As basketball season approaches, the Blue Zone provides a detailed preview of each player on Duke men’s basketball’s 2024-25 roster. We’ve already looked at Cameron Sheffield, Patrick Ngongba II, Darren Harris, Isaiah Evans, Mason Gillis, Maliq Brown, Sion James, Caleb Foster, Khaman Maluach, Tyrese Proctor and Kon Knueppel. Last, but certainly not least, is freshman forward Cooper Flagg:

Year: Freshman

Height: 6-foot-9

Position: Forward

Last year’s stat line: N/A

Game breakdown: As the top recruit in the class of 2024 and the highest ranked high school player Duke has ever landed, Flagg enters his freshman season with sky-high expectations. The reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 blocks in his senior year at Montverde Academy, leading his team to a perfect 33-0 record and a national championship title. Flagg has already turned the heads of pro basketball executives, having been the only collegiate player to be a part of the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s Select Team which trained with the USA Basketball Men’s National Team as they prepared for the Paris Olympic Games. 

Flagg, who doesn’t turn 18 until December, is wise beyond his years on the court. He already demonstrates a rare level of IQ and processing speed, which allows him to be a quick decision maker and an excellent passer out of the post. The Newport, Maine native boasts impressive fluidity for his size, and can create shots for himself both around the rim and from beyond the arc. Standing at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot-plus wingspan, Flagg also has the ideal length and range to be a force defensively. Paired with his off-the-charts bounce and natural shot-blocking instincts, Flagg has the ability to take over any game purely on defense. All in all, the freshman is a preseason All-American selection for a reason, and has all the tools to back up the hype that will undoubtedly follow him all year long.

Role on the team: Flagg should be the cornerstone of an uber-talented Blue Devil team that has strong depth at all five positions. This positional flexibility, alongside Flagg’s immense versatility as a frontcourt player, will allow head coach Jon Scheyer to plug his superstar freshman into a multitude of different lineups depending on the matchup. Scheyer could play Flagg alongside transfer forward Maliq Brown and 7-foot-2 freshman center Khaman Maluach to give Duke’s defense absurd length and dominant rim protection, but also has the luxury of moving Flagg up to the four and surrounding him with three elite three-point shooters.