Cooper Flagg is gearing up for his first season at Duke, where he is poised to make a significant impact on the program.
Before officially joining the Duke basketball team this summer, Flagg has been elevating his game. He spent a week in Durham at the K Academy, training alongside most of the current roster. After his stint in Durham, Flagg returned to Florida and is set to report back for summer workouts later this month.
Flagg, the No. 1 overall recruit, showcased his skills at Montverde Academy (Fla.) this weekend. He was joined by one of the academy’s best-ever players and Duke’s former freshman superstar, RJ Barrett.
Videos shared by Montverde Academy’s social media accounts show Flagg hitting a mid-range jumper over Barrett and executing a fadeaway from the free-throw line.
Both Flagg and Barrett share remarkable similarities in their high school careers at Montverde Academy. Each was considered the top prospect in their respective recruiting classes and won the National High School Player of the Year award as seniors.
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RJ Barrett continued his success at Duke, winning the Jerry West Award as the nation’s best shooting guard during his freshman season. He was also a consensus First Team All-American and a First Team All-ACC selection. Barrett, originally from Canada, was the No. 3 overall pick in the NBA Draft by the New York Knicks and was traded to the Toronto Raptors this season. He averaged 18.2 points per game in 26 games with the Knicks and posted 21.8 points in 32 games with the Raptors.
Flagg is anticipated to follow in Barrett’s footsteps, with expectations to become the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and to lead Duke to a National Championship, a feat the program hasn’t achieved since 2015.
Like Barrett, Flagg will join Duke alongside the No. 1 recruiting class in the country and will face a challenging non-conference schedule early in his career.
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