Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Recruiting: Kansas Reportedly Meets With Cooper Flagg

Kansas basketball head coach Bill Self isn't conceding Cooper Flagg to the Duke basketball recruiting machine.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball recruiting target Cooper Flagg (Stu Boyd II-USA TODAY Sports)
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According to Rivals' JayhawkSlant, the entire Kansas basketball staff was at Montverde Academy (Fla.) on Monday afternoon to see prime Duke basketball offer-holder Cooper Flagg, No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite, plus two more 2024 Kansas targets in five-star prospects Liam McNeeley and Derik Queen.

RELATED: List of Every Recruit Holding a Duke Offer

Then Self and his assistants stuck around until evening, per JayhawkSlant, to meet with Flagg individually.

There's no telling what the Kansas recruiters' behind-the-scenes pitch is to the admitted longtime Blue Devil fan. Whatever it is, given their last-minute push to beat fellow finalists Duke and Auburn in the Flory Bidunga race earlier this summer, there's certainly no reason to count them out just yet in the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes.

The 6-foot-9, 200-pound five-star, a projected one-and-done lottery pick who recently reclassified from 2025 to 2024 and models much of his game after Duke basketball gem Jayson Tatum, will be at 2022 national champion Kansas for an official visit on Oct. 6-8.

That's the same weekend as Kansas' Late Night in the Phog festivities.

First, though, Flagg is set to take an official visit to reigning national champion UConn on Sept. 22-24. Interestingly, that's the weekend the Duke football team will be in town to face the Huskies, a 3:30 p.m. ET bout on Saturday, Sept. 23, in the middle of Flagg's visit; chances are he'll be in attendance for that showdown.

As for second-year Duke basketball head coach Jon Scheyer and his gang, who have already welcomed Flagg to campus for an unofficial visit in early August, they'll host him again on Oct. 20-22, this time in an official capacity and coinciding with the Blue Devils' Countdown to Craziness. It might mark the last trip in his recruitment.

Furthermore, it'd be a shock if Scheyer didn't travel to Montverde for a meeting with Flagg in the next few days.

At least for now, the assumption among insiders is Flagg will reveal his college choice between the end of his Duke basketball visit and the early signing period in November. However, neither he nor anyone from his camp has confirmed that decision timeline.

It's also worth noting the 16-year-old all-around phenom holds over a dozen offers and hasn't officially named finalists.

Even so, the Blue Devils are the perceived heavy favorites, boasting all 13 predictions entered thus far between the 247Sports Crystal Ball, Rivals FutureCast, and On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine.

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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