“I think he’ll be the best player in college”. This is the initial reflection of former Blue Devil freshman Jared McCain when he caught a glimpse of the immense potential of the latest Duke commit, Cooper Flagg. Perhaps this is the reason why he is not only considered the next big thing after Zion Williamson for the basketball program but also a top-tier choice for the 2025 NBA drafts. But, how is the 17-year-old soaking in the moment? As it turns out, the sports edition of the international monthly men’s magazine GQ seems to have some answers.

The 2024 McDonald’s All-American interacted with Matthew Roberson earlier this month to talk about the sublime turn of events this past summer. However, it wasn’t all about his spectacular high school impact that spanned across the opposite ends of the Eastern Seaboard. Cooper Flagg said, “It’s been great! I’m coming off a long high school season. I think we played close to 40 games, so I got a little downtime now. Spent a little time with my family, took a vacation in Cancun.”

Flagg averaged 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 3.9 assists across 31 games the past season while leading the Montverde Academy to a perfect 30-0. Following it up with McDonald’s All-American, Jordan Brand Classic squad, and Nike Hoop Summit, Flagg joins the Blue Devils as the No. 1 recruit in his class. From the looks of it, the 6 ft 9 in forward is looking forward to justifying all the hype generated by him.

“I got to Duke, got to meet all my teammates and started summer workouts. It’s been really good to kick things off out there and prepare for the season. It’s time to ramp it back up and start preparing more and more,” he said, speaking of the experiences revolving around his commitment.

As he sets to join, what is being called, one of the best recruiting classes, Cooper Flagg has just another proud moment to carry with him.

The ascent to greatness for Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg found himself on the elite list this summer when he joined the likes of LeBron James and Jayson Tatum to be adjudged the the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year. Subsequently, he disclosed what exactly transpired when the official news broke in.

“We had finished Montverde practice, and then Paolo Banchero from the Magic came to our gym. He brought the trophy out after practice and surprised me,” Cooper Flagg recalled  what was the atmosphere like on him winning the distinctive honor. He then spared a thought or two on what it meant to him. Flagg subsequently expressed, “The list of former Gatorade Best Players of the Year speaks for itself. It’s special to put my name next to theirs”. 

Many would believe that Cooper Flagg has what it takes to provide substantial answers to Duke’s upcoming challenges. It will be interesting to see if he can match his high school prowess at the college basketball level. Only time will tell what the future holds for this phenomenal talent.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.