Cooper Flagg is Duke’s most highly touted basketball prospect since Zion Williamson. Ranked as a five-star power forward and regarded as the consensus No. 1 overall recruit in the country, expectations are sky-high for the 6-foot-9 phenom from the legendary Montverde Academy.
Duke head coach Jon Scheyer has witnessed numerous top-tier recruits during his tenure. Although he’s only been Duke’s head coach for two seasons, he spent years on the bench next to Mike Krzyzewski. Additionally, Scheyer was a top recruit himself, being named the 2006 Illinois Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American.
So what sets Flagg apart from the rest?
For Scheyer, it’s all about competition.
“Cooper has been a joy to watch him play in high school because, no matter when I’ve seen him—whether it’s Sunday morning at 8:00 AM after playing a few days, or watching him play on ESPN in the national championship game this year,” Scheyer told the ACC Network (h/t On3). “He always plays the same way. He always competes with 100 percent effort. And I think that’s a separator. Obviously, you look at his athleticism, talent, size, and skill—they are off the charts. But to me, it’s how he competes and who he is as a teammate.”
There’s a saying in sports: “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.” This means that heart and determination can outweigh physical attributes. However, Flagg possesses both immense physical talent and a relentless competitive spirit.
This combination is why he’s the consensus No. 1 player on the board. Now, the anticipation builds to see if these projections translate to immediate and significant success at Duke.
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