LAS VEGAS – Cooper Flagg’s sequence against the U.S. men’s Olympic basketball team had more than the Internet buzzing with hyperbolic praise.
Those inside the gym – which included Olympians, future Hall of Famers, NBA and college coaches and team executives – where the scrimmage took place raved about Flagg’s performance for the U.S. select team during three days of practice and scrimmages with the U.S. Olympic team.
He made a 3-pointer over All-NBA Defense selection Anthony Davis and on the next possession, he had a putback plus an and-one over Bam Adebayo, another All-Defense performer. He also made another 3-pointer against Davis and connected on a short turnaround jumper over Jrue Holiday, yet another All-Defense selection this season.
And Flagg is just 17 years old.
Just out of high school, Flagg was the No. 1 high school player in 2023-24, will play for Duke this season and is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Cooper played like he belongs and acted like he belongs.
“It just comes from my mindset,” he said when asked by USA TODAY. “Once the ball goes up, I’m just trying to win at all times, so I’m just a competitor and that’s what it boils down to. It’s a little bit of adjustment being on the court with them, but at the same time, I’m just playing basketball and just trying to win.”
He was the only U.S. select player who isn’t in the NBA or played in the NBA.
“I’m confident in my ability and my skill. So at the end of the day, I’m confident in who I am and what I can do, so I’m just coming out to play basketball,” Flagg said. “I’m just blessed to have this opportunity and to be here. So just knowing I get to go and compete, I kind of had no worries.
“I didn’t put any pressure on myself just because I’m here for a reason.”
The “awe factor” of being on the same court against LeBron James, Steph Curry and Jayson Tatum didn’t last long for Flagg. He said there was none “once the ball went up. I think at first walking in the gym and seeing all those players, but not once we started playing.”
One NBA team staffer, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about Flagg, praised his positional size (6-9, 205 pounds), ball skills, basketball IQ, confidence and court presence.
At Montverde (Florida) Academy in 2023-24, Flagg averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 2.7 blocks and 1.6 steals and shot 54.8% from the field. He was the Gatorade and Naismith high school player of the year in 2024. While Flagg downplays pressure, there is growing sentiment that Flagg can become the next great American-born basketball player.
What did Flagg learn from the three days of practice?
“Just the physicality, just knowing how far I have to go,” he said. “So much stuff to work on, just seeing it in real time and how well they do all the little details. So just taking that, learning from that and just getting better.”
After the scrimmage on the final day of the U.S. select team’s portion of the training camp, Flagg posed for pictures with the select team and Olympic team and former Duke players Chip Engelland (Oklahoma City Thunder assistant coach), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics All-Star) and Grant Hill (USA Basketball men’s national managing director.
The 2027 FIBA World Cup and 2028 Los Angeles Olympics seem far away, and Flagg hasn’t even played one college basketball game, but those events are on his mind.
“That’s something I’m striving for, just trying to be the best I can and if I can achieve that and then join the World Cup team in (three) years, that’s another goal on my list,” he said.
