Patton released his 2024-25 preseason men’s basketball power rankings ahead of Monday’s opening schedule, and he listed the Duke Blue Devils as the third-best team in the country.

“Jon Scheyer has an absolutely electric freshman class in Durham, headlined of course by top prospect [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag],” Patton wrote. “This team is deep, incredibly talented, and looks like a unit that has played together for a long time already. That’s a dangerous combination.”

Duke certainly looked the part of a national championship contender with its two exhibition performances, beating Lincoln 107-56 before taking down the Arizona State Sun Devils 103-47. Flagg scored 22 points in the first game, and fellow freshman [autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag] averaged 18.0 points while shooting better than 50% from 3-point range.

The Alabama Crimson Tide and Houston Cougars were the only two teams above the Blue Devils in Patton’s rankings with the Gonzaga Bulldogs and Kansas Jayhawks rounding out the top five. The North Carolina Tar Heels, last year’s ACC regular-season champions, start the year in ninth.

Duke gets its season underway against Maine in a Monday night game on ACC Network.

Cooper Flagg ranked as the best men’s college basketball player by ESPN

Four Duke Blue Devils were included among ESPN’s preseason top 100 men’s college basketball players, including one at the very top spot.

ESPN released its preseason ranking of the top 100 men’s college basketball players on Monday, and four Duke Blue Devils made the list.

Returning starter Tyrese Proctor, who led the Blue Devils with 3.7 assists per game in 2023-24, appeared at 66th ahead of five-star freshmen Khaman Maluach (81st) and Kon Knueppel (97th), but another Duke basketball star finished much higher on the list.

[autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], the top prospect in the freshman class, beat out North Carolina Tar Heels star RJ Davis for the No. 1 overall spot.

“There’s a world in which Flagg lives up to all the hype and produces a Carmelo Anthony-esque run, leading Duke to a national championship,” Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf wrote when explaining why Flagg got the top spot. “It’s within his range of outcomes. There’s nobody else in the country with that sort of ceiling.”

Flagg, who makes his regular-season debut on Monday night against Maine, averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks in his two preseason exhibitions.

Cooper Flagg and Kon Knueppel named to Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Watch List

Two Duke basketball freshmen were named to the 2024-25 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Watch List on Wednesday.

The 2024-25 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Watch List was revealed on Wednesday, and two first-year Duke Blue Devils were included among the nominees.

[autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], the top-ranked Class of 2024 recruit, and fellow five-star [autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag] made the list as preseason favorites for the prestigious award.

Flagg, who already has endorsement deals with New Balance and Gatorade before even playing a regular-season game, led the Blue Devils with 22 points, six assists, and four blocks in his first exhibition game against Lincoln. As the presumed No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NBA draft, On3 gives him the highest NIL valuation of any men’s college basketball player in the country.

If Flagg dominated the first exhibition, Knueppel dominated the second. He scored 19 points, making four of his eight 3-point attempts, and added five rebounds and four assists. The Wisconsin native looks like the best shooter on a team full of weapons, and he cracked the top 10 of ESPN’s draft prospect rankings after a summer full of increased hype.

Cooper Flagg has highest NIL valuation in men’s college basketball, per On3

Before starting his first regular-season game, Cooper Flagg leads men’s college basketball in NIL valuation per On3’s calculations.

The Duke men’s basketball team enters the 2024-25 season with a lot of hype for plenty of reasons. One of the biggest, though, is five-star freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], who readies for his debut as one of the most highly touted freshmen in recent memory.

In terms of the new era of NIL money, he’s making a lot of it. According to the On3 men’s basketball NIL valuation rankings, Flagg is worth roughly $2.6 million, good enough for the highest total in the sport.

While the Maine native has a handful of deals, two of Flagg’s most notable endorsement agreements came with Gatorade and New Balance.

The New Balance deal, which came first, was announced back in August.

“The connection with New Balance as a family company and a company with Maine roots means a lot to me,” Flagg told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski when the partnership was announced. “My mom used to go to the tent sale for back-to-school shopping there when we were kids. That really aligns the brand with my roots. It’s a perfect fit.”

His most recent deal with Gatorade was revealed just on Tuesday, making him the first men’s college basketball player to sign with the company.

“This has been a big year for me on and off the court, and Gatorade has been there the whole way,” Flagg said in a news release. “From being named the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year to now officially joining the team, it’s been surreal to have my name mentioned with some of the biggest names in basketball. The Gatorade roster is iconic, and I’m excited to work with them as I take this next step.”

