Duke HC Scheyer Compares Cooper Flagg's Leadership to Zion Williamson, Paolo Banchero

Duke men's basketball head coach Jon Scheyer called Cooper Flagg "a joy to coach" while comparing him to Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero ahead of his first college season.

Like Williamson, the No. 1 pick of the 2019 NBA draft, and Banchero, the No. 1 selection in 2022, Flagg is projected to top draft boards in 2025.

According to Scheyer, the incoming freshman isn't letting that expectation faze him.

"He's got an amazing balance of being confident with humility," Scheyer told ESPN's Jeff Borzello about Flagg. "Humility allows us to coach him really hard and for him not to get down himself or take it the wrong way. He genuinely wants to become the best version of himself. When your most talented player, your best player, takes coaching the hardest, it sets the tone for the rest of the team. That's what we had when Paolo was here. That's what we had with Zion. That's what we had with some of our great players. They're about the team. They're not too big for anything.

"It's important for all of us to remember he's 17. This is a process. But he's not running from it, he's not afraid of it. And he's been just such a good guy to coach."

Williamson put up one of the best rookie seasons in NCAA history as he recorded 22.6 points and 8.9 rebounds per game in 2018-19 while leading the Blue Devils to an Elite Eight appearance.

Three seasons later Banchero led Duke to the Final Four in 2021-22 while pacing all true freshman with 17.2 points per game.

After both Duke stars went on to become No. 1 picks, Flagg is an early favorite to head on the same path as he gears up for his first college season this fall.

Flagg committed to the Blue Devils in November as the No. 1 high school basketball prospect from the 2024 class after developing into a star wing and rim protector at Florida's Montverde Academy.

Scheyer, who is heading into his third year as head coach after serving as an associate head coach during Williamson and Banchero's single seasons with Duke, will now get the chance to help Flagg develop his game in what is likely to be his own lone college season.

After signing an extension last year that is set to keep him with the Blue Devils through the 2028-29 campaign, Scheyer will get to work with one of the top incoming classes in the nation this fall as Flagg is joined by fellow five-star prospects center Khaman Maluach and forward Isaiah Evans in Durham.