Duke basketball coach Jon Scheyer discusses Cooper Flagg, 2024 recruiting class

Duke basketball has officially announced the signing of five players from the 2024 recruiting class. 

In his second year as head coach, Jon Scheyer is bringing in the top-ranked class in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite. Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Isaiah Evans, Patrick Ngongba and Darren Harris have signed national letters of intent to join the Blue Devils.

Duke has had the highest-rated class in two of the last three seasons. 

"I'm very proud of this group. There's great versatility, and each and every one of them brings a high level of competitiveness and toughness to our program," Scheyer said in a school-issued statement. 

"Just as importantly, off the court, they're all amazing people with great character. Their desire to win while helping to make their teammates better stands out, and I'm excited to have the opportunity to coach them. Our staff has done a fantastic job, and we're so excited to welcome these five to Duke basketball and the Brotherhood."

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On Thursday, Scheyer offered his thoughts on each of the Blue Devils’ five incoming freshmen for the 2024-25 season. 

Duke basketball welcomes Cooper Flagg 

When discussing Flagg, Scheyer continued to highlight the top-ranked recruit’s “incredible versatility.” The 6-foot-9 forward is the second Duke signee all-time with a 1.0000 rating from 247Sports, joining RJ Barrett. 

"It's been an honor for me to get to know Cooper for some time now as a person. It speaks for itself who he is as a player – the competitor that he is and his incredible versatility,” Scheyer said. 

“On the defensive end he has an ability to block shots and defend one through five. And on the offensive end, he can really score, pass, handle – whatever you need him to do. He's going to bring an incredible competitiveness and toughness to our program that I can't wait to coach."

Isaiah Evans going from Charlotte to Duke

An in-state recruit for the Blue Devils out of Charlotte, Evans is a 6-foot-6 wing and five-star prospect. The North Carolina High School Basketball Player of the Year last season, Evans dropped 62 points in a playoff game.

"Isaiah's highly-skilled, very competitive, unbelievably versatile. He can score and shoot with the best of them and has great size for the position that he plays,” Scheyer said. 

“He's somebody that can do a lot of different things when he gets to Duke, but his most underrated quality is his ability to pass. He's a really good passer, can make others better, and I can't wait to welcome him and his family to Duke in the fall."

Darren Harris follows path of Jeremy Roach, Trevor Keels

Duke has added four players from Paul VI Catholic in recent years. Darren Harris and Patrick Ngongba II are the latest, joining Jeremy Roach and Trevor Keels. Harris is a four-star prospect as a 6-foot-6 sharpshooter.

"Darren is a guy that has been battle tested for a long time. He's played for one of the premier high school programs in the country in Paul VI in Virginia and one of the premier EYBL programs in Team Takeover,” Scheyer said. 

“He's a winner and he's a guy that steps up in the biggest moments. He's somebody who has dreamed about coming to Duke for a long time, so I know that he'll be all-in when he gets here."

Kon Knueppel gives Duke a 5-star recruit from Wisconsin

Another five-star wing in the 2024 class, Knueppel gives Duke another versatile option. 

"What drew us to Kon was his competitiveness, his toughness and his great feel for the game," Scheyer said. 

"He can shoot and score with the best of them but it's his ability to make others better, to pass and to handle, and be a tough competitor on the defensive end as well. That versatility, with the winning pedigree that he brings to the table will be terrific for our program. He's a guy that believes in what Duke basketball is all about."

Jon Scheyer says Patrick Ngongba is ‘best big man in the country’

The lone center in this group, Ngongba is a 6-foot-11, five-star prospect out of Virginia. He was the last of the bunch to commit to Duke, but he gives the Blue Devils something they'll need next season.

"Pat is the best big man in the country," Scheyer said. 

"He's a guy that can score inside and out. What we love about him is his incredible skill level. He's a great passer, he can really handle the ball, and he can shoot from three, as well as score inside – right hand and left hand. He has great footwork, he's a high-level rebounder. He's somebody, that when you play with him, he makes everybody better on the court."

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.