Duke signee Cooper Flagg holds off Rutgers signee Ace Bailey for On3's No. 1 player in 2024

Monday’s release of the final ranking update for the 2024 On3 150 had Duke signee Cooper Flagg maintaining his position as the No. 1 overall player in the class.

While Flagg has remained in the top spot since his September reclassification into the class, Rutgers signee Ace Bailey’s continued development made this a concentrated conversation the On3 national team had not seen previously with this class.

While Flagg has been No. 1 since entering the 2024 On3 150, Bailey has taken a more gradual climb. He first moved into the top five in March of 2023 at No. 4. He then moved to No. 3 for the June 2023 update and remained there for the next two updates. Bailey’s senior season production and his developed game has put him firmly in the conversation for No. 1 overall over the last two updates.

Let’s take a look at how this conversation played out for the final On3 150 update for the 2024 recruiting cycle.

Ace Bailey’s senior season

Ace Bailey’s physical attributes stand out immediately. He is listed at 6-foot-8 with a plus wing span. You immediately see the explosive straight-line athleticism when he gets on the break. The physical nature of Bailey’s frame is what initially put him into five-star status. Even with the flashes during his sophomore and junior seasons, they were eye-opening.

This season, the totality seemed to fully come together. Bailey earned Georgia’s Gatorade state Player of the Year honors. He averaged 33.4 points, 15.5 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.1 blocks per game for his McEachern High/GA team.

Bailey’s shooting touch and his ability to create clean looks with the ball in his hands are what have placed him firmly into this conversation. Bailey’s range extends well beyond the three-point arc and his footwork and step-back arsenal give him the ability to get a clean look on most offensive possessions.

The numbers are impressive, and he is doing it in Georgia’s highest level of public school basketball. While diving into the game film and live viewings of him during games, practice sessions, and scrimmages show that the flash plays we see on the highlights are real.

Consistency leads the way for Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg has consistently produced at the highest levels, since entering the high school fray. As one of the youngest players, the summer between his freshman and sophomore years of high school, he led the U17 USA Basketball Junior National Team in rebounding (10.0), blocks (2.9), and steals (2.4) in the FIBA World Championships.

Flagg followed that up by leading the top five ranked Montverde Academy/FL in blocks (2.2) and steals (1.6) as a sophomore. Then he led Nike’s E16 Circuit in scoring (26.9) and blocks (4.5) last summer.

This year Flagg earned Florida’s Gatorade state Player of the Year honors after averaging 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game. His Montverde Academy/FL team went on to an undefeated season and a No. 1 national ranking across the board.

Flagg’s defensive presence is what first put him on top of rankings lists. His performance with the USA Basketball Junior National Team, which culminated in a 17-rebound, 8-steal, 4-block gold medal-winning performance against Spain. Flagg was moved to No. 1 in the 2025 class in June of 2023 and then was moved to No. 1 in 2024 after his reclassification announcement.

His defensive timing and shot-blocking presence put him in the conversation among the very best currently in high school basketball. His defensive presence has drawn comparisons to former NBA All-Star Andrei Kirilenko. Where he has developed the most throughout his high school career has been with the processing, especially acting as a primary initiator in the pick and roll.

His passing is on target and is on time, able to spray to open teammates from multiple levels off a live dribble. That with his position size and explosive pop and his continued defensive presence and production is simply too hard to ignore.

The conversation for No. 1, Cooper Flagg and Ace Bailey

This conversation was a fun one to have as the past couple of cycles did not provide this type of drama toward the end. Cooper Flagg was the incumbent, the one who has been at the top of the lists since his first introduced after his freshman season.

Bailey was the one who continued to rise and had a wildly productive senior season that firmly inserted him into the conversations.

At the end of the day, the consistency of Flagg was what kept him at No. 1. Throughout the process of Bailey’s arc of progression, we continued to see inconsistency. The flashes have always been impressive. When he gets a head of steam, his straight-line athleticism is impressive.

Both players have the physical indicators looked for at the highest levels with good positional size and excellent length and athleticism. They are both twitchy with explosive athleticism and fluidity. As you look across the NBA landscape you see the value of having game-changing wings. Many of the league’s best teams are anchored from the wing position.

Flagg’s defensive presence is the immediate trait you see translating. His timing off the ball is unique among his peers and helps to dictate the flow of a game from that end of the floor. The passing and processing are also very valuable, able to have the ball in his hands and create opportunities for his teammates, to move the ball. The question with Flagg remains the jump shot, an area that he has grown, but also an area that could limit his long-term upside. This season, Flagg shot 37.5 percent from three, showing continued growth from the 34.3 percent he shot this summer.

With Bailey, the shooting is not a question. He has deep range with consistent balance and a confident base. The majority of his offensive game is played off of his jump shot. He has good footwork and with his length is able to create clean looks on the majority of his shots. The question that continues for Bailey is his consistency. He puts little pressure on the rim, oftentimes settling for three-pointers instead of attacking the basket. While it is a small sample size, his performances in the Nike Hoop Summit and McDonald’s All-American games help to provide a glimpse.

During the McDonald’s All-American game, Bailey finished 2-of-7 from the field, 0-for-3 from three, and 2-for-2 from the free throw line. He had five turnovers with two assists. During Hoop Summit, Bailey finished 6-of-15 from the field, 2-for-7 from three, and 0-for-0 from the free throw line. He added two turnovers with no assists.

With Flagg, the conversations led to us having an understanding of his floor. We knew what we would be getting from Flagg as he continued to progress in level, and we understood how his skills and tools translated. With Bailey, there is some unknown. Even with the pop of his flash plays, the inconsistency in decision-making and shot selection leaves an uncertain floor.

Going through each recruiting cycle, we take into account each player’s career arc. Each update is a snapshot in time. A thorough evaluation of each player’s trengths, weanesses, development, and their projection over time. Evaluation is constant, and the conversation between these two is one that should continue. As the two players enter their freshman seasons, the discussion should continue. Even leading into draft night and as the two players continue in their individual careers they will be linked with this class.