Who is Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 prospect in high school basketball?

While Duke is no stranger to landing top-tier recruits, it would be fair to say that in the native of Newport, Maine, they have found a truly special talent and one that is likely to significantly increase the program’s chances of securing its first title since the 2014-15 season.

So, who is Cooper Flagg?

At 6-foot-8 and weighing in at 200 pounds, what we can start by saying is that Cooper Flagg is not a small guy. As mentioned before, Flagg recently committed to Duke which means he is the first No. 1 ranked recruit to be acquired by the Blue Devils’ new coach, Jon Scheyer. Now in case you’re not convinced, it’s worth noting that Flagg is one of just six players since 2000 to be the unanimous No. 1 ranked recruit across all major online recruiting services. Who were the other five? Chet Holmgren (2021 - Gonzaga), RJ Barrett (2018 - Duke), Andrew Wiggins (2013 - Kansas), Greg Oden (2006 - Ohio State), Dwight Howard (2004 - Pro), and LeBron James (2003 - Pro). That’s not bad company to keep.

OK, but what about Cooper Flagg’s game?

Before we get to the details, it should be stated up front that Flagg is as skilled as he is versatile and is without doubt an impact player on both ends of the floor. With his size, length, and athleticism he’s already shown an uncanny ability to hit tough shots, attack the rim, create for his teammates, and rebound and block. Indeed, many of his blocks have been automatic inclusions in highlight reels, and that’s before we get to his positioning and spatial awareness.

Yet, that’s just the description. When it comes to the numbers, Cooper Flagg is more than impressive. While playing with the Maine United AAU program this summer, Flagg posted an unbelievable 25.4 points, 13.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 6.9 blocks per game while shooting 46.2% from the field and 34.4% from beyond the arc. In the seven games that he played at Nike Peach Jam, he posted three triple-doubles (points, rebounds, and blocks). “He’s just getting better and better, he’s very versatile,” Montverde coach Kevin Boyle said when speaking of Flagg. “Obviously, he’s a tremendous athlete with a high upside. He’s starting to shoot the ball better, he’s starting to become much better in one-on-one scenarios, so he’s really grown in the last six months in that area of his game. I think he’s going to be a great college player and has a chance to be a great pro player as well.”