IN PHOTOS: No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg rocks Duke jersey during intense practice session with Mark Pope’s team
Duke's Instagram handle on Wednesday posted the first look at the blue jersey of its most hyped prospect for the upcoming season, Cooper Flagg, during a practice session. He will be joining other stars in the program like Tyrese Proctor, Mason Gillis and Caleb Foster for the 2024-25 season.
"FIRST LOOK," the caption said.
The No. 1-ranked prospect in the 2024 class by 247Sports, Flagg went to Nokomis Regional in Newport, Maine, where he averaged 20.5 points per game. He led his high school team to the Class A state championship and was named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year.
Cooper Flagg then joined Montverde (Florida) Academy. The semifinalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the Year (2023), Flagg averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in his first season for Monteverde.
247Sports analyst Travis Branham talked about Flagg when the ranking was released as he was impressed with his talent and effort level.
"The Top Dog superlative goes out to the most competitive player in the class. But in this case, it was also awarded to the best player in the class, Cooper Flagg," Branham said.
"Whether it's been with winning gold with USA Basketball, leading his team into the Peach Jam Final or going undefeated in high school, Flagg has been dominant and consistent in every situation."
Cooper Flagg's spectacular high school record has made him the most famous among all the top college recruits. It was also suggested that he should be picked for the Olympics even before his debut and should be playing alongside legends like LeBron James and Stephen Curry.
Flagg concluded his high school journey by securing the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award (2024) and was also named Mr. Basketball USA. He averaged 16.4 ppg, 7.5 rpg and 3.8 apg in his final high school season in which he led the Eagles to a 34-0 season.
Duke expected to secure national title with Cooper Flagg
After securing the services of the top prospects in the nation, Duke will be starting the 2024-25 season as the top contender for the national title. The Blue Devils started the 2024 March Madness journey strong but lost their Elite Eight matchup against NC State.
After the season, seven players entered the transfer portal in moves linked with the arrival of Cooper Flagg. Duke coach Jon Scheyer also bought Maliq Brown, Sion James and Mason Gillis during the offseason transfers.
All of these players, combined with No.3 overall prospect Khaman Maluach and returnees Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, have landed Duke's roster with the highest possibility of winning the 2025 NCAA Tournament.