Projected No. 1 Pick Dishes on Decision to Join Duke

Cooper Flagg recently talked about his decision to join the Blue Devils.

Apr 1, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East forward Cooper Flagg speaks during a press conference at JW Marriott Houston by The Galleria. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Standing at 6-foot-9 with accolades that level with most prospects throughout time, Cooper Flagg is currently heralded as one of the best prospects on earth, and is projected to go No. 1 in 2025. And like many top prospects before him, he’s signed on to play with the Duke Blue Devils.

Recently, Flagg joined The Brotherhood Podcast to dish on his basketball journey, including why he chose to join Duke in the first place.

“It was something coach Scheyer had stressed to me a lot going through the whole process was about the feel,” Flagg said. “Like I would know when I got the feeling of where I wanted to be. I think it really came down to when I came on my visit, I was able to meet all the guys on our team last year, interact with the coaches a bunch more.

“Just kind’ve had that feeling of being on campus, really just imagining myself being here, walking the same places that you guys were walking to practice and the halls. Once I kind’ve felt that, I kind’ve had the feeling like, this is where I wanted to be. And that’s kind’ve what helped to propel my decision.”

Flagg now joins a laundry list of NBA athletes who had the very same feeling, including Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero and plenty more.

Flagg then mentioned that some team’s pitches were directly based around keeping him out of Durham.

“It was something that I looked at like negative recruiting,” he said. “It was just something I didn’t like going through that process when other schools would try to do that. Most players out there do not like when coaches do that type of stuff.”

Regardless, Flagg is set to roll out his heralded talents for the Blue Devils in the coming months, and could soon join Williamson, Banchero and Irving as active No. 1 picks in the big leagues.

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