On3 also factors Flagg’s Instagram account, which boasts more than 800,000 followers, in his valuation.

Cooper Flagg becomes first men’s college basketball player with Gatorade endorsement deal

Gatorade announced its endorsement deal with Cooper Flagg on Tuesday, the first time the brand has signed a men’s college basketball player.

Gatorade announced on Tuesday that it signed Duke basketball freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] to a name, image, and likeness endorsement deal, making him the first men’s college basketball player to sign with the brand.

“I feel really blessed and honored for the opportunity that has been given to me,” Flagg told Sports Illustrated’s Liam McKeone. “I know for me, specifically, I’ve always drank Gatorade. Me and my brothers growing up, our mom would come back from the grocery store with a new case of Gatorade a couple times a week. That kind of connection makes it mean a little bit more.”

Flagg, who finished as the top-ranked freshman in every Class of 2024 ranking, made the Associated Press Preseason All-America Team and earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors in the conference’s preseason poll ahead of his debut season. He already signed an endorsement deal with New Balance, and according to On3, his NIL valuation of $2.6 million leads all men’s college basketball players.

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Flagg averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks through his two offseason exhibition games against Arizona State and Lincoln. He makes his regular-season debut on Monday against Maine.

Duke vs. Kansas ranked as the best non-conference game of the college basketball season

College basketball analyst Andy Katz ranked his 10 best non-conference games of the 2024-25 season on Thursday, including three Duke games.

The Duke Blue Devils have one of the toughest non-conference schedules in the country this upcoming college basketball season, and people around the country are taking notice.

College basketball analyst Andy Katz released his ranking of the top 10 non-conference games for 2024-25 on Thursday, and Duke’s game against the Kansas Jayhawks took the top spot.

Thanks to top-ranked freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], Olympian 7-footer [autotag]Khaman Maluach[/autotag], and offseason darling [autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag], Duke’s stellar freshman class has the Blue Devils among the early favorites for the national championship. The Jayhawks, however, might be one of the only teams with better preseason odds as Kansas starts the year as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

Despite their 23-11 record and a second-round NCAA Tournament exit in 2023-24, the Jayhawks reloaded with Alabama Crimson Tide guard Rylan Griffen and Wisconsin Badgers guard AJ Storr from the transfer portal. With that duo paired with 7-footer Hunter Dickinson, who joined Flagg on the preseason AP All-America team, Kansas looks like a juggernaut.

The two powerhouse programs meet in Las Vegas on November 26.

The Blue Devils’ December 4 game against the Auburn Tigers, a part of the ACC/SEC Challenge, came in ninth on Katz’s list and their February battle with the Illinois Fighting Illini at Madison Square Garden finished out the list at tenth.

Auburn starts the year 11th in the coaches poll while Illinois will start the season as the No. 24 team.

Jay Bilas names Duke basketball freshman Cooper Flagg as a preseason All-American

From one Duke basketball star to another, Jay Bilas put Cooper Flagg on his Preseason All-American team on Thursday.

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.

Duke basketball doesn’t receive a first-place vote in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

USA TODAY Sports released its preseason men’s basketball coaches poll on Wednesday, and the Duke Blue Devils will start the year in fifth.

USA TODAY Sports released the initial preseason results of its coaches poll on Wednesday, and the Duke Blue Devils begin the 2024-25 season as a top-five team.

After last year’s run to the Elite Eight, head coach [autotag]Jon Scheyer[/autotag] lost 10 members of his rotation to the NBA, transfer portal, or expired eligibility. The turnaround in college basketball is always immediate, however, and the addition of top-ranked freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and three other five-stars have the Blue Devils on the short list of national championship favorites again.

7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach and Wisconsin native Kon Knueppel both sit within the top 10 NBA draft prospects, according to ESPN analyst Jonathan Givony, and Scheyer also lured three players with starting experience from the transfer portal. Mason Gillis reached the national championship game with Purde, and Maliq Brown led the ACC in effective field goal percentage with Syracuse.

Even with all of that talent, however, the Blue Devils did not receive a first-place vote among the 31 ballots. The Kansas Jayhawks sit atop the rankings after starting No. 1 on almost half of the preseason ballots. The Alabama Crimson Tide, Connecticut Huskies, and Houston Cougars all also start above Duke.

Check out the complete USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll below.

