Two months since his arrival at Duke University’s basketball facilities, top prospect Cooper Flagg has finally opened up about his college experience so far.
The Newport native made his debut appearance on the Brotherhood Podcast last week alongside host Caleb Foster, speaking candidly with his sophomore teammate about the rigors of college basketball and the Blue Devils’ expectations for the season ahead.
When Flagg is not running youth camps — he and twin brother Ace’s ‘ProCamp’ begins Saturday at UMaine — or playing for the USA Select Team, a normal day in his life typically starts at around 5:45 a.m.
“We try to wake up and get a shooting workout in, get breakfast, head back to the dorm, and then come back at 10 o’clock for a lift,” Flagg said. “That’s been my schedule lately. Then we’re in there two to six [for practice]. When you go from high school to college, the details get bigger and bigger.”
With an incoming freshman class of five top-25 prospects, all eyes are on Flagg and company to bring a national title to Durham for the first time since 2015.
After a strong showing versus the U.S. Olympic Team in scrimmage this July, Flagg cemented his status as the best basketball prospect since 2019 Duke alumnus Zion Williamson.
“JJ Redick came and talked to the team about the noise we’re gonna get this year, and how we have to be able to block it out. He told me I’m going to get the most, and that’s how it always is,” Flagg said. “So we have to adapt to that and take it all in. That type of advice was really good to hear.”
Flagg admitted that he missed “not having a care in the world” as a kid hanging out with his friends in Newport.
To help manage the pressure of being the country’s top basketball prospect on the country’s most famous college basketball team, the 17-year-old has picked up golf and yoga to remain relaxed and focused.
“I’m really getting into golf. I started a year and a half ago, and I kind of fell in love with it, I don’t know why,” Flagg said. “It’s kind of my safe space — something I can get away to, whether it’s by myself or with a couple of friends. I just get to relax and can get competitive with it.”
Flagg talked about a tightly contested scramble between himself, third-year coach Scheyer and his teammates. As a team, the Blue Devils have also been practicing yoga.
“It’s something that’s really important for our bodies,” Flagg said. “We’ve also focused on the breathing stuff and mental work. Just working on bettering myself outside of just [physically].”
On the court, Flagg has been busy building chemistry with his new teammates, including returners Foster and Tyrese Proctor, five-star recruits Isaiah Evans, Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach and Patrick Ngongba II, plus Syracuse transfer Maliq Brown.
Knueppel and Brown have impressed Flagg with their consistent technique and defensive capabilities, respectively.
“I knew he was tough, but Kon is way more athletic than I expected. He has the ability to knock down shots and get into the paint,” Flagg said. “Maliq is so versatile. Defense in college is learned over time, and he has the experience and knack. He makes the reads.”
“We have a lot of talent, and guys that do a lot of different things really well. It’s gonna come down to people accepting their roles and buying into the team.”
