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Cooper Flagg

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Cooper Flagg
No. 2 – Duke Blue Devils
PositionShooting guard / small forward
LeagueAtlantic Coast Conference
Personal information
Born (2006-12-21) December 21, 2006 (age 17)
Newport, Maine, U.S.
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeDuke (2024–present)
Career highlights and awards
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing the  United States
FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2022 Spain Team

Cooper Flagg (born December 21, 2006) is an American college basketball player for the Duke Blue Devils of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

A native of Newport, Maine, Flagg initially attended Nokomis Regional High School before transferring to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida after his freshman year. In his last year of high school at Montverde Academy, Flagg won multiple national player of the year honors and was rated the consensus top recruit in the 2024 class.

Early life

Flagg was born in Newport, Maine,[1] and initially attended Nokomis Regional High School.[2] He became the first freshman to be named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game.[3] Nokomis won the Class A state championship with Flagg scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 43–27 win against Falmouth High School in the state final.[4]

Flagg transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, at the end of his freshman year of high school.[5] Prior to the beginning of his first year at the school, he played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) for the Florida Eagles, an Amateur Athletic Union team affiliated with Montverde.[6][7] Flagg was named the MVP of the 2023 Hoophall Classic after scoring 21 points with five steals, five rebounds, and three assists in Montverde's 85–63 victory over La Lumiere Academy.[8] He also was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award.[9] Flagg averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and three assists per game in his first season at Montverde.[10] After the season, he played for Maine United in the EYBL and averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 6.9 blocks in seven games at the Peach Jam tournament.[11][12] Flagg reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class after his sophomore year.[13]

Flagg was selected to play in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Boys Game.[14] On March 27, 2024, He was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year.[15][16] Flagg was also named Mr. Basketball USA and the Naismith Prep Player of the Year.[17][18] He finished the season averaging 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game during his final high school season while leading the Eagles to a perfect 34–0 record and the program's eighth National title.[19]

Recruiting

Flagg was ranked the third-best prospect in the 2025 recruiting class following the conclusion of his freshman season.[20][21] He re-ranked as the class's second-best recruit in August 2022 following his performance in the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.[22] Flagg received his first NCAA Division I scholarship offer from Bryant while in the eighth grade.[23]

Flagg reclassified to the class of 2024 during the summer after his sophomore year.[13] On October 30, 2023, Flagg verbally committed to play for Duke after also considering an offer from UConn.[24][25] He had initially planned to announce his commitment on October 27, but pushed it back in the aftermath of the 2023 Lewiston shootings in his home state of Maine.[26] Flagg signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Blue Devils on November 8, 2023, during the early signing period.[27] Flagg finished as the highest rated recruit in the 2024 class.[28]

College recruiting information
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
Cooper Flagg
SF 		Newport, ME Montverde Academy (FL) 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) 200 lb (91 kg) Oct 30, 2023 
Star ratings: Rivals:5/5 stars   247Sports:5/5 stars    ESPN:5/5 stars   ESPN grade: 97
Overall recruiting rankings:   Rivals: 1  247Sports: 1  ESPN: 1
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "Duke 2024 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  • "2024 Duke Blue Devils Recruiting Class". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
  • "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.

College career

Flagg enrolled at Duke University in June 2024 in order to take part in the Blue Devils' summer practices.[29]

National team career

Flagg played for the United States under-17 basketball team at the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup.[30] He was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 9.3 points, 10 rebounds, 2.9 blocked shots, and 2.4 steals per game as the United States won the gold medal.[31] Flagg scored 10 points with 17 rebounds, eight steals, and four blocked shots in a 79–67 win over Spain in the final.[32] He was named the 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year for his performance in the Under-17 World Cup and is the youngest player to win the award.[33][34]

Flagg was named to the USA Select Team to practice with the United States men's national team in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[35]

Personal life

Flagg's mother Kelly played college basketball at Maine, where she was a team captain as a senior.[36][37] His father, Ralph, played NJCAA basketball at Eastern Maine Community College.[38] Flagg has a fraternal twin brother, Ace, who was a teammate at Nokomis, transferred to Montverde,[39] and has since verbally committed to play at Maine starting in 2025–26.[40] Flagg's older brother Hunter was also a Nokomis basketball player and was a senior when the former was a freshman.[41] His family relocated from Newport to Florida after he and his twin brother transferred to Montverde Academy.[42]

Flagg signed a shoe deal with New Balance prior to the start of his freshman year at Duke.[43] He also became the first men's college basketball player to be sponsored by Gatorade.[44]

