Cooper Flagg Has Message For Duke Fans After Committing to Blue Devils Over UConn

The No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class announced his decision and explained why he chose the Blue Devils.

Cooper Flagg, the top college basketball prospect in the class of 2024, has announced his decision to commit to Duke. Flagg did so in an interview that was released Monday morning in SLAM magazine.

The 6-foot-8 power forward is a Maine native who plays at powerhouse Montverde Academy in central Florida. He reportedly had narrowed his choices down to the Blue Devils and Connecticut prior to announcing his decision. He spoke about what led to the choice, citing that he “felt it” when traveling to Durham, N.C., for a visit to the school.

“I think after I got on campus at Duke, I really started to feel it, to be honest,” Flagg told SLAM. “That’s something the coaches definitely stressed to me, that once you get to campus, it’s something you have to feel. And [I knew then] I wanted to go to Duke and that’s where I wanted to play college basketball. What went into the decision, I mean, I was just looking for a coaching staff I was really comfortable with, but [also] a coach and staff that was really going to hold me accountable.”

Following his announcement, Flagg had a message for Duke fans, telling them to “get ready” during the interview with SLAM.

“I’m honored that I have the opportunity to join The Brotherhood, and hopefully I’ll be one of the players that recruits are looking at some day and someone they can see themselves being. Especially from all the love I saw this last weekend when I was there, it made me really excited, all the [Cameron] Crazies and the fans.”

Flagg enjoyed a strong performance at the prestigious Nike EYBL Peach Jam in July as a member of Maine United. Flagg averaged 25.4 points, 13.0 rebounds and 5.7 assists in the tournament, leading his team to a 4-0 stretch in group play. His team made it to the championship game before falling short, but Flagg’s upside on both ends of the floor was cemented.

Now, he’ll be taking that skill set to Durham to give Duke and coach Jon Scheyer another playmaker in 2024.