Heading into the 2024–25 college basketball season, Cooper Flagg was already a household name. By season’s end, he had solidified his status as the top player in the country.
Flagg starred for head coach Jon Scheyer and the Duke Blue Devils, leading them to an impressive season that included both the ACC regular season and tournament championships. Duke made a deep run in the NCAA Tournament, ultimately reaching the Final Four.
As the June 25 NBA Draft draws near, Flagg is widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony highlighted Flagg in the outlet’s latest NBA draft rankings, noting shifts in prospects’ stock as teams finalize their evaluations.
After a decorated high school career at Montverde Academy—where he was named National High School Player of the Year, McDonald’s All-American, Gatorade National Athlete of the Year, and USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year—Flagg seamlessly transitioned to the college game.
At Duke, the 6-foot-9 forward averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. He capped his season with a 27-point effort in a narrow 70–67 loss to Houston in the NCAA Tournament. During the tournament, Flagg elevated his play even further, averaging 21 points per game. His standout performance came on March 27, when he exploded for 30 points against Arizona.
Flagg is currently ranked just ahead of Rutgers’ Dylan Harper, another freshman standout who averaged 19.4 points in 29 games. Harper’s season ended early with a double-overtime loss to USC in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Another Rutgers freshman, 6-foot-10 guard Ace Bailey, ranks third on ESPN’s latest draft board, having averaged 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds. Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe and Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears round out the top five prospects.
As the NBA Draft approaches, all eyes will remain on Flagg, whose combination of skill, size, and basketball IQ has scouts projecting stardom at the next level.
