Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Gains Another Advantage in Cooper Flagg Race

Expect the "We want Cooper!" chants to reverberate at Duke basketball's Countdown to Craziness.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball recruiting signee Cooper Flagg (Stu Boyd II-USA TODAY Sports)
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After Cooper Flagg's mother revealed in late August the three schools that the Montverde (Fla.) five-star small forward would visit this fall, 247Sports' Eric Bossi noted the Duke basketball staff would "most likely" get a chance to host him the same weekend as Countdown to Craziness (Oct. 20).

Confirmed. Flagg's mom, Kelly Flagg, recently listed the dates of his trips, all official visits, to recruiting insider Adam Zagoria:

  • to UConn, Sept. 22-24
  • to Kansas, Oct. 6-8
  • to Duke, Oct. 20-22

In other words, if Cooper Flagg plans to wrap up his recruitment before the early signing period in November, then it looks as though the Duke basketball program — he's an admitted longtime fan of the Blue Devils — will get the last shot at impressing him.

With recruiting, that often marks an advantage.

Cooper Flagg, a 6-foot-9, 200-pound phenom from Maine who ranks No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite after recently announcing his reclass from 2025, has already been to Duke once. But that was an unofficial visit in early August, albeit his only visit anywhere to date.

This time, he'll be alongside at least two other 2024 talents in Paul VI Catholic (Va.) four-star center Patrick Ngongba II and Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) five-star small forward VJ Edgecombe. Flagg is the only one of those three who hasn't announced finalists, but his slate of visits suggests Duke, Kansas, and UConn are top contenders.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Currently Holding a Blue Devil Offer

It's no secret that Countdown to Craziness has proven to be a huge recruiting tool for the Blue Devils, often leading to some big-time commitments in the days and weeks that follow.

And it's worth noting that Montverde has produced three Duke basketball players since 2018: eventual first-round draft picks RJ Barrett and Dariq Whitehead, plus current Blue Devil freshman Sean Stewart.

That count will jump to four if the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine, 247Sports Crystal Ball, and Rivals FutureCast — a combined 13 picks pointing to Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his gang winning the Flagg sweepstakes — prove correct.

RELATED: One Duke Recruit Could Help Blue Devils Avoid Transfers

Thus far, Paul VI Catholic four-star small forward Darren Harris and North Meck (N.C.) five-star small forward Isaiah Evans are Scheyer's only commits from the 2024 recruiting trail.

Stay tuned to Blue Devil Country on SI.com for more Duke basketball recruiting news.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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