How Cooper Flagg impacts Duke with his commitment and vice versa

The most anticipated commitment in the 2024 class finally came on Monday, with Cooper Flagg -- the best prospect in high school basketball and the heavy favorite to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft -- picking Duke over UConn. The Blue Devils were considered the likely destination for Flagg for most of his recruitment, although the Huskies made a strong push and closed the gap considerably before Duke finally won him over on his recent visit to Durham.

Flagg cemented himself as the best player regardless of class during a dominant summer at the NBPA Top 100 Camp in Orlando, Florida, in late June and at the Nike EYBL Peach Jam in July. At the time, he was battling for the No. 1 spot in the 2025 class with Cameron Boozer, but in August, Flagg announced he was reclassifying into the 2024 class -- immediately putting him in position to be the top NBA pick in 20 months.

Flagg has shown he's capable of elevating his teammates with his performances on the grassroots circuit with Maine United while also demonstrating he can fit in seamlessly with other elite prospects at Montverde Academy (Florida). The latter is more likely to happen at Duke, but Flagg is an incredible talent who will be the biggest draw in college basketball from the moment he steps onto campus.

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