2025 Recruiting: Cooper Flagg

[REB1094]

My two cents based on pure speculation and no insider insights -

If Cooper is more interested in being an NBA player right now, he will go to Duke. Considering the reclass, this is the most likely option. I feel like the sleeper pick here is G League Ignite, not UConn. He will have an unlimited green light wherever he goes, and being the top pick in the draft is almost weighted equally between hype and production. The production is a given because the kid is a beast. Duke and GLI bring the hype. Whether that's fair or not does not matter right now - it is what it is, until it isn't.

If Cooper is more interested in refining his skills and being in a program with a strong culture, he will go to UConn. He loses out on some of the hype factor here, and may drop a couple picks in the draft because of it. Again, whether that's fair or not does not matter. It is what it is. He could be the guy that kickstarts "until it isn't", but it is a risk for him. In this scenario Hurley doesn't have to convince him, he has to convince his mother. Cooper is probably only looking for the #1 NBA paycheck, maybe the mother would be drawn to the development and culture

No bad choices for Cooper here. He's in a position where he has his pick of every program in the country. Congrats in advance to whatever he ends up choosing

 

[HuskyHawk]

This will devolve into a debate about semantics but what Duke and especially UK do is not player development. The UK way is just as much “sign the best player, player underperforms and slips in the draft, player shows out in the NBA and outperforms draft slot.” They run a Stop congested offense that provides little space to operate and typically only let one guy on play on ball. It is kinda funny seeing guys struggle at UK sitting around the perimeter bricking 3s and then enter the NBA immediately as dynamic on ball scorers. When you bring in five 5* a year, your gonna have a bunch of succes stories.

Not really. Certainly not at Duke. Cal simply lets the guys play, lets them try to showcase their skills. Duke runs a legit system and produces good pros.

 

[HuskyWarrior611]

Talent in the NBA, it’s Duke & Kentucky, then everyone else.

But I will say, there aren’t that many Dukies whose stock rose over the course of the college career. Many of Dukes successful NBA players came in as 1 and dones…

I’d argue that Hurley would get more out of Filipowski than Scheyer ever could. (Actually, there’s no argument there…)

I agree the one and dones helped them a lot. They used to have solid NBA guys before like Hill and Brand but most guys were duds or role players like JJ. Since the one and dones came now they have the superstars.

For the time being we can say Hurley will get you drafted high if you have the talent. But it still remains to be seen if his guys do well in the NBA.

Not saying they aren’t going to, I’m just saying that hasn’t been proven yet. It hasn’t for Scheyer in that case either though.

 

[ctchamps]

Yeah, knew that, but it ultimately came down to UNC and UConn. The kid was also approached by boosters from schools outside (common in those days) of Connecticut and unlike some other highly recruited in state CT players he turned down the cash. Heard that from highly reliable sources. One thing I noticed about Corny’s game before he committed to UConn was how well he used the glass when 4 or 5 feet away, and he had a great little leaning in jumper that was automatic.

Buying players has always happened and was more common than most of us want to admit.

NIL increased the number of players but the system is essentially the same. Some individuals who did not want to cross the illegality line are now participants. Conceptually similar to drinking during and after prohibition. There was an increase in the numbers of drinkers after it was removed. A portion of the population remained adamant drinking is wrong. Same with NIL.

 

[superjohn]

My two cents based on pure speculation and no insider insights -

If Cooper is more interested in being an NBA player right now, he will go to Duke. Considering the reclass, this is the most likely option. I feel like the sleeper pick here is G League Ignite, not UConn. He will have an unlimited green light wherever he goes, and being the top pick in the draft is almost weighted equally between hype and production. The production is a given because the kid is a beast. Duke and GLI bring the hype. Whether that's fair or not does not matter right now - it is what it is, until it isn't.

