Cooper Flagg: Three Thoughts on Duke's Latest Commitment
Jon Scheyer got his man on Monday when Cooper Flagg, On3’s No. 1 player in the 2024 On3 150, committed to Duke. Flagg is the Blue Devil’s fourth commitment in the 2024 class, joining five-star small forward Isaiah Evans, four-star shooting guard Kon Knueppel, and four-star shooting guard Darren Harris.
Before Flagg’s commitment, Duke’s recruiting class for the 2024 cycle sat at No. 1 in On3’s Basketball Team Recruiting Rankings. Adding Flagg strengthened their position at the top. This 2024 class comes after a four-man 2023 class that ranked No. 2 in On3’s basketball Team Recruiting Rankings.
Let’s go through what Duke is getting in their latest commitment.
Who is Cooper Flagg?
Cooper Flagg is a 6-foot-8, 195-pound small forward, originally from Newport, Maine, and plays his high school basketball at Montverde (FL) Academy. Flagg chose Duke over a strong push from UConn.
The Five-Star Plus+ prospect earned Maine’s Gatorade Player of the Year as a freshman in 2021-22. Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, and 3.7 steals. He won a state championship for Newport (ME) Nokomis Regional.
That summer, Flagg earned a spot on the USA Basketball team. He won a gold medal in the FIBA World U17 Championships. Flagg led the team in rebounds (10.0), steals (2.4), and blocks (2.9) as one of only three 15-year-olds on the team.
With his Maine United team this past summer, Flagg led Nike’s EYBL E16 Circuit in points (26.9) and blocks (4.5) during the regular season. In his team’s run to the Peach Jam finals, Flagg averaged 25.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 6.9 blocks through the seven games.
“I’m a versatile big that can guard one through five, and I’m also a three-level scorer,” Flagg told On3
What does he bring to Duke?
Cooper Flagg is someone who affects the game across the board. Whether his player archetype is classified as a two-way wing or a play-making wing, up until this point, the 6-foot-8 Flagg firmly plants his fingerprints on the outcome of each game he plays.
You first notice his competitive fire. Flagg plays with an undeniable passion. He is very vocal on the floor, and always moving, on both ends, with or without the ball. Flagg’s defensive presence is what set him apart from his peers early.
Before the start of his sophomore year in high school, Flagg’s defensive presence was undeniable. With USA Basketball, playing up on the U17 team, he led the way in blocks and steals. As a sophomore with top-ten ranked Montverde (FL) Academy last season, Flagg led the team in steals and blocks. This summer, Flagg led the entire Nike EYBL Circuit – all age groups – in blocks. His 4.5 per game was more than a full block ahead of the next player.
Flagg has great length with natural athletic burst, but it is his timing that really stands out. Flagg is an instinctive off-ball rim protector, coming from his weak-side help position to swat shots into the stands. You see chase-down blocks, perimeter blocks, and even blocks where he is beaten off the bounce and stays with the play.
After the 2022 USA Basketball Junior National Team Training Camp last June, we wrote that Flagg showed shades of former NBA All-Star Andrei Kirilenko. Kirilenko was an all-star in 2004. He was twice named NBA All-Defense first-team, and the 6-foot-8 wing was always among the NBA’s leading shot blockers, leading the NBA in blocked shots (3.3) during the 2004-05 season. While this is not a one-to-one comparison, Flagg’s game continues to grow. Flagg’s ability on the defensive end of the floor is truly unique, with the ability to dictate the flow of play from that end of the floor.
Flagg is an efficient offensive player, playing within himself. He finds open spaces in the half-court, and is a good off-ball cutter. He scores efficiently, taking advantage of opportune moments his motor, athleticism, and IQ created
Flagg is showing comfort on the ball, initiating the offense, and getting to his spots in the half-court. He knows his comfort areas and gets there within two and three dribbles. His footwork gives him a confident array of go-tos and counters in the mid-to-high post.
Looking toward the highest levels of basketball, the wing position is one of the most coveted positions in the game. Ten of the top twenty highest-paid players in the NBA are classified as wings. Over his last 50 games played, high school and travel ball, Flagg shot 35.4 percent from three on 2.9 attempts per game. The continued development of his shot-making will be Flagg’s swing skill moving forward.
How does Flagg fit into the lineup?
Cooper Flagg is a wing, who can toggle some at the four if needed. How Duke’s rotations look next season depends a lot on who comes back and who stays in the NBA Draft. Looking at last year’s class, if all decide to come back, Jon Scheyer would have no issue inserting Flagg in a lineup that also included Jared McCain, Caleb Foster, TJ Power, and/or Sean Stewart.
Looking at the players Duke has committed in 2024, Flagg can play individually alongside Knueppel, Harris, and Evans. Because of positional redundancy, I will be interested if they have rotations that put all four players on the court at the same time.
Flagg’s skill set allows him to play in a lot of different looks. His defensive instincts clean up a lot of messes. Offensively, he is a very good passer and is not ball-dominant while being effective. His fit should be clean as he will allow Jon Scheyer to provide a number of different looks.
Flagg talks Duke
“When my mom first told me that Coach (Jon) Scheyer was about to call me, I was amazed,” Flagg said. “I was like ‘Wow, it’s really about to happen.’ It’s honestly a blessing and a result of all the hard work I’ve put in, and it’s shown me that it’s all paying off.”
“Growing up, Duke was always my dream school. I always looked up to all the Duke players, watched all their games, and stuff like that. I could see myself fitting in well with their play style. They have a lot of versatile guys so I think I’d fit in pretty well.”