Rivals Rankings Week: Storylines surrounding the final 2024 Rivals150
The Rivals150 for the class of 2024 is signed, sealed and finalized. The name at the top of the list is familiar to say the least, as Duke-bound forward Cooper Flagg retained his No. 1 billing, which should shock exactly no one.
Flagg has long been the most talked about and poured-over prospect in the class, and that won’t change as he moves closer to his freshman season in Durham, but there are plenty of non-Flagg storylines to be explored.
Below, Rivals examines some news and notes as it relates to the final rankings release for the 2024 class.
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RIVALS RANKINGS WEEK
Monday: Five-Star Countdown
Tuesday: Final Rivals150 unveiled | Top storylines
Wednesday: Position rankings released | Position rankings breakdown
Thursday: Team rankings spotlight
Friday: Rivals Roundtable
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FLAGG STAYS PLANTED ATOP THE RIVALS150
Duke-bound mega-prospect Cooper Flagg finishes the cycle as the No. 1 prospect in the 2024 class despite some buzz around the intriguing long-term potential of No. 2 prospect Airious Bailey. The Rutgers signee had the most compelling case to supplant Flagg at the top of the list but his production has yet to meet his obvious potential, as the future Scarlet Knight remains a bit raw and inefficient on the offensive end. Still, nobody will be totally floored should things begin to click for Bailey down the road, and the five-star forward winds up showing out at a level equal to or above Flagg as a pro.
This is Flagg’s moment, however, and the reasons he sits at the head of the class are obvious. The 6-foot-6 point forward is a hyper-impactful and generationally versatile defender and the impact he has on the offensive end is wide ranging. Flagg does not appear to be maxed out yet, either, as he has the frame to carry even more muscle and a smooth long-range jumper that’s getting more consistent by the month. His fortwork is striking and his ball-handling ability has grown by miles over the last year. There simply isn’t much Flagg can’t do and he's spent years proving that fact against the best competition high school basketball has to offer.
The first ever Maine-born prospect to capture the No. 1 spot, Flagg started off as a member of the 2025 class before reclassifying to 2024 in the months before signing with the Blue Devils. He’s part of a top-ranked Duke class that includes fellow five-star prospects Kon Knueppel, Khaman Maluach and Isaiah Evans among others.
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SYRACUSE SIGNEE MAKES MASSIVE JUMP
It’s been awhile since the Orange landed a top-15 prospect, but five-star power forward Donnie Freeman, who jumped up 41 spots to No. 11 in this update, has ended the drought that started just after Donte Greene signed with the program in 2007.
Freeman’s massive jump is the product of a senior year that saw the 6-foot-9 forward become a more versatile scoring threat and becoming much more than a low-post presence and rim-protector.
Freeman was one of the standouts of this year’s Wooten 150 camp, the Sunshine Classic and the McDonald’s All-American Game, where he managed to shine amid the best players in the class. His reliable hands, soft touch and athleticism have always been present in spades, but his improved jumper and effort on the defensive end have facilitated incredible development this year.
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JUSTIN PIPPEN DEBUTS AT NO. 73
The son of the Chicago Bulls legend, Justin Pippen is the highest-debuting prospect in the final Rivals150. A late bloomer in a similar way to his famous father, Pippen emerged as a major prospect just this year. The athletic combo guard has polished his skill set over the past year, becoming a more reliable ball handler and shooter.
These days, Pippen looks like a prospect capable of playing on ball or off and has an impressive wingspan that allows him to play even bigger than his 6-foot-3 frame on the defensive end.
Pippen remains uncommitted. Georgia Tech, Stanford and Michigan are the major players in his recruitment with the Wolverines seeming to lead the way at this juncture.
