Is Cooper Flagg going to Duke? Exploring potential landing spots for the 16-year-old Peach Jam Star
Cooper Flagg introduced himself to the basketball world in style at the Peach Jam with three consecutive 30-point games and a defensive nous that elevates him to one of the top prospects in his class.
Flagg's move to Montverde Academy, Florida, from Nokomis Regional High School, Maine, was seen as a move to position him for the jump to an elite program.
He is the class of 2025's No. 2 ranked prospect, according to ESPN, and the hype around him seems to have a life of its own. Recently, he has been linked with a move to the Duke Blue Devils, a program he has supported since he was a child.
Analyst and journalist, Rob Cassidy of the Rivals Roundtable, shared news about Cooper and his possible recruitment by the Duke Blue Devils.
"It has long seemed as though Cooper Flagg was going to land at Duke. Reclassification rumors have also found their way into the Flagg-to-Duke buzz, as some think [he] could join the Blue Devils as part of the 2024 class. There seem to be very few other serious players in Flagg's recruitment, which seems strange for such a high-profile prospect. Things change on a dime in recruiting, obviously, but I feel OK saying I expect Jon Scheyer to land his top target unless a professional league makes some sort of massive move in the coming months."
It's speculated that Flagg might reclassify to the class of 2024, joining the Blue Devils early to try and be eligible for the 2025 draft. It is thought that he will be a one-and-done player, making him eligible for the 2025 draft.
As it stands, Duke is the only program in the running for Flagg's signature.
The fight for the top prospect is between Flagg and Cameron Boozer of Christopher Columbus High School, Florida. They might team up before then for the Blue Devils, with Jon Scheyer also angling to sign Cameron and his twin, Cayden Boozer.
16-year-old Cooper Flagg continues to put up unreal numbers at @NikeEYB Peach Jam!
34 PTS, 20 REB, 10 BLK, 5 AST
37 PTS, 12 REB, 10 BLK, 6 AST
38 PTS, 16 REB, 12 BLK, 6 AST https://t.co/WXZFjALWkR
The Cooper Flagg hype continues to make headlines
Cooper Flagg was the 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year, and his career has only gone from strength to strength since then. He's the youngest winner of the award since it was established in 1980.
His exploits for Team USA at the FIBA Men's U17 World Cup in 2022, where he was the youngest player, made scouts sit up and take notice. He averaged 9.3 points, 2.4 steals, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks at the tournament. Looking at the current scenario, the 16-year-old talent might incline towards Michigan, Georgia, UCLA, and UConn, apart from Duke, on his wishlist.
The Flagg hype train doesn't seem to be slowing down, and social media went bananas when LeBron James was pictured talking to him post-game at the Pearl Jam.
LeBron and Cooper Flagg 🤞 https://t.co/QDbZqkxnx5
It will definitely be interesting to watch the careers of Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer unfold. It would be doubly interesting if that were to happen as teammates for the Duke Blue Devils.