With all eyes on him, Cooper Flagg seeks to find home at Duke

DURHAM, N.C. — Duke freshman Cooper Flagg may be the most hyped player to hit the court at Cameron Indoor Stadium since Zion Williamson, but the impression he has made among the Blue Devils through his first few weeks on campus, coach Jon Scheyer said, is that he’s just one of the guys.

Flagg, the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit, was lauded as a high school player for iconic moments in all-star games and YouTube highlights, but as the Blue Devils get set to open the 2024-25 season on Oct. 19, Scheyer said Flagg has done his best to avoid the hype and embrace the competition.

“I’ve seen a lot of different seasons, different hype, different expectations,” Scheyer said. “And with Cooper, I don’t know if we’ve ever had a 17-year-old with this much hype and attention. We talk about all the things we can control, and that’s what we focus on. Cooper, I don’t think he likes all the attention, to be honest. He’s all about just wanting to be like the other guys — wanting to win, wanting to compete. And he’s done a great job of setting the tone for all of that.”

Flagg, speaking at Duke’s team media day Friday, said he has taken his share of selfies with fans and has enjoyed the experience of being on campus, particularly since classes have started and he has had more time to interact with students outside the basketball team.

“There’s always eyes everywhere. When I first got here, some of the students were kind of going crazy,” Flagg said. “But it’s a compliment that shows all the hard work you’ve put in and people are wanting to see you and support you.”

The Blue Devils have six true freshmen on this year’s roster, including Flagg, all of whom were ranked among the 40 best prospects in the nation. One of those freshmen, center Patrick Ngongba, will miss the start of the season with a foot injury, the school said Friday. There is no timeline for Ngongba’s return.

“He’s had foot injuries in his high school career, and we’re still getting him back to 100 percent health,” Scheyer said of Ngongba, who was in a walking boot Friday. “It’s not about anything that he’s done. It’s just about getting him to his full 100 percent productivity on the court, where he can move completely pain-free and also where he can get back to being the level of player he can be. He’s gonna be a terrific player for us.”

Flagg was originally a member of Duke’s 2025 recruiting class, but he reclassified to join the team for this season. He arrives with impressive high school accolades, including being named the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All American as a senior. He was USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2022, the youngest to ever win the award, and this offseason, he trained with the USA Basketball men’s national team as it prepared for the Paris Olympics.

Underscoring all that, Scheyer said, is a relentless competitiveness, which has set Flagg apart during his early days at Duke.

“His competitiveness all the time, he doesn’t turn on and off how hard he works,” Scheyer said. “That stands out. Every day he’s been here, he’s competed as hard as he can.”

Still, Scheyer said he learned from coaching Williamson and other hyped Duke freshmen that the path to the NBA won’t be without its setbacks, and that’s what he has worked to prepare Flagg for as the season nears.

“He’s 17. He’s going to go through some stuff,” Scheyer said. “That’s part of it. But growing as a player is why he came to Duke. I want him to enjoy this year.”

Flagg said he has leaned on some of Duke’s veterans as he’s gotten his feet wet in Durham.

“Not every day is going to be perfect,” Flagg said. “Not every day is going to be a good day for you. I’ll have bad days. My teammates have been through it, so leaning on them, asking them for strategies, it’s helped me get into a rhythm.”

Those teammates have come away impressed too.

Purdue transfer Mason Gillis said he was familiar with Flagg’s hype and initially was wary, but he was amazed at how down-to-earth Flagg actually was once they got to know each other.

Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown said Flagg’s maturity goes well beyond his age.

“His mentality and mindset is not that of a 17-year-old,” Brown said. “The stuff that’s thrown at him, seeing his face on social media and everywhere he goes, it’s incredible. The things he says, how he is on the court, you don’t expect that from a 17-year-old. He definitely lives up to the hype.”