Maine’s Cooper Flagg, the nation’s top college basketball prospect, commits to Duke
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“After I got on campus, I really started to envision myself in Durham.”
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Cooper Flagg has committed to play college basketball at Duke, he announced Monday.
The Maine native is the No. 1 high school basketball player in the country, according to the 247Sports Composite. He has a long list of offers, but ultimately chose Duke over UConn.
“Ever since I was a little kid, I always dreamed of playing Division I basketball at the highest level,” Flagg said in his commitment video, published by Slam Magazine. “Basketball has always been ingrained in me thanks to my mom and dad. Growing up in Maine, I had to work twice as hard to gain the respect and recognition of the basketball world.”
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 6.9 blocks, and 5.7 assists at Peach Jam on the Nike EYBL Circuit this summer while playing for AAU team Maine United.
Flagg was named Maine Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year as a freshman after leading Nokomis Regional High to its first state championship in 2022.
He and his twin brother Ace later transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida. He averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks in 17.8 minutes per game during his sophomore year.
Flagg, who was originally in the Class of 2025, decided to reclassify to the Class of 2024 this summer and head to college a year early. ESPN’s Jeff Borzello called Flagg “the favorite” to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
“After I got on campus, I really started to envision myself in Durham,” Flagg said. “All the love I felt made me really excited, seeing all the Crazies and the atmosphere in Cameron. I’m honored that I have the opportunity to join the brotherhood.”
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