The mania surrounding Cooper Flagg at Duke is here. And it’s not going anywhere anytime soon.

Flagg, the most hyped recruit in the 2024 class and the projected No. 1 NBA draft pick in 2025, spoke publicly Friday for the first time since beginning his career with the Blue Devils.

The 6-foot-2 freshman forward, wearing a Duke T-shirt that read “Dream Biggest,” appeared confident and excited for Duke to officially begin practice this week. It’s been a tumultuous start to college for the program’s biggest recruit since Zion Williamson – who even former President Barack Obama came to Durham to see him play – but Flagg is handling the situation as best he can.

gooooooooo @Cooper_Flagg 😈😈🦾 pic.twitter.com/Ie6lLNpJZK

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) September 27, 2024

“I think as far as the hype and everything that comes with it is something you have to learn to deal with. And for me it’s all about playing basketball, so I’m excited to get started with our team,” Flagg told reporters in Durham.

“We have an incredible group of people. I got to know everyone on the team very well. So I’m just really excited to get started. As far as the hype for me, I’m just focused on playing basketball and trying to win every day.”

Flagg, who is from Newport, Maine and already has a footwear contract with New Balance, was originally a member of the 2025 recruiting class but was reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class in August of last year. His parents are Blue Devils fans who often watched the basketball team on their home television while Flagg was growing up with his two brothers.

Flagg committed to Duke in October. With him on the field, the Blue Devils should be a contender against anyone.

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“I’ve seen a lot of different seasons, different hypes, different expectations. “With Cooper, I don’t know if we’ve ever had a 17-year-old who’s been given this much attention – and rightfully so, given the high school career he’s had and what he’s done,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said told reporters.

“But we talk about everything we can control. And that’s what we focused on,” said Scheyer. “Cooper does an excellent job and comes to practice every day to work. Honestly, I don’t think he likes the attention. I think for him it’s about being just like the other guys in terms of not caring about the attention, wanting to win and wanting to compete.”

Flagg will play in front of Blue Devils fans for the first time next week at the program’s “Countdown to Craziness” event on Oct. 4 before Duke opens its season with a matchup against Lincoln (Pa.) University on Oct. 19. In the meantime, Flagg will remain based in Durham.

Coop brings this 🔒🔒🔒 @Cooper_Flagg pic.twitter.com/JDOx0BrLSd

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) September 27, 2024

“He’s 17, so he’s going to go through a lot at the start of the season. That’s part of it,” said Scheyer.

“But being there for him in those moments and growing as a player is why he came to Duke. So I want it to be – I want him to enjoy this year. I want him to have fun at practice, have fun being a student at Duke, have fun with his teammates and of course work like crazy to become a better player. And that’s what we do every day.”

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(Photo: Grant Halverson/Getty Images)