Cooper Flagg moves into No. 1 spot in 2025 On3 150 expansion and update

On3 updated its class of 2025 rankings and expanded the list from 75 to 150 names. Small forward Cooper Flagg of Montverde (FL) Academy is the name at the top of the list, re-taking the No. 1 spot back from Cameron Boozer.

The 6-foot-8 wing is one of five Five Star Plus+ players in the 2025 class. The Five Star Plus+ is an indicator that the player is rated as a five-star prospect across all four major recruiting websites. This is the second update, not consecutive, of the 2025 On3 150 that Flagg has held the No. 1 overall spot.

As we have mentioned since first ranking this class, this conversation between players at the top of the 2025 class should remain for the remainder of the cycle. While, in our eyes, the choice of making Flagg No. 1 was not a difficult decision at this point in the cycle, the interesting part is there are other players who have entered the tier. 

For the previous two updates, the conversation for No. 1 centered around two players, Cooper Flagg, and Cameron Boozer. For the third cycle, we feel that this top tier is close to expanding to six. While Flagg and Boozer are still at the top, Darryn Peterson, Caleb Wilson, Meleek Thomas, and Jayden Quaintance are close to inserting their names into the discussion. 

Our goal is to assess a prospect’s long-term potential, ultimately manifested by the NBA Draft. The goal of the ranking is not to assess who had the best high school career or who will be the best college player. This is why we shoot to end each cycle having 14 five-star prospects following the lead of the NBA Draft Lottery. Ideally, the vision is on draft night; the player we have at No. 1 has the highest odds of being the top overall pick.

Let’s discuss the thought process behind making Cooper Flagg On3’s No. 1 player at this point in the 2025 cycle.

The 2025 On3 150

Flagg’s production is evident

Cooper Flagg started every game this season for a 23-3 Montverde (FL) Academy program that was one of the top teams in the country. On a team with 11 players carrying high major offers, Flagg finished top three in points, rebounds, and assists for the season while leading the way in steals (1.6) and blocks (2.2) per game. 

Last summer, Flagg won a gold medal with the u17 USA Basketball team in the FIBA World Cup. In that setting, Flagg, one of the three youngest players on the team, was sixth on the team in minutes played per game, yet he led the team in rebounds (10.0), steals (2.4), and blocks (2.9).

This summer, playing for the Maine United program on Nike’s EYBL 16u Circuit, Flagg is averaging 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 4.5 blocks per game. He is leading the 16u circuit in blocks while finishing the regular season second in scoring and rebounds. He is shooting 55.3 percent from the field.

Flagg, who was the 2021-22 Maine Gatorade Player of the Year as a freshman, has consistently produced at each level, on both ends of the floor, elevating his team and winning awards since he entered high school. 

The bloodlines

Cooper Flagg comes from a basketball family. He has a twin brother, Ace Flagg, a D1 recruit who plays high school and travel ball with Cooper. His dad, Ralph Flagg, played college ball at Eastern Maine Community College. 

Flagg’s mother, Kelly (Bowman) Flagg, also played college basketball. During her four seasons playing at Maine, they won four consecutive conference championships. Flagg’s mother was the team captain of the 1999 Maine team that upset Stanford in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Flagg’s player archetype

The most common name heard in reference to Cooper Flagg is Andrei Kirilenko. When you watch Flagg, you can see shades of Kirilenko in his game. The efficiency Flagg plays with on the offensive end, coupled with possessing game-changing defensive attributes, is reminiscent of the former Utah Jazz wing.

In his prime, Kirilenko was a solid free throw shooter and a reliable three-point shooter. He scores in an efficient manner, taking advantage of opportune moments his motor, athleticism, and IQ created. Flagg, like Kirilenko, is an efficient offensive player, playing within himself, finding open spaces in the half-court, and is a good off-ball cutter.

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, possessing a confident array of go-tos and counters in the mid-to-high post.

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, and 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.

A look across the landscape of today’s NBA, and you see the value of having game-changing wings. Ten of the top 20 paid players in the NBA are wings. Whether it is the play-making wing or the two-way wing, many of the NBA’s best teams are anchored from the wing position. Flagg fits the archetype.