2 - Cooper Flagg

6-9, 205 Small Forward/Power Forward
Duke Freshman
Birthday
12/21/06 (17.7 yrs)
Hometown
Newport, ME
High School
Montverde Academy
Team Site Profile
Athleticism
9
Size
9
Defense
9
Strength
8
Quickness
8
Leadership
8
Jump Shot
8
NBA Ready
9
Ball Handling
7
Potential
10
Passing
8
Intangibles
9

NBA Comparison: Shawn Marion/Andrei Kirilenko

Strengths: 6’9 versatile two-way forward … Good length … Very well-coordinated with good fluidity in his upper and lower body. High-level athleticism and quick off the ground which translates well on both ends. Quick second and third jump … Good footwork, use of pivots, and always balanced. A lot of wiggle getting to the rim … Good touch and release point on shot, can be difficult for the defense to contest without fouling. Stays squared up and can shoot on the move … Uses either hand at the rim and in traffic. Scores well from midrange. Capable of scoring from all three levels … Plays within the flow of the game as he doesn’t force his impact or hunt for his points. Impacts the game without scoring. Scoring averages: 9.2 PPG 48.9% FG% NIBC 2022-23, 4th best 22.4 PPG 46.7% FG% NBPA Top 100 2023, 14.3 PPG 52.8% FG% EYBL Scholastic 2023-24 … Doesn’t shy away from physicality and draws fouls at a high rate. Shot 6.4 free throws per game at the NBPA Top 100 in 2023 … Good free throw shooter: 77.8% FT% NIBC 2022-23, 88.9% FT% NBPA Top 100 2023, 76.9% FT% EYBL Scholastic 2023-24 … Rebounds well on both ends: 3rd best 10 (event best 4.6 ORPG) RPG U17 World Cup in 2022, 4th best 9.4 (2.1 ORPG) RPG NBPA Top 100 2023, 4th best 7.3 (2.4 ORPG) RPG EYBL Scholastic 2023-24 … Can grab a rebound and start the offense. Alert, sees the floor and passes well with either hand, knows where his teammates are at all times. Moves the ball quickly and doesn’t let it stick. Doesn’t over-dribble or put himself in bad situations with the ball. Solid burst with the ball. Finds the open teammate mid-attack and makes good reads off the dribble. Averaged 3 assists per game over the NIBC in 2022-23 and 3.7 assists per game over the EYBL Scholastic in 2023-24 … Moves well off the ball and reads cutting opportunities well … Consistently competes on both ends. Versatile defender, covers ground quickly, and always in position. Light on his feet, rotates, and can defend up and down in the lineup. Alert when defending off the ball as both a shot blocker and when jumping passes. Turns defense into offense. Steal stats: 4th best 2.4 SPG U17 World Cup 2022, 4th best 2 SPG NIBC in 2022-23, 1.6 SPG EYBL Scholastic 2023-24. Instinctive shot blocker: 2nd best 2.9 BPG U17 World Cup 2022, 2nd best 2.2 BPG NIBC 2022-23, 5th best 1.9 BPG NBPA Top 100 2023, 3rd best 1.9 BPG EYBL Scholastic 2023-24. Contests shots well without fouling … Team oriented and natural understanding of the game with a high basketball IQ on both ends. Competitor and gives consistent effort. Natural leader and mature/professional demeanor. Isn’t intimidated against older and more experience players … Younger for his class, will turn 18 in December of his freshman year of college, a full year younger than many incoming college freshman … High floor and long-term ceiling …

Weaknesses: Has room to get stronger and better handling contact, weighing in right over 200 pounds … Capable of shooting from distance but mechanics are a little unorthodox and can improve 3PT consistency: 24% 3PT% 2.1 3PTA NIBC 2022-23, 21.7% 3PT% 3.3 3PTA NBPA Top 100 2023, 26.7% 3PT% 2.5 3PTA EYBL Scholastic 2023-24 … Can tighten up as a ball-handler and navigating in traffic … Can improve creating in the half-court. Has room to expand scoring ability if he’s going to be the team’s focal offensive player in the NBA …

