Duke Basketball freshman Cooper Flagg, the projected 2025 NBA Draft first overall pick, is looking like he'll be one of the best players in college basketball. Flagg recently got some advice from a Duke legend who may know a thing or two about the position Flagg is in as a future Blue Devil superstar.
Flagg recently had the opportunity to speak with former Duke superstar and current Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick, and detailed that conversation in an appearance on “The Brotherhood Podcast” hosted by Flagg's Duke teammate and sophomore guard Caleb Foster.
“JJ Redick came to talk to the team, and he kind of just talked about the noise we're going to get this year and how we just have to be able to block it out,” Flagg said. “And he said to me, specifically, I was going to get the most and that's how it always is.”
“So, I think just being able to adapt to that and just kind of like take it all in, that type of advice was just really good to hear,” Flagg continued.
If anyone knows anything about blocking out noise, it's Redick. During his time at Duke, Redick was considered the most hated college basketball player in the country and constantly dealt with raucous crowds at away games and an increased media presence. Despite that, Redick was still able to dominate. For Redick to specifically shout Flagg out and warn him about that shows how highly he thinks of the freshman forward.
Cooper Flagg's outlook
Flagg is considered by most to be a generational prospect. After a historic high school career, Flagg recently impressed as a member of the Team USA select squad, which practiced against the United States National Team ahead of the Olympics. Most notably, Flagg went toe-to-toe with NBA superstars like LeBron James and Anthony Davis and more than held his own, playing tough defense and even sinking some shots over his NBA All-Star opponents.
Even as just a 17-year-old freshman, Flagg is expected to lead and be one of the best players on the 2024-25 Duke squad. Duke already has high expectations, with ESPN's recent “Way-Too-Early” top 25 having them as the No. 8 team in the country. Flagg's unique combination of defensive versatility, complete offensive game, and elite athleticism will allow him to be a difference-maker right away despite his youth and inexperience.
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