No. 1-ranked recruit Flagg chooses Duke
Maine native basketball star headlines Blue Devils’ class
Cooper Flagg, the top-ranked high school basketball senior in the country and a native of Newport, Maine, announced his commitment to Duke on Monday.
Flagg announced his commitment with an appearance on the cover of SLAM magazine, as the marquee name headlining a huge recruitment class for Duke coach Jon Scheyer in his second season replacing Mike Krzyzewski.
Flagg reclassified to the 2024 high school class over the summer and is now eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft. He made an official visit to Duke this past weekend prior to his decision.
A 6-foot-9-inch wing, Flagg has earned his No. 1 billing with his unique versatility on both ends of the court. He averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 6.9 blocks, and 5.7 assists at the prestigious Nike Peach Jam for his AAU team, Maine United, over the summer. Flagg’s defensive instincts are otherworldly for a young player, and he plays with an attacking style on offense while his jump shot continues to improve.
Flagg attended Nokomis Regional High as a freshman and led the school to its first boys’ basketball state championship in 2022. He earned Maine Gatorade Player of the Year honors that season, the first freshman to win the award, and averaged 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals and 3.7 blocks per game.
Flagg and his twin brother, Ace, then transferred to Montverde Academy, a Florida prep school that routinely develops NBA-caliber talent. Seventeen players on 2023 opening night NBA rosters attended the school. Flagg averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in just 17.8 minutes per game as a sophomore, including a 21-point performance at the HoopHall Classic in Springfield last January.
Montverde Academy will make a special trip to Flagg’s home state to play two teams in Portland on Jan. 5-6. He will also face Prolific Prep star AJ Dybantsa, the topranked junior in the nation and a Brockton native, in the 2024 HoopHall Classic.
Flagg joins a loaded Duke 2024 recruiting class that includes Isaiah Evans (ranked No. 8 by ESPN), Kon Knueppel (No. 22) and Darren Harris (No. 45). Should he hold the No. 1 spot in his class, he’ll be the first top-ranked senior to attend Duke since Dereck Lively II in 2022.