High school basketball phenom Cooper Flagg announced Friday that he is reclassifying to the Class of 2024 after a standout summer performing in front of college coaches and talent evaluators. Flagg was previously a member of the Class of 2025 but is expediting his potential path to the NBA by reclassifying.
With a December 2006 birthday, Flagg is narrowly old enough for the 2025 NBA Draft, and the decision to jump a class will position him to pursue that option. He would need to play college basketball during the 2024-25 season — or otherwise be one year removed from high school — in order to be draft-eligible in 2025 under NBA rules.
A five-star power forward, Flagg ranked No. 2 in the Class of 2025 and will be ranked the No. 1 prospect in the Class of 2024, according to 247Sports. The 6-foot-8 Montverde (Florida) Academy star earned MVP honors at Peach Jam in July while leading Maine United to an appearance in the 16u championship game. In the process, he entered the running to become the No. 1 overall prospect in his class.
Duke is considered the favorite to land Flagg, but UConn is also a factor in his recruitment.
Cooper Flagg scouting report
Flagg was turning heads even before he began receiving widespread national attention this summer. He was the Gatorade Player of the Year in Maine as a freshman for a team that won the state championship. Even then, his promise on both ends of the floor was evident. 247Sports director of scouting Adam Finkelstein described Flagg as “an elite two-way prospect.”
“His instincts are off the charts on both ends of the floor and he competes with a quiet type of killer instinct,” Finkelstein wrote. “He’s a defensive standout and particularly dominant as an off-ball defender. In fact, he’s as good of an underclassman shot-blocker as I’ve seen at his size. Offensively, he’s an excellent passer with a good foundation of early skill and developing playmaking ability. His footwork is excellent. His shooting and handling both good and continuously improving. He doesn’t necessarily need to be the focal point on that end of the floor, but he’s shown he’s plenty capable of it. Physically, frame’s Flagg is solid enough to absorb contact now and will only add additional muscle mass in the coming years.”
Potential implications for Duke
If Flagg winds up committing to Duke, which is favored to land him by the 247Sports Crystal Ball, it would merely be the latest splash for second-year coach Jon Scheyer. The Blue Devils just welcomed the No. 2 ranked class to campus for the 2023-24 season after putting together a solid 2022-23 campaign with a freshman-heavy roster.
Five-star wing Isaiah Evans and four-star wing Darren Harris are already committed to the Blue Devils’ 2024 class. Adding Flagg to that group would position Duke to land another top-three class as Scheyer continues finding his footing while replacing the legendary Mike Krzyzewski.