He is seventeen, going to Duke, and destined to be an NBA superstar. But who is Cooper Flagg? You may just be reading about him in the news, but the hype has been building for a while. Let’s dive in…
Team USA
(July 8, 2024)
On Monday, July 8, Cooper Flagg played in the Team USA vs USA Select scrimmage. The spotlight once again found the freshly graduated high schooler and likely will not be relinquishing its focus. To play against and be around the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant is something beyond beneficial and certainly memorable.
High School
Flagg holding a prominent spot in basketball media is no mistake, however. The Newport, Maine native transferred to the prestigious Montverde Academy in Florida after his freshman season. Most recently, he led his squad to a 30-0 record and took home the honor of Gatorade Player of the Year. His season (per-game) stat line is as follows: 16.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.7 blocks, 1.7 steals. Cooper Flagg was the number-one recruit from the class of 2024 and looks to dominate in his likely single season with the Blue Devils.
NBA Hopes
The 6′ 9″ small forward is as versatile as they come. He is an elite finisher at the rim, with ambidextrous abilities. He can shoot the mid-range and even from three. Defensively he may be even more impressive. Flagg can legitimately guard positions one through five and will unapologetically ruin your highlight by blocking anything that comes his way. He can also handle the ball well, is fantastic in transition, and is willing to pass-unlike what another high school sensation, Kobe Bryant, once had on his scouting report. Now what are his weaknesses? He just needs to work on the small details; smooth out his jump shot, create better separation, and tighten up his dribbling. These are things that will easily be polished during his year in Durham.
Wrap Up
Cooper Flagg is the real deal. When it comes to high school prospects, you immediately think of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James-maybe even Dwight Howard. Now you will be adding Mr. Flagg to your cookout conversations about basketball. He will be the number one overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and will have teams “accidentally” having poor performances this season to get a shot at selecting him. However, the pressure is on. Think of the Caitlin Clark spotlight but on steroids. Hopefully, this kid has some good sunglasses; he’s going to need them.
(April 2, 2024)