Cooper Flagg earned the respect of some of the best basketball players in the world. Team USA during a practice match On Monday, the 17-year-old played with aplomb, looking like he should be on the court with LeBron James and Stephen Curry. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t nervous before the game.
“Of course I was nervous,” Flagg told Yahoo Sports, “but as soon as I stepped on the court and between the lines, most of the pressure and thoughts I was feeling just disappeared. It was a great opportunity and a great experience to share the court with players of that caliber.”
At one point, Flagg took Jrue Holiday off the dribble, screened for Anthony Davis, and then blasted a 3-pointer over Davis’ head. He was all over the court, chasing rebounds, playing inside and outside, and it was clear why he was He is likely to be the first pick in next year’s draft..
The U.S. team defeated the Select Team 74-73, but after the game, all 12 national team players criticized Flagg.
Flagg is the first college player to be invited to the Select Team in more than a decade, and the confidence boost he got playing against future Hall of Famers didn’t happen overnight. The 6-foot-8 forward was in the gym with Jayson Tatum and Curry at an invitation-only camp last summer. Tatum and Curry are both very hands-on, jumping into drills and scrimmages with the top high school players in attendance. Tatum also brings in other NBA players to help the high school players get a taste of the speed and physicality of the NBA.
“Going to Tatum camp last year and playing 4-on-4 and 5-on-5 with a full team of pro players definitely helped me,” Flagg said. “It was a confidence booster. At the end of the day, it’s all about having confidence in yourself and your abilities.”
Flagg was the top player in his senior year of high school and was reclassified a grade above that. He played his final season at powerhouse Montverde Academy (Florida), where he won a 33-0 record and a high school national title. He chose Duke University over the University of Connecticut and the University of Kansas, and #1 Enrollment Heading into the upcoming season, Duke will be a big target with a host of talented players joining the team and some returning key players, and Flagg welcomes the challenge.
“I don’t think we would want it any other way,” Flagg said. “It’s the same every year. [at Duke] And we want to keep that going. I think taking on roles and having a target on our backs and using that to bring us all together will bring us closer as a team. We’ll learn a lot from it and get better.”
Flagg’s strong performance against the U.S. national team and his promising freshman season at Duke University make him the favorite to be the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a class that also includes Ace Bailey and V.J. Edgecomb.
NBA scouts and executives have been watching Flagg since he was playing in the Nike EYBL circuit’s under-15 division three summers ago. They’ve followed his development and have a good understanding of his limitations as an NBA player. Some teams will likely make a move to acquire Flagg this year. The Brooklyn Nets are already in rebuild mode after trading for Mikal Bridges.
“He looks like a great player,” Kevin Durant told reporters on Tuesday. “He’s 17 years old and he came in here and it felt like… [veteran] Hardly. No emotions. Just going out there and doing my job. That’s a good sign.”
