NEWPORT — The top-ranked player to ever come through the state of Maine just got one year closer to the big time.

Newport native and ex-Nokomis star Cooper Flagg announced via his Instagram page Friday that he will be reclassifying from 2025 to 2024. The decision makes him eligible to play college basketball next fall and potentially enter the NBA draft in 2025.

Flagg, set to begin his junior year at Montverde Academy (Fla.) this fall, was previously the top-ranked player on Rivals.com and the No. 2 player per ESPN and 247Sports. Rivals.com immediately moved him to the No. 1 spot in 2024 upon the announcement with the other major services yet to update their rankings.

As a freshman in 2021-22, Flagg averaged 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals and 3.7 blocks per game as he led Nokomis to its first-ever state title. He would be named Maine Gatorade Player of the Year and later 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year after helping Team USA to the FIBA U17 World Cup title.

Flagg played alongside some of the country’s best players at Montverde this winter before making possibly his biggest splash at last month’s Peach Jam in North Augusta, S.C. He averaged 25.4 points, 13 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 6.8 blocks per game, leading Maine United to a tournament runner-up finish.

Flagg has yet to announce his plans for post-high school basketball. The junior posted photos of himself donning Duke gear after an unofficial visit last Friday, though his mother, Kelly, was quick to quash rumors that he had decided on the Blue Devils.

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