One of the most touted basketball players in college basketball, Cooper Flagg, has made a name for himself in the sport. The star forward has grasped the attention of the nation by playing the majority of the season at 17 years old, while dominating for one of the most prestigious basketball schools in the nation, Duke University. 

Flagg currently attends Duke at North Carolina as a freshman and has become one of the most praised college basketball players this season. Despite being a freshman, Cooper Flagg’s path to stardom is already underway.

Born on Dec. 21, 2006, in Newport, Maine, Cooper Flagg developed a profound interest in basketball at an early age. Flagg was raised in an environment heavily influenced by basketball.

Ralph, his father, was a standout high school basketball player and attended Eastern Maine Community College where he pursued his basketball career; Cooper’s mother, Kelly, starred in college basketball at Maine University, where she was a team captain and a member of four NCAA Tournament teams. Cooper, a re-class, also has a twin brother, Ace Flagg, who has continued playing in high school for Montverde Academy.

Flagg has a very special skill set that has allowed him to become the projected number one overall pick in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. He can knock down deep three-point shots or attack the basket with ease. 

Defensively, Flagg is a game-changer. His 6’9” frame, 7-foot wingspan, and athleticism have allowed him to become an elite shot-blocker who can contest shots at the rim and defend the perimeter. Cooper Flagg’s unique abilities have also allowed him to win prestigious awards like the 2024-25 Oscar Robertson Trophy (National Player of the Year) and the 2024-25 Wayman Tisdale Award (National Freshman Player of the Year). 

The journey of Cooper Flagg has only started and it will be interesting to see what the rest of his career will bring.