If Cooper is more interested in refining his skills and being in a program with a strong culture, he will go to UConn. He loses out on some of the hype factor here, and may drop a couple picks in the draft because of it. Again, whether that's fair or not does not matter. It is what it is. He could be the guy that kickstarts "until it isn't", but it is a risk for him. In this scenario Hurley doesn't have to convince him, he has to convince his mother. Cooper is probably only looking for the #1 NBA paycheck, maybe the mother would be drawn to the development and culture

No bad choices for Cooper here. He's in a position where he has his pick of every program in the country. Congrats in advance to whatever he ends up choosing

 

[CONN78SEJ]

My two cents based on pure speculation and no insider insights -

If Cooper is more interested in being an NBA player right now, he will go to Duke. Considering the reclass, this is the most likely option. I feel like the sleeper pick here is G League Ignite, not UConn. He will have an unlimited green light wherever he goes, and being the top pick in the draft is almost weighted equally between hype and production. The production is a given because the kid is a beast. Duke and GLI bring the hype. Whether that's fair or not does not matter right now - it is what it is, until it isn't.

If Cooper is more interested in refining his skills and being in a program with a strong culture, he will go to UConn. He loses out on some of the hype factor here, and may drop a couple picks in the draft because of it. Again, whether that's fair or not does not matter. It is what it is. He could be the guy that kickstarts "until it isn't", but it is a risk for him. In this scenario Hurley doesn't have to convince him, he has to convince his mother. Cooper is probably only looking for the #1 NBA paycheck, maybe the mother would be drawn to the development and culture

No bad choices for Cooper here. He's in a position where he has his pick of every program in the country. Congrats in advance to whatever he ends up choosing

Well said, but I’m worried for Cooper Flagg, the kid is 6’8” or 6’10” depending on what article you’re reading and weighs 200 even. Going directly to the NBA he won’t be able to do the things he’s doing now in HS or at the Florida academy he’s attending. He needs at least a year or two to grow and get stronger physically, as he is now, if he got with in 4 or 5 feet of an NBA basket or even a G League basket he get clobbered every time. He needs at least one and preferably two years in a college uniform, needs to get stronger physically. I’m biased yes, when saying I think he gets that at UConn playing for Hurley, and his coaching crew. I don’t think he gets that kind of attention at Duke, to prepare him for the NBA. Could he do well in the NBA now or next year, yes no question, but only if he’s content being a lockdown perimeter shooter. His talents and skills are are so more than what a tall thin guard can do, and would be wasted if he goes to the NBA after one year in college. He needs to get physically stronger while playing two years in college, if he gets that opportunity then he can reach all of his goals, and reach his mother’s goals for him as well.

 

[Stinger92860]

Saw Corny and Mike play against a great NYC kids team at the Bridgeport JCC School Boy Classic. It was a tough contest but Corny eventually took the game over and the Connecticut kids pulled out a victory. That tiny gym was jammed. Dean Smith, Dave Gavitt, Dom Perno, Rollie Massimino, Boeheim, were all there.

Didn’t Matthews play in that game also?

 

[HobokenHusky]

Quite the Maine-ah accent he has there

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Didn’t Matthews play in that game also?

Maybe the year before, they had the Schoolboy Classic every year. I do know he was a year ahead of McKay at Harding.

 

[Richmondhsky]

Maybe the year before, they had the Schoolboy Classic every year. I do know he was a year ahead of McKay at Harding.

Wes Matthews graduated in 1977. I did see a high school All-Star game at the Hartford Civic Center that year, not sure it was the schoolboy classic. Hope that helps.

 

[Matrim55]

This will devolve into a debate about semantics but what Duke and especially UK do is not player development. The UK way is just as much “sign the best player, player underperforms and slips in the draft, player shows out in the NBA and outperforms draft slot.” They run a Stop congested offense that provides little space to operate and typically only let one guy on play on ball. It is kinda funny seeing guys struggle at UK sitting around the perimeter bricking 3s and then enter the NBA immediately as dynamic on ball scorers. When you bring in five 5* a year, your gonna have a bunch of succes stories.

Presti knows:



No coach in NCAA history has cost his kids more money than Cal.

 

[aburks41]

The best part about this recruitment if we get Flagg is that the Duke fanbase would have a major panic attack that their untouchable status for a recruit like Flagg is cracking. Might wake them up a bit that Scheyer is not Coach K, and kids are starting to realize that.

Also, ESPN being forced to cover UConn would be awesome schadenfreude. Flagg will get the Zion treatment - which if you all remember, they would put his stats on the side of games that Duke wasn’t even playing in - and I so badly want to watch the suits in Bristol squirm about having to promote the one school they’ve tried to destroy.

