Jon Scheyer Sends Strong Message About Cooper Flagg Ahead of NBA Draft
With the NBA draft set for June 25 and 26, the countdown is officially on until former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg hears his name called as the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks.
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Ahead of the big night, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer joined "The Ryen Russillo Podcast" to discuss Flagg's mindset and the potential of how he might fit at the next level—particularly on a team already loaded with proven star veterans like Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson, and Anthony Davis.
'Cooper had as good and as special of a season as I've ever been a part of with any player," Scheyer said. "But he also had moments where things didn't go his way—when we lost, when there was heartbreak. And in those moments, there were no excuses, no finger-pointing. It was always, 'What does Cooper need to do better?' That's pretty old school, pretty special, and it's a big reason why he's going to be the No. 1 pick and why he'll be a great player for a very long time.'
Scheyer continued, 'He's so unselfish—that's just his nature. He could've easily averaged 20-plus points this year. Going forward, I think he'll be just fine With his ability to shoot from three, finish at the rim, and create his own shot, I think he's going to become one of the best scorers in the NBA over time.'
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg and head coach Jon Scheyer© Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Cooper Flagg was widely projected to be the No. 1 overall pick before he even stepped on the court at Duke—and somehow, he still managed to exceed the sky-high expectations that followed him from Newport, Maine, to Montverde Academy, where he was the top recruit in the Class of 2024.
Flagg led the Blue Devils to both the ACC regular season and conference tournament titles, a Final Four appearance, and topped the team in nearly every major statistical category. His dominant season earned him a sweep of the sport's top honors, including the Wooden Award, Naismith Player of the Year, and both ACC Player and Rookie of the Year.
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Related: Duke Basketball Makes Big Announcement on Tuesday
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 17, 2025, where it first appeared.
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