Cooper Flagg, the number one ranked recruit in the Class of 2024, has been making headlines nationwide after a stellar performance against the men’s USA Olympic Team at summer training camp.
The 17-year-old out of Montverde Academy earned the honor of playing for the 2024 USA Basketball Men’s select team in June, joining forces with some of the nation’s top talent, including NBA and G League players like Jalen Duren (Detroit Pistons), Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets), and recent NBA champion Payton Pritchard (Boston Celtics).
Flagg and the select team have been training with the US Olympic team this summer as they prepare for the Olympic Games in Paris later this July.
Cooper Flagg’s Gameplay Impressed an Entire Gym Full of NBA Legends
If Cooper flag is doing this to team USA he is going to destroy the college level. He is going to be 10x better than Zach Edey. #CooperFlagg #ZachEdey pic.twitter.com/YqUUzIGMhU
— TalkSports36 (@TopPicks36) July 9, 2024
A sequence of Flagg’s gameplay during Monday’s scrimmage, including a three-point shot over Los Angeles Lakers star Anthony Davis and a putback layup over Miami Heat star Bam Adebayo, has been circulating across the internet. The 20-second clip of Flagg left some fans in disbelief, wondering how a teenager is playing at such a high level against future Hall of Famers.
The players of the USA Olympic Team shared similar thoughts and spoke highly of Flagg after his performance.
In an interview with Michael Scotto of HoopsHype following the scrimmage, 2x NBA champion Kevin Durant had this to say about the incoming Duke freshman.
From watching him on the sideline, he looked like a hell of a player… He is somebody that is only going to get better with more experience. He is 17 years old, coming in here playing like he is a vet, almost. No emotion. Just out there doing his job. That is a good sign.
The US Olympic team players weren’t the only ones raving about his performance, as Flagg’s coaches shared similar thoughts after the game.
“Cooper Flagg was unbelievable,” said Jim Boylen, assistant coach for both the select team and the Indiana Pacers. “He’s not scared.”
America Calls For Flagg to Replace Kawhi Leonard
The videos of Flagg’s performance against some of the best players in the world have basketball enthusiasts itching for more. Too impatient to wait for his Blue Devils debut this fall, some fans were hoping he could replace Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard, who announced he would be withdrawing from competing in the Paris Olympics on Wednesday.
CBS Sports Cameron Salerno backed these claims, saying that Flagg:
“has not only shown that he belongs in a group of some of the greatest basketball players on the planet in one room, but proved to be one of the best players on the USA Select Team.”
While the six-foot-nine forward may have what it takes to compete on the Olympic stage, the US Olympic team quickly silenced the calls for Flagg to play in Paris and replaced Leonard’s spot on the Team USA roster with Boston Celtics superstar Derrick White.
White’s arrival is fitting and will bring an unmatched defensive energy to the team. The recent NBA champion will join fellow Celtics teammates and NBA champion Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday, which should also help improve the team’s chemistry.
Not to mention, Flagg is only 17 and will have plenty of time to make an Olympic roster before his playing days are over.
Upcoming Season at Duke
Flagg will join Jon Scheyer and the Blue Devils this fall in Durham in what is becoming one of the most anticipated freshman seasons since Duke sensation Zion Williamson entered the college basketball scene in 2018.
Analysts are already predicting Flagg to be the number one overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft. After his performance at the US men’s basketball training camp, it’s becoming increasingly believable.
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