Last week, Cooper Flagg was recategorized from the recruitment class of 2025 to the recruitment class of 2024. In response to the news, many scouts and coaches who observed the nation's second-ranked high-school basketball prospect behind Cameron Boozer (Power forward/6'9" 215 lbs) closely have already penciled him in as the #1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Cooper has been turning heads all this Summer with spectacular play at Nike Academy, Steph Curry's basketball camp, and the Nike EBYL 'Peach Jam,' where he averaged 25.4 points per game, 13 rebounds, 5.7 dimes, and 6.9 blocked shots. Considered an elite defender, Cooper's display as a two-way player garnered special attention from NBA attendees like LeBron James and Chris Paul. After standing out amongst the competition this Summer, it now appears that the 6'8" 200-pound small forward has already leap-frogged his contemporaries in NBA mock draft boards for 2025.
Per NBA rules, the five-star recruit from Montverde Academy must attend college for at least one year before he declares himself eligible for the NBA Draft. Additionally, if Cooper decides to go the "one and done" route, he cannot sign with an NBA team until his 19th birthday. For now, the 16-year-old has plenty of big decisions to make, such as where he will play college ball. Cooper recently visited Duke University, where he took photos in the team's iconic game jerseys, but he has not committed to any school as of yet.
Click here to watch some of Cooper's highlights from Nike Academy.
Source: Sports Illustrated