Outlook: Incoming Duke freshman … Transferred to Montverde Academy after his freshman year … Won Gold and named to the All-Tournament Team at the U17 World Cup in 2022 … 2022 Maine Gatorade Player of the Year … 2023 Naismith High School All-American 2nd Team … 2024 Florida and National Gatorade Player of the Year … 2024 Naismith Player of the Year … Led Montverde to a 33-0 record and won Chipotle Nationals in 2024, finishing with 16 points (6-9 FG), 8 rebounds, and 6 blocks in the championship game … 2024 McDonald’s All-American … Recorded 19 points (8-13 FG), 10 rebounds (4 offensive), and 3 blocks at the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic … Scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit …

Evan Tomes 7/25/24

Strengths: As explosive as prospect as you will find … Has great size at 6’8″+ (appears to still be growing) and what appears to be over a 7-foot wingspan (though no official measurement has yet been reported) … Let’s start with defense: Flagg routinely — yes, routinely — accumulates 10 blocks or more in his high school games … Has great timing and instincts combined with a tenacity and real desire to get after opponents’ shots… As mentioned, he’s long, and ultra explosive (quick off his feet and has a good second- and third-jump) … Goes up defensively with two hands taking advantage of “verticality” and keeping great body control despite slight frame… On the perimeter, defensively, Flagg is sound. Not quite as elite at this stage as with shot blocking, but very good (and gets impressive steal numbers)… Defensive length, instincts, and interest are elite… Offensively, Flagg is a high flying finisher and a nightmare on the fast break… Very fast in the open court… Gets to the rim with ease also in the halfcourt… Creative playmaker as well with excellent court vision and desire to facilitate for teammates … Love his competitiveness. Has a presence. Never shies away from a match up or moment … Fiery, feisty player… Has the type of attitude that can’t be taught… Talks his talk and backs it up … Likes to get flashy with a behind the back pass, tomahawk jam, or his trademark monster block (swat) … Has wiry strength in a thin frame … In the half court, loves to blow by his man, go into a powerful jump stop, and explode up for a two-handed jam … Has developed a reliable outside shot out to NBA 3-point range with a clean release … Can also hit a mid-range jump shot … Down low, when he’s not trying to rip the rim off the hoop, he has ability to hit a drop step into a soft floater or baby hook shot … Active on the boards, both offensive and defensive … Boxes out and has good fundamentals … Can absorb contact better than you’d think from looking at his currently somewhat slim frame, both on the boards and on the finish …

Weaknesses: While Flagg is a good scorer and aggressive player, he is currently not an explosive scorer who will put 50 points on the board — important note for a player ranked as highly as Flagg… At this stage, while Flagg has plenty of tools on offense, defense is more his calling card … Form on his shot looks very promising, but still goes through cold spells shooting the ball and doesn’t hit the three ball with enough consistency yet … Jumpshot form can be inconsistent and a hair slow. It’s more of a set shot sometimes from three, but usually a jumpshot from mid range, which is fine but adds to some inconsistency …Handle is good enough to create off the dribble, but not an area where he excels. Can clean up in this area a bit to take his offensive game to the next level…  While physically strong against high school competition, will need to continue to add strength while maintaining mobility to sustain his elite-defender status at the next level … has broad shoulders similar to a Chris Webber, but will need to focus on adding more core strength and leg strength … Strength is in need of improvement, but in reality he appears to be on a natural progression with regard to Currently a good playmaker. But still has room to grow in this area (harnessing the creativity) as well to reach true “point forward” status …

Notes: Flagg grew up in Newport, Maine and initially attended Nokomis Regional High School, where he became the first freshman to be named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year (averaging 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game). He also led his team to a blowout 43–27 win in the state championship game against Falmouth High School (tallying 22 points, which was more than half of what his own team scored, and nearly equal to the entire output from the opposition… plus 16 rebounds) … Transferred to Montverde Academy (alma mater of former #1 overall picks Joel Embiid, Cade Cunningham and Ben Simmons) at the end of his freshman year … Both of Flagg’s parents are former ballers. Mother, Kelly, played basketball at University of Maine (1995–99) and was a three-time America East champion, made four NCAA Tournament appearances and was team captain as a senior. His father, Ralph, played NJCAA basketball at Eastern Maine Community College.

Outlook: Reclassified to become a senior joining the class of 2024 during the summer … Will attend Duke next season and be eligible for the 2025 draft where he’s become the overwhelming favorite to be the first overall pick …

Drew Wolin 11/10/23

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