Some of the biggest stars in the 2024 recruiting class make their respective college debuts on the opening night of the 2024-25 college basketball season Monday. Among them was Duke forward Cooper Flagg — the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Flagg was part of Duke’s top-ranked high school recruiting class that featured four five-star recruits. The Blue Devils started three of them — Flagg, Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach — in their first game against Maine. Isaiah Evans, the No. 13 prospect in the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports, came off the bench.
Rutgers star Dylan Harper, the No. 3 ranked player in the class, will make his college debut on Wednesday against Wagner. Harper’s freshman teammate, Ace Bailey, will miss the opening game of the season due to an injury. UConn five-star forward Liam McNeeley will play on the same day against Sacred Heart.
Here is how every five-star prospect from the 2024 recruiting class by 247Sports and a few other notables ranked outside the top 20 fared in their college debuts this week.
Cooper Flagg | F/G | Duke
247Sports ranking: 1
Flagg made his long-awaited debut and recorded 18 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals in 30 minutes of action as No. 7 Duke defeated Maine 96-62. The highlight of Flagg’s first game came in the final minutes of the first half, when he drove through the middle of the lane and threw down a powerful one-handed dunk.
Ace Bailey | F/G | Rutgers
247Sports ranking: 2
Bailey will miss Rutgers’ season-opener against Wagner. It’s TBD when he will make his debut.
Dylan Harper | G | Rutgers
247Sports ranking: 3
Harper will make his college debut on Wednesday against Wagner.
Khaman Maluach | C | Duke
247Sports ranking: 4
Maluach started at center for Duke and played 18 minutes. He recorded six points on 3-of-3 shooting and added six rebounds and three blocks. There was discussion about…
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