Duke Reportedly in the Lead to Land Cooper Flagg
With the drafting of Victor Wembanyama No. 1 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, many experts have shifted focus to Montverde’s Cooper Flagg as the best basketball prospect in the world.
And at 6-foot-8 with highly-advanced defensive skills, potential three-level scoring down the line and gaudy preps numbers, there’s merit to that focus.
On Aug. 11, Flagg officially reclassified to the 2024 class. The reclassification was a no-brainer for him, as he'll now get an earlier start on his next tier of basketball, and eventually the professional level.
With talent like Flagg’s, colleges and professional programs alike are likely chomping at the bit to land him, even for just one season.
Right now, college basketball insiders have deliberated that the Blue Devils are in the lead, but still very much have work to do in order to land the best basketball prospect on the market.
"As these visits start, I would probably say that Duke's still the leader and the team to beat headed in to these,” said 247Sports.com's Eric Bossi. “But Duke wasn't going to get this guy without a fight and they're not going to get this guy without a fight."
Duke has a proven track record of getting players to the league, but more specifically No. 1 picks in Paolo Banchero, Zion Williamson, Kyrie Irving and more.
Still, the Blue Devils will have their work cut out for them, as reported.
Travis Branham of 247Sports.com reported in early August that Flagg will take three visits this fall to Duke, Kansas and UConn.
Both UConn and Kansas have a long history of helping prospects to succeed, too. And professional options like the G League Ignite and Overtime Elite continue to trend upwards in the eyes of the basketball world.
Regardless, Flagg’s journey through the basketball ranks should be a fun one.
Want to join the discussion? Like Draft Digest on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest NBA Draft news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.