References

  1. ^ Manoj, Kenneth (January 12, 2024). "Cooper Flagg returns to Hoophall: Learn more about the Maine-born basketball phenom". Mass Live. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  2. ^ Levinsky, Greg (July 6, 2022). "A 6–8 freshman from Maine is the nation's third-ranked basketball prospect in the Class of 2025". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  3. ^ "Cooper Flagg named Gatorade Maine boys basketball player of the year". The Portland Press Herald. March 16, 2022. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  4. ^ Craig, Steve (March 5, 2022). "Boys' basketball: Cooper Flagg leads Nokomis to its first state championship". The Portland Press Herald. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  5. ^ Bonifant, Drew (March 29, 2022). "Twins Cooper, Ace Flagg to leave Nokomis High for Florida prep school". Kennebec Journal. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  6. ^ Jordan, Jason (July 21, 2022). "Flagg Pushing Past the Top Spot at Nike Peach Jam". SI.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  7. ^ Bonifant, Drew (March 15, 2022). "Nokomis freshmen Ace and Cooper Flagg to compete in nationally renowned basketball league". Kennebec Journal. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  8. ^ Nutter, Greg (January 14, 2023). "Montverde Academy's Cooper Flagg proud to represent Maine at Hoophall Classic: 'It's a great feeling". MassLive.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "Maine high school basketball star up for top national award". WABI.tv. February 3, 2023. Archived from the original on February 20, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2023.
  10. ^ Bass, Tobias (August 11, 2023). "Cooper Flagg, top NBA Draft prospect, reclassifies to Class of 2024: How it impacts draft expectations". The Athletic. Archived from the original on August 11, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  11. ^ Peek, Krysten (July 5, 2023). "Peach Jam: Cooper Flagg, Maine United upset Cameron Boozer, Nightrydas". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  12. ^ Fanta, John (October 25, 2023). "Top-ranked recruit Cooper Flagg reportedly set to announce commitment this week". Fox Sports. Retrieved November 16, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Borzello, Jeff (August 11, 2023). "Cooper Flagg reclassifies, could be top 2025 NBA pick". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on August 12, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  14. ^ Borzello, Jeff (January 23, 2024). "Duke commit Cooper Flagg tops McDonald's All American Game rosters". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  15. ^ "Star Duke commit Cooper Flagg wins Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year". Fox Sports. March 29, 2024. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  16. ^ "2023-2024 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year". Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  17. ^ Giles, Matt (May 4, 2024). "Duke Basketball: Blue Devils Add Another Mr. Basketball USA". SI.com. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  18. ^ "Basketball: Cooper Flagg named Naismith Player of the Year". The Portland Press Herald. March 8, 2024. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Baxley, Rodd (April 14, 2024). "What Duke basketball's Cooper Flagg, Blue Devils recruits did in Nike Hoop Summit game". Fayetteville Observer. Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Clark, Ernie (April 21, 2022). "Cooper Flagg ranked No. 3 high school freshman basketball player in the country by ESPN". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  21. ^ Roberts, Ben (July 24, 2022). "Cooper Flagg and top Kentucky basketball recruiting links". Lexington Herald Leader. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  22. ^ Robinson, Adam (June 23, 2022). "ESPN's Fran Fraschilla says Cooper Flagg is 'possibly on the verge of stardom'". Sun Journal. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  23. ^ Clark, Ernie (August 3, 2021). "A 6-foot-7 Newport basketball star has a college scholarship offer. He just finished 8th grade". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  24. ^ Borzello, Jeff (October 30, 2023). "Projected top pick in '25 NBA draft Cooper Flagg commits to Duke". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  25. ^ Marks, Brendan (October 30, 2023). "Cooper Flagg's commitment proves Duke basketball's staying power under Jon Scheyer". The Athletic. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  26. ^ Wood, Trent (October 26, 2023). "Cooper Flagg was supposed to announce his college decision this week. Now he wants the focus on supporting victims of Lewiston shooting". Deseret News. Retrieved October 30, 2023.
  27. ^ Stewart, Bill (November 8, 2023). "Cooper Flagg signs National Letter of Intent to play basketball at Duke". Kennebec Journal. Retrieved November 14, 2023.
  28. ^ "Cooper Flagg-Industry Comparison". On3.com. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  29. ^ Rowe, Adam (June 20, 2024). "First Look: Cooper Flagg in action with Duke Basketball". 247Sports.com. Retrieved June 24, 2024.
  30. ^ Givony, Jonathan (July 19, 2022). "Cooper Flagg's rise, D.J. Wagner's struggles and other takeaways from FIBA U17s". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  31. ^ Mandell, Mike (July 13, 2022). "Sidelines: After striking gold with U17 national basketball team, Cooper Flagg receives warm homecoming". Kennebec Journal. Archived from the original on November 14, 2022. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  32. ^ "Sports Digest: Flagg finishes just shy of triple-double as U.S. wins U17 Basketball World Cup". The Portland Press Herald. July 10, 2022. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  33. ^ Robinson, Adam (December 21, 2022). "Cooper Flagg named USA Basketball's Male Athlete of the Year". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on December 22, 2022. Retrieved December 21, 2022.
  34. ^ Giles, Matt (December 23, 2022). "Five-star Duke basketball recruiting target wins huge national honor". SI.com. Archived from the original on December 25, 2022. Retrieved December 25, 2022.
  35. ^ Vardon, Joe (June 28, 2024). "Cooper Flagg headlines select team that will practice against Team USA during Olympic training camp". The Athletic. Retrieved June 28, 2024.
  36. ^ Kahn, Andrew (April 29, 2022). "Michigan basketball offers scholarship to a top high school freshman". MLive.com. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  37. ^ Robinson, Adam (November 16, 2022). "Cooper Flagg's mom gives her son basketball tips over Twitter". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on November 17, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
  38. ^ Canfield, Sam (October 2, 2023). "The impossible rise of Cooper Flagg". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on October 7, 2023. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  39. ^ Clark, Ernie (March 31, 2022). "Flagg twins' quest for improvement is not an indictment of Maine high school basketball". Bangor Daily News. Archived from the original on November 11, 2022. Retrieved November 11, 2022.
  40. ^ Medcalf, Myron (October 30, 2024). "Ace Flagg, brother of Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, commits to Maine". ESPN.com. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  41. ^ Rogers, Sam (February 22, 2022). "Three Maine brothers are three wins away from achieving childhood dream". newscentermaine.com. Archived from the original on November 15, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
  42. ^ Marks, Brendan (February 2, 2024). "Cooper Flagg and the small New England town that raised basketball's brightest young star". The Athletic. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
  43. ^ Wojnarowski, Adrian (August 26, 2024). "Duke's Cooper Flagg signs New Balance shoe endorsement deal". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 4, 2024.
  44. ^ Medcalf, Myron (October 29, 2024). "Rising star, Duke freshman Cooper Flagg inks deal with Gatorade". ESPN.com. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
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