Basketball News: Top Host throws shade at UConn for ‘negative recruiting’

Cooper Flagg tried to keep his recruitment as quiet as possible but given his notoriety in the sport, everyone wanted to know the process behind the eventual Duke basketball commit.

However, now that the dust has settled and Flagg will be suiting up for the Blue Devils this season, he divulged a little more information on how things shook out during his recruitment.

“Something I looked at was negative recruiting,” Flagg said during an appearance on The Brotherhood Podcast.

“It was just something I didn’t like going through that process when other schools would try do that, but I think most players out there do not like when coaches do that type of stuff.”

Caleb Foster, the host of the podcast, said he experienced similar situations during his recruitment.

Flagg did not specify what school(s) were actively dissuading him to not attend Duke but he did confirm that his two finalists were the Blue Devils and UConn. Kansas had been in the mix for the 5-star talent, but he dropped the Jayhawks from contention before his scheduled official visit.

Cooper Flagg said the biggest deciding factor in choosing Duke was when he went on his official visit and was able to meet members of last year’s team as well as meeting more with the coaching staff and walking the halls of campus.

“Once I kind of felt that, I kind of had the feeling that [Duke] was where I wanted to be.”

His officially made up his mind shortly after his visit to Countdown to Craziness.

“It’s hard to pass up on this place,” Foster quipped.

Duke ended the 2024 recruiting cycle with the No. 1 class in the nation while UConn, coming off back-to-back National Championships, has the No. 11 freshmen group, according to 247Sports. Cooper Flagg and the Blue Devils will open its season on November 4 against Maine inside Cameron Indoor Stadium.