Flagg Pushing Past the Top Spot at Nike Peach Jam

The top rising sophomore is fresh off an all-around dominant performance to help USA U17 win the gold medal.

North Augusta, S.C. — Cooper Flagg is cool with letting you form your own opinion.

He’s not rushing to his phone at night after a slate full of games at the Nike Peach Jam scouring social media to make sure his dominant performances were well-received, and he’s certainly not concerned with whether his peers in the 2025 class are on his heels in the recruiting rankings.

Cooper is widely regarded as the top rising sophomore in the country, an appointment he doesn’t shy away from, but not for the reasons you may think.

“I use it as motivation,” Flagg says. “I’ve always heard it’s harder to stay at the top, so it’s like a challenge that I have for myself. I hold myself to a higher standard, so I know when I need to do things better. I’m always looking for ways to get better.”

There’s been little room for critique this week at Peach Jam. Flagg opened the event with a 26-point, seven-rebound, seven-block performance and shot 66% from the field for Maine United.

Flagg’s ability to dominate both ends of the floor is what ultimately sets him apart from the pack. He uses his versatility and efficient three-level scoring ability to overwhelm the opposition offensively and impeccable timing, anticipation and length to erase shots and swipe steals on the defensive end.

Before Peach Jam, he played an intricate role in helping USA Basketball’s U17 team capture the gold medal in Spain, posting 10 points, 17 rebounds, eight steals, four blocks and two assists to take down the host country in the gold medal game.

“The experience with USA Basketball helped me so much,” Flagg says. “Just being able to watch and learn from the older guys on the team did so much for my game. I think the biggest thing I took from the experience is how to slow the game down in my head and make better reads.”

Flagg impacts the game in a multi-faceted way in and out of the box score / Brady King

This past season at Nokomis Regional High (Newport, Maine), Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals and 3.7 blocks a game while leading the Warriors (21–1) to the state title.

“He just affects winning in so many different areas,” USA U17 head coach Sharman White says. “Whether it’s defensively, offensively, rebounding, deflections, diving for the ball, whatever. His feel for the game is very unique for him being 15 years old. It’s amazing how he finds ways to insert himself into the game at any position. He’s truly position-less and he’s a tough critic on himself in a great way. He’s got a very bright future.”

College coaches couldn’t agree more, Cooper already has offers from Duke, UCLA, Michigan, Iowa, Albany, Bryant and Maine, among others. He’s unabashed about his allegiance to Duke growing up but maintains that he'll go through the process and “make the best decision” in the end.

“As you get older you know it’s all about the fit,” Flagg says. “It’s so early for me, I’m still excited about all of the coaches offering. I’m planning to get in some visits in the future. I don’t really know when, but we’ll see. I’m just taking it all in at this point.”

This fall, both Cooper and his twin brother, Ace, will suit up for Montverde (Fla.) Academy, the reigning national champions who finished No. 1 in the SB Live/Sports Illustrated Power 25 national boys basketball rankings last season.

“I’m excited to get to work there,” Flagg says. “I’m always trying to push myself to higher levels, so I know going there and playing with the best players and coaches and playing a tough schedule will get me better. At the end of the day, that’s my only goal every day.”