Of course this is all a pipe dream and there’s still a 99.9% chance he commits to Duke without even stepping foot in Storrs…but if we just get him here for a visit we will start to see the dookies sweat a bit

 

[Slick]

The best part about this recruitment if we get Flagg is that the Duke fanbase would have a major panic attack that their untouchable status for a recruit like Flagg is cracking. Might wake them up a bit that Scheyer is not Coach K, and kids are starting to realize that.

Also, ESPN being forced to cover UConn would be awesome schadenfreude. Flagg will get the Zion treatment - which if you all remember, they would put his stats on the side of games that Duke wasn’t even playing in - and I so badly want to watch the suits in Bristol squirm about having to promote the one school they’ve tried to destroy.

Of course this is all a pipe dream and there’s still a 99.9% chance he commits to Duke without even stepping foot in Storrs…but if we just get him here for a visit we will start to see the dookies sweat a bit

I think he will make an official visit to uconn. However, Hurley prides himself on player development and not sure he is going to be interested in a player who is definitely one and done.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

I think he will make an official visit to uconn. However, Hurley prides himself on player development and not sure he is going to be interested in a player who is definitely one and done.

There are some increasingly wild takes in this thread.

 

[navery12]

I think he will make an official visit to uconn. However, Hurley prides himself on player development and not sure he is going to be interested in a player who is definitely one and done.

Turns out you can still develop a player who is one and done. We have one on campus right now in Stephon Castle

 

[jdk1047]

Duke has the 2nd best collection of talent in the NBA after Kentucky. Probably not the best program to go after for player development.

Yeah but how many of them would still be in the nba if they went to any other college

 

[formerlurker]

There are some increasingly wild takes in this thread.

What's Dalton's 3rd rule......?

 

[Waquoit]

I loved that Corny went to UConn, but in hindsiight he probably would have served himself better at UNC. and Dean Smith.

It was between UConn, UNC and UVa. If he chooses UVa, he becomes the power forward that Ralph Sampson never had. Instead he came to UConn and got us into the Big East.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

Wes Matthews graduated in 1977. I did see a high school All-Star game at the Hartford Civic Center that year, not sure it was the schoolboy classic. Hope that helps.

Corny and McKay graduated in the spring of 78. The SchoolBoy Classic was held for many years at the JCC in Bridgeport, until it was torn down a few years ago. Now they play it at local High Schools. It was the premier showcase for Connecticut and NY and New Jersey kids for years. Here’s an old article about it. Clingan played in it year before last IIRC.

A Very Long Line Of Basketball Stars (Published 1996)

www.nytimes.com

 

[Slick]

There are some increasingly wild takes in this thread.

This is not a wild thread trust me.

 

[CONN78SEJ]

I think he will make an official visit to uconn. However, Hurley prides himself on player development and not sure he is going to be interested in a player who is definitely one and done.

I hope he’s not one and done. That being said one year is better than none at all, he needs two years in college, minimum. The kid is only 16 years old, doesn’t turn 17 until next December. The talk about him going directly to the G League is nuts.

 

[Matrim55]

Instead he came to UConn and got us into the Big East.

Yup. We've had a ton of great recruits, but I don't think we'll ever have another as important to the program as Corny was. There's a better than decent chance we're just UMass if he never chooses us.

 

[BigErnMcCracken]

This is not a wild thread trust me.

The idea that Hurley would not be interested in Flagg as a one year player is an absolutely wild sentiment.

 

[Huskyforlife]

The best part about this recruitment if we get Flagg is that the Duke fanbase would have a major panic attack that their untouchable status for a recruit like Flagg is cracking. Might wake them up a bit that Scheyer is not Coach K, and kids are starting to realize that.

Also, ESPN being forced to cover UConn would be awesome schadenfreude. Flagg will get the Zion treatment - which if you all remember, they would put his stats on the side of games that Duke wasn’t even playing in - and I so badly want to watch the suits in Bristol squirm about having to promote the one school they’ve tried to destroy.

Of course this is all a pipe dream and there’s still a 99.9% chance he commits to Duke without even stepping foot in Storrs…but if we just get him here for a visit we will start to see the dookies sweat a bit

I don’t think espn will treat him like Zion if he’s not playing for an espn property.

 

[superjohn]

I don’t think espn will treat him like Zion if he’s not playing for an espn property.

ESPN is dying.