MONTVERDE, Fla. — Maine native Cooper Flagg has added a major award to his resume.
Flagg, 17, of Newport, was named 2023-24 Gatorade National Boys Basketball Player of the Year. The award recognizes high school student-athletes' "athletic excellence, academic achievement and exemplary character," according to the award's website.
Orlando Magic power forward Paolo Banchero surprised Flagg with the award on Tuesday. Banchero previously attended Duke University, where Flagg plans to play next season.
Flagg was one of three contenders for the award. Previous winners include Jayson Tatum, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant.
The 6-foot, 9-inch Flagg will play for Duke University in the fall and is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. As a freshman, he attended Nokomis Regional High in Maine and led the basketball team to a state championship. He then transferred to Florida's Montverde Academy, known for producing top basketball prospects. This season, he led Montverde to a 30-0 record and the No. 1 ranking in the country, averaging 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.7 blocks, and 1.6 steals per game.
Flagg was named the 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year and earlier this month was named the best high school basketball player in the country in the Naismith Awards.
Gatorade national player of the year winners are awarded a trophy and a banner for their schools. They are also given the ability to award a $1,000 grant to a sports-related community organization and apply for an additional $10,000 grant for the organization.
Flagg recently got a big compliment from NBA star Kevin Durant. Durant, a two-time NBA champion and former Most Valuable Player who's currently 10th on the NBA's all-time scoring list, said he believes Flagg could be "one of the top players in the league for 15 years."
Durant made the comment on his "Boardroom" talk show after his longtime business partner Rich Kleiman asked him his thoughts on Flagg.
"The intangibles he has, his measurables, and his raw talent — I could see that through the TV," Durant said. "When you're 6'10" and can run up and down the floor like that and got the instincts with the basketball like that ... If you show up every day and be the best that you can be, I think Cooper Flagg could be one of the top players in the league for 15 years."