Early life
Flagg was born in Newport, Maine, [2] and initially attended Nokomis Regional High School. [3] He became the first freshman to be named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game. [4] Nokomis won the Class A state championship with Flagg scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 43–27 win against Falmouth High School in the state final. [5]
Flagg transferred to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida, at the end of his freshman year of high school. [6] Prior to the beginning of his first year at the school, he played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) for the Florida Eagles, an Amateur Athletic Union team affiliated with Montverde. [7] [8] Flagg was named the MVP of the 2023 Hoophall Classic after scoring 21 points with five steals, five rebounds, and three assists in Montverde's 85–63 victory over La Lumiere Academy. [9] He also was named a semifinalist for the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award. [10] Flagg averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and three assists per game in his first season at Montverde. [11] After the season, he played for Maine United in the EYBL and averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 6.9 blocks in seven games at the Peach Jam tournament. [12] [13] Flagg reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class after his sophomore year. [14]
Flagg was selected to play in the 2024 McDonald's All-American Boys Game. [15] On March 27, 2024, He was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year. [16] [17] Flagg was also named Mr. Basketball USA and the Naismith Prep Player of the Year. [18] [19] He finished the season averaging 16.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game during his final high school season while leading the Eagles to a perfect 34–0 record and the program's eighth National title. [20]
Recruiting
Flagg was ranked the third-best prospect in the 2025 recruiting class following the conclusion of his freshman season. [21] [22] He re-ranked as the class's second-best recruit in August 2022 following his performance in the 2022 FIBA Under-17 Basketball World Cup. [23] Flagg received his first NCAA Division I scholarship offer from Bryant while in the eighth grade. [24]
Flagg reclassified to the class of 2024 during the summer after his sophomore year. [14] On October 30, 2023, Flagg verbally committed to play for Duke after also considering an offer from UConn. [25] [26] He had initially planned to announce his commitment on October 27, but pushed it back in the aftermath of the 2023 Lewiston shootings in his home state of Maine. [27] Flagg signed a National Letter of Intent to play for the Blue Devils on November 8, 2023, during the early signing period. [28] Flagg finished as the highest rated recruit in the 2024 class. [29]
College career
Flagg enrolled at Duke University in June 2024 in order to take part in the Blue Devils' summer practices. [30] He made his college basketball debut during Duke's season opener against Maine on November 4, 2024, and scored 18 points with seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals in a 96-62 win. [31] On January 4, 2025, Flagg had a double-double of 24 points and 11 rebounds in a 89-62 win against SMU. [32]
Flagg delivered a record-breaking performance in Duke's victory against Notre Dame on January 12, 2025. Flagg scored 42 points, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out seven assists, shooting 11-of-14 from the field, 4-of-6 from three-point range, and 16-of-17 from the free-throw line. This set new freshman scoring records for both Duke University and the ACC. [33] On January 18, 2025, Flagg scored 28 points and five rebounds in a 88-63 win over Boston College. [34] On February 17, 2025. Cooper Flagg became the first ACC player with 500+ points, 100+ assists and 30 blocks in the regular season in the last 25 years.
Personal life
Flagg's mother Kelly played college basketball at Maine, where she was a team captain as a senior. [41] [42] His father, Ralph, played NJCAA basketball at Eastern Maine Community College. [43] Flagg has a fraternal twin brother, Ace, who was a teammate at Nokomis, transferred to Montverde, [44] and has since verbally committed to play at Maine starting in 2025–26. [45] Flagg's older brother Hunter was also a Nokomis basketball player and was a senior when the former was a freshman. [46] His family relocated from Newport to Florida after he and his twin brother transferred to Montverde Academy. [47]
Flagg signed a shoe deal with New Balance prior to the start of his freshman year at Duke. [48] Flagg's decision to choose New Balance was evidenced by the company's ties to his home state of Maine, with two of their factories being located near his hometown of Newport. [49] He also became the first men's college basketball player to be sponsored by Gatorade. [50]
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