Cooper Flagg does not like the attention, Duke HC Jon Scheyer reveals amid freshman’s hype
Cooper Flagg emerged as the top prospect in the Class of 2024 despite reclassifying from the Class of 2025. Becoming the top recruit in the Duke Blue Devils' 2024 recruiting class is bound to draw attention, which head coach Jon Scheyer admitted the teenager is not a fan of.
During the Blue Devils' preseason media day on Sept. 27, Scheyer took the opportunity to address the attention and hype surrounding Flagg. He appreciated the teenager's work ethic and his dedication to becoming a better player amid all the attention he gets.
"You know, with Cooper, I don't know if we've ever had a 17-year-old with as much attention around him," Scheyer said. "And a lot of it rightfully so, like the high school career he's had and what he's done. But, we talk about all the things we can control and that's our focus.
"Cooper has done an amazing job of coming to practice to work every day. I don't think he likes the attention, to be honest. I think he's about, wants to be like all the other guys in terms of not caring about the attention, wanting to win, wanting to compete. And he's done a great job of setting the tone for that," he added.
Cooper Flagg receives seal of approval from LeBron James
Winning the endorsement of NBA legend LeBron James demands nothing short of extraordinary talent. Cooper Flagg seems to be one of those extraordinary talents, as the four-time NBA champion believes he could become a valuable asset for Team USA in the future.
"You have Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum; you have Paolo Banchero and Chet Holmgren, these young guys coming up in the ranks; Cooper Flagg, who's going to be a big-time player here for Team USA down the road," James said via Esquire.com. "So yeah, absolutely. There's a lot of great young talent that's going to want to strive to be an Olympian."
Flagg impressed for the USA Select Team during a scrimmage against Team USA before the 2024 Paris Olympics on July 8. He impressed the best of the best in the NBA, with Kevin Durant admitting Flagg "looks like a hell of a player" following Team USA's narrow 74-73 victory.
Flagg, who won the Gatorade National Player of the Year and the Naismith Player of the Year Awards, has the potential to become one of the most successful freshmen in Blue Devils history.