Cooper Flagg Drops Truth About Duke Recruitment Pitch That Changed Everything
Cooper Flagg had his pick of blue bloods. Every top coach in the country wanted him, but only one sealed the deal—and it wasn’t through endless praise or flashy promises.
As Duke prepares for its Final Four matchup against Houston, Flagg opened up about the recruitment process that led him to Durham. When the door opened for coaches to begin official outreach, Flagg quickly realized one conversation stood out.
Rather than piling on compliments, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer took a different route—and it left a lasting impression.
“Something that stuck out to me the whole time was his honesty,” Flagg said during a recent interview. “He’d even critique some of my games.”
Honest Approach Won Over Nation’s Top Prospect
That level of honesty caught Flagg’s attention at a time when most top programs were only telling him what he wanted to hear. While other schools focused on hype, Scheyer kept it real. He laid out a clear vision for Flagg’s role at Duke—and he didn’t sugarcoat the work it would take.
Flagg also admired Scheyer’s deep ties to the program, recalling his role on Duke’s national championship team in 2010. That legacy, along with a foundation of mutual respect, helped seal the commitment.
Now, with Duke just two wins away from a title and Flagg already living up to the billing, it’s clear the bond between player and coach has paid off. Whether this run ends in a trophy or not, the partnership that started with a single, honest conversation has already made a lasting mark.
