Jon Scheyer on what he loves about Cooper Flagg: 'He always competes, 100 percent effort'
Cooper Flagg is one of the most celebrated Duke basketball prospects since Zion Williamson was on the hardwood in Durham. As the No. 1 overall prospect in every major recruiting service, Flagg will have the attention of the college basketball world as he takes the floor for the Blue Devils this year. In ACC spring meetings this week, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer noted what he loves about his prized recruit the most: his competitive fire.
“Cooper has been a joy to watch him play in high school, because no matter when I’ve seen him. If it’s Sunday morning at 8:00 AM after playing a few days. Whether it’s watching him play on ESPN, in the national championship game this year. He always plays this same way. He always competes. 100 percent effort. And I think that’s a separator. Obviously, you look at his athleticism, talent, size, and skill is off the charts. But to me, it’s how he competes. And who he is as a teammate,” Scheyer explained.
A few months ago, Duke legend Coach Kryzyzewksi also noted the competitive fire and spirit of Flagg in a podcast. Without a doubt, Flagg is one of the most highly anticipated basketball prospects in recent memory. In late April, On3’s Jamie Shaw explained that he held off Rutgers signee Ace Bailey as On3’s No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 cycle. The Five-Star Plus+ small forward reclassified to the class of 2024 in August. He’s expected to be one of the top selections in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Cooper Flagg Player Archetype
On3 National Recruiting Analyst Jamie Shaw wrote this about Flagg as a prospect:
“Since first talking about Cooper Flagg among the top high school prospects, back in June of 2022, the name we continued to come back to is Andrei Kirilenko. When you watch Flagg, you can see shades of Kirilenko in his game. While Flagg’s offensive game continues to expand and become more efficient, he possesses game-changing defensive attributes.
“In his prime, Kirilenko was a solid free throw shooter and a 30-plus percent three-point shooter. He scored in an efficient manner, taking advantage of opportune moments his motor, athleticism, and IQ created. Flagg, like Kirilenko, is an efficient offensive player. He stays within himself, finding open spaces in the half-court, and is a good off-ball cutter.
“The question with Flagg continues to be his jump shooting, and that is something that continues to sharpen. Over his last 50 games played, high school and travel ball, Flagg shot 35.4 percent from three on 2.9 attempts. While he is polished in the mid-range, extending his range while shooting off movement is an area he is continuing to develop.
“Flagg is showing comfort on the ball, initiating the offense from different levels of the floor, and getting to his spots in the half-court. He knows his comfort areas and gets there within two and three dribbles, possessing a confident array of go-tos and counters in the mid-to-high post.
“Kirilenko was an all-star in 2004. He was twice named NBA All-Defense first-team, and the 6-foot-9 wing was always among the NBA’s leading shot blockers. While this is not a one-to-one comparison, Flagg’s game continues to grow. Flagg’s ability on defense is truly unique, with the ability to dictate the flow of play from that end.
“A look across the landscape of today’s NBA, and you see the value of having game-changing wings. Ten of the top 20 paid players in the NBA are wings. Whether it is the play-making wing or the two-way wing, many of the NBA’s best teams are anchored from the wing position. And while Flagg is still defining his exact player archetype, he certainly fits the direction basketball is heading.”
On3’s Jamie Shaw and Colin Ginnan also contributed to this article.