"People will find out": Amid his own rising hype, 17-YO Cooper Flagg makes his opinion of Duke teammates very clear
Duke super freshman Cooper Flagg has proven to be a team player, giving props to his teammates despite the massive hype surrounding him weeks before the Blue Devils start their 2024-25 college basketball campaign.
In an interview with Duke Student Broadcasting during the Countdown to Craziness event, Flagg hyped up his teammates, pointing out that they're already a cohesive unit ahead of the new season.
"It's an incredible group of guys on and off the court. We have a ton of great personalities. Everybody is gelling really well. I'm getting to know everybody so an incredible group of guys and people will find out," Cooper Flagg said in an interview with Duke Student Broadcasting that was also posted on Instagram.
Flagg added that he's living his dream of playing for the five-time national champions, describing the moment as "surreal."
"I think watching Duke growing up it's something that I was able to imagine and dream about. So just to be here is really surreal," he said.
Flagg is the No. 1-ranked prospect in the Class of 2024. The 17-year-old Montverde Academy standout hopes to lead Duke to its first national crown in nine years and the first in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era.
ACC names Cooper Flagg as Preseason Rookie of the Year
With almost three weeks before Duke makes its season debut, the Atlantic Coast Conference placed further emphasis on its much-talked-about freshman prospect by naming Cooper Flagg as the Preseason Rookie of the Year on Tuesday.
The preseason accolade is big proof that Flagg is the man to watch in the ACC, lifting the Blue Devils' status as one of the top contenders for the NCAA crown.
However, the team isn't just centered on the 6-foot-9 incoming freshman, as Jon Scheyer has assembled possibly the best team in his stint as Duke coach. Aside from Flagg, the Blue Devils secured the commitments of five-star small forward Kon Knueppel, guard Isaiah Evans, center Patrick Ngongba II and South Sudanese 7-foot-1 prospect Khaman Maluach.
They also have returning sophomore guards Caleb Foster and Tyrese Proctor and transfer graduating seniors Sion James and Mason Gillis reinforcing the young team, ranked seventh in the preseason AP poll behind Kansas, Alabama, UConn, Houston, Iowa State and Gonzaga.
Duke is scheduled to play tuneup games against Lincoln on Oct. 19 and Arizona State on Oct. 27 before playing Maine in its first non-conference regular season outing on Nov. 4.
Will Cooper Flagg lead Duke to its first national title since 2015? Let's know your insights in the comments section below: