No. 1 recruit Cooper Flagg reveals one thing he’s most looking forward to at Duke
Cooper Flagg, the consensus No. 1 recruit in the class of 2024, will don the Duke Blue Devils' jersey in the upcoming season. He also considered an offer from UConn before verbally committing to Duke in 2023.
In an interview with GQ Sports, Flagg was asked about one thing he looks forward to at Duke.
"I think just playing at Cameron," Flagg replied. "That's an atmosphere that's hard to find. I've heard so much about it, and I'm really excited. I can't wait to get on the court and play in front of that type of crowd."
Flagg was reclassified to the class of 2024 after his sophomore year in high school. He played for Montverde Academy in his final year of high school and was named the National High School Player of the Year. He was the only freshman to win Gatorade Player of the Year and averaged 16.4 ppg last season.
Ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Flagg also participated in the Team USA basketball camp. He had enthusiasts discuss his place on the Olympic team with his performance. His video of making a 3-pointer over Anthony Davis went viral.
GQ Sports also asked him about his nerves after playing against players like Davis and Jrue Holiday, to which he replied:
"The nerves were definitely high!" Flagg replied. "I was pretty nervous to be in that environment and play against that level of players. Once I got on the court, all the nerves kind of went away. That's how it's kind of always been for me."
"Once I start playing, the pressure and the nerves and whatever I'm thinking about goes away. I'm able to just lock in and play. That's a difference maker I think, being able to forget about everything and just play basketball. But I definitely had some nerves going into it," he added.
College Hoops Insider talks about Cooper Flagg to be on the Team USA
The USA Basketball roster participating in the Paris Olympics saw two-time champion Kawhi Leonard backing out from the tournament. Boston Celtic's Derrick White will be filling in for him.
However, college basketball insider Cameron Salerno expressed his desire to have Cooper Flagg in Team USA to understand his true potential.
"Had [Cooper] Flagg been the pick to replace [Kawhi] Leonard, it could've given basketball fans around the world a small taste of why he could be the best player in the sport during the 2024-25 college basketball season," Salerno said (via CBS Sports).
Flagg is under the scrutiny of many basketball scouts and coaches due to his understanding of the game. It won't be long before he will make headlines in college basketball and the NBA.