Rank School Last Year’s Record Points
1 Kansas 23-11 743 (15)
2 Alabama 25-12 718 (6)
3 Connecticut 37-3 717 (6)
4 Houston 32-5 698 (4)
5 Duke 27-9 625
6 Iowa State 29-8 591
7 Gonzaga 27-8 575
8 Baylor 24-11 545
9 Arizona 27-9 510
10 North Carolina 29-8 498
11 Auburn 27-8 465
12 Tennessee 27-9 437
13 Purdue 34-5 390
14 Creighton 25-10 342
15 Texas A&M 21-15 332
16 Arkansas 16-17 272
17 Marquette 27-10 268
18 Indiana 19-14 208
19 Texas 21-13 166
20 Cincinnati 22-15 163
21 Florida 24-12 130
22 UCLA 16-17 123
23 Kentucky 23-10 95
24 Illinois 29-9 87
25 Mississippi 20-12 66

Receiving Votes

Texas Tech 60; Rutgers 57; St. John’s 42; Xavier 26; Michigan State 25; Oregon 16; BYU 16; Kansas State 11; Saint Mary’s 9; Boise State 9; Clemson 8; Ohio State 7; Dayton 7; Maryland 4; Grand Canyon 3; Wake Forest 2; Virginia 2; San Diego State 2; Princeton 2; Mississippi State 2; Wisconsin 1

Duke basketball continues to secure a No. 1 seed in latest ESPN Bracketology

As one of six ACC teams in ESPN’s latest Bracketology, Duke is the best of the bunch with a No. 1 seed projection.

As the college basketball season approaches, ESPN bracket expert Joe Lunardi released another 2025 Bracketology prediction on Tuesday, and Duke was once again a No. 1 seed.

While Lunardi gave the Kansas Jayhawks the top overall seed, landing in the Midwest region, Duke starts atop the East region. The Alabama Crimson Tide (South) and Houston Cougars (West) were the two other No. 1 seeds.

A big reason for the projected success is five-star freshman and projected NBA No. 1 overall pick [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag], one of the most anticipated college basketball players of the last decade. However, it isn’t just him. The Blue Devils have three other five-star freshmen and two returning starters, plus some talent added through the transfer portal. Considering all of that, Duke has more than enough talent to take home a No. 1 seed in March.

If Lunardi’s prediction for the East proves prescient, Duke would have a potentially tough pull. The top team in the region behind them is the Connecticut Huskies, the reigning two-time national champions, with the Baylor Bears and Texas A&M Aggies in the third and fourth spots. To start, though, they’d face the winner of Howard vs. Wagner.

Aside from Duke, five other Atlantic Coast Conference teams secured spots The Miami Hurricanes kick things off by facing the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in a play-in game for an 11-seed. Additionally, the Pittsburgh Panthers take on VCU for a spot.

Following them, the Clemson Tigers are seeded No. 8 in the Midwest region, and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons hold the same seed in the South. The North Carolina Tar Heels, last year’s conference champions, are the third seed in the South. Notably, Louisville was one of the first four out.

Duke basketball now sits atop the 2025 recruiting rankings after third top-25 commitment

With four-star forward Nikolas Khamenia joining Duke’s 2025 recruiting class on Tuesday, the Blue Devils again sit atop the team rankings.

Through his first three years as the Duke basketball coach, it’s clear that Jon Scheyer exists in his own tier as a national recruiter.

Four-star forward Nikolas Khamenia, one of 247Sports’ top 20 players in the Class of 2025, committed to the Blue Devils on Tuesday over programs like the UCLA Bruins and Gonzaga Bulldogs.

His decision came less than two weeks after Cameron and Cayden Boozer, the twin sons of Duke basketball legend Carlos Boozer, also announced their decision to play for Scheyer in Durham instead of staying within their home state with the Miami Hurricanes or Florida Gators. The duo sits second and 21st on the site’s recruiting rankings, and they’re both considered five-star talents in the Composite Rankings.

When the three standouts all get added together, the Duke Blue Devils sit atop the 2025 team recruiting rankings.

Scheyer also finished first in the recruiting rankings for the Class of 2024, thanks to the talents of top-ranked freshman [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] and three other five-star talents, and the Class of 2022 headlined by Kyle Filipowski and Dereck Lively II. Even in the Class of 2023, Scheyer finished second because he pulled in sharpshooting five-star Jared McCain and returning starter Caleb Foster.

Overall, through four full recruiting classes as the Duke head coach, Scheyer has finished no worse than second in the team rankings with 13 five-star commitments. If history is any indication, Khamenia isn’t the last from the Class of 2025, either.