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LAS VEGAS — One of many higher gamers on the ground in Monday’s Staff USA scrimmage moved simply, floated to the basket a number of occasions, took future Corridor of Famers off the dribble for dunks, hit just a few stepback 3-pointers.
He slot in.
Oh, we must always point out: He’s 17.
Cooper Flagg was one among a dozen gamers on a choose staff whose sole job the previous two days was to offer Staff USA a strong exercise and make these Olympians sweat.
What separated him from his teammates was fairly apparent — solely he was a month faraway from his highschool promenade and commencement line.
Additionally, if the 2025 Draft have been held tomorrow, the younger, versatile ahead would seemingly be the No. 1 decide.
Cooper Flagg recovers for the slam 💪
Choose Staff vs. Nationwide Staff Scrimmage 🍿 pic.twitter.com/IXbb9vDrgK
— NBA Future Begins Now (@nbafuturenow) July 7, 2024
What he obtained within the course of was the expertise of a younger lifetime. What the NBA-dominant people who gathered for the exercises obtained was one other web page within the scouting report on somebody who may lead the following technology of American-born stars.
“He’s a particular younger man,” stated Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley, who coached the choose staff. “His expertise degree, his basketball IQ, his degree of toughness, not afraid of these moments, defend the rim, make the fitting play, make the fitting learn. He had all that.”
And he’ll take all that to Duke this fall as a freshman, the place he’s projected to remain for one 12 months. And that was earlier than he suited up in Vegas.
At 6-foot-8 with outdoors contact and the flexibility to assault the rim as effectively, Flagg has been highly-ranked since he began highschool in Maine.
He performed in opposition to professionals and school gamers earlier than, primarily throughout summers, though this journey to Vegas was clearly a step up. His dad and mom watched the three-day scrimmages from the stands, and his father, Ralph, admitted his son was starstruck.
Who wouldn’t be?
“The primary time he stepped on the ground, he seemed up and was guarding LeBron James and he was like, ‘OK, I suppose we’re going to begin doing this.’ This chance, it’s loopy,” Ralph Flagg stated.
The wonderment solely lasted for just a few moments, his son stated.
“At first, you stroll into this health club, see all these gamers and yeah, it’s like, wow,” he stated. “However then the ball goes up and it’s simply basketball. I’m simply making an attempt to win. I’m a competitor, that’s what it boils right down to.
“I’m assured in my potential and ability. I do know who I’m and what I can do.”
He practically led the choose staff to a win within the last moments of a decent recreation with just a few baskets, primarily as a result of his teammates — all younger NBA gamers — deferred to him. That was an indication of respect.
On one late sequence, he elevated for a 3-pointer over Anthony Davis — who blocked one among Flagg’s pictures Sunday, sending {the teenager} to the ground — then adopted up seconds later with a putback, plus the foul.
He took over the scrimmage.
Cooper Flagg taking on. 🔥
(by way of @BenGolliver, h/t @DukeNBA)
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) July 8, 2024
“You see what he did?” Mosley stated.
Everybody did. And the Olympians advised him as a lot after the buzzer.
“He needs to be nice,” Devin Booker stated.
Flagg accepted any and all ideas.
“It was simply an honor to return out right here and compete,” Flagg stated. “Each one among them reached out to me. They’ve all been very welcoming. Informed me to maintain working and keep assured.”
USA Basketball despatched invitations to a handful of gamers for the choose staff: Detroit’s Jalen Duren, Brandon Miller of Charlotte, Miami’s Jaime Jaquez and Trayce Jackson-Davis of Golden State, amongst others.
The thought was twofold: To provide the Olympians sufficient outdoors competitors earlier than they start intrasquad work on Wednesday, and to maybe groom younger gamers who might fill out Staff USA rosters of the longer term.
“It was nice simply being again within the health club for this degree of top quality competitors,” Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. stated. “This allowed me to work on my recreation, get higher, come again stronger subsequent season.”
Assuming he continues to develop and adapt to the bodily calls for of the sport, Flagg might be a candidate for the following FIBA World Cup staff. And past that, who is aware of? Perhaps extra scrimmages like these of the final three days, besides he might be on the opposite bench.
“He’s a sponge,” Mosley stated. “The primary couple days was about what he wants to enhance on, each offensively and defensively. He had the good thing about getting NBA teaching and recommendation from NBA gamers. It was just for just a few days but it surely’s one thing he can take with him.”
Ralph Flagg went a step additional about his son:
“Going into the season at Duke, after one thing like this, he’s obtained to be saying, ‘Properly, I do know I can play with these (NBA) guys.’ He’ll return to campus and reset and be prepared for what’s subsequent.”
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Shaun Powell has coated the NBA for greater than 25 years. You possibly can e-mail him right here, discover his archive right here and comply with him on X.
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