Get ready for the Cooper Flagg mania. The incoming Duke basketball freshman is already making loud noises before he can even play his first official game for the Blue Devils, as he recently took part in helping Devin Booker and the rest of Team USA prepare for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
Flagg appears to have impressed a lot of people with how he performed against an elite competition, which is an understatement as the Europe-bound American team is the heavy favorite to win the gold in Paris.
Just 17 years old, Flagg looked comfortable and confident on the court alongside his USA Select Team teammates such as Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets, Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings, Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets, and Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat.
Booker had nothing but good words to say about what he'd observed of Cooper Flagg during the scrimmages.
“He wants it, you see how bad he wants it,” Booker of the Phoenix Suns said of Flagg, per The Athletic.
That confidence can perhaps be best summed up when he quickly recovered from an Anthony Davis block by turning a second-chance possession with a two-handed dunk.
Having the focus to do something positive after a demoralizing block at the hands of a top-tier defensive weapon just showed why Flagg is a unique player and why Duke basketball can't wait to see him play for the Blue Devils in the upcoming 2024-25 college basketball season.
“Once the ball goes up, I’m just trying to win at all times,” Flagg explained his mentality when he's on the floor against a bunch of NBA All-Stars and future Hall of Famers.
“I’m just a competitor, and that’s what it boils down to. It’s a little bit of an adjustment, being on the court with them, but at the same time I’m just playing basketball and trying to learn.”
Cooper Flagg is matching the hype ahead of Duke basketball debut
Widely expected to be the top pick overall in the 2025 NBA Draft, the upcoming college basketball campaign will likely be Flagg's first and final year in Durham.
In any case, much is expected of Flagg, who will undoubtedly be the center of attention over the side of the Blue Devils. He has the tools and the skills to make huge waves in the college scene. Flagg is a tantalizing weapon on both sides of the floor.
He can get the job done offensively and defensively. at 6-foot-9, Flagg has a great size that's pro-ready and he'll certainly use it to create excellent scoring opportunities for himself. The five-star Duke basketball recruit can reliably score from almost anywhere on the court.
His court awareness has been impressive based on what he's displayed thus far and that should translate and even evolve once he starts competing with the Blue Devils, who reached the Elite Eight round of the 2024 NCAA tournament.
He's already shown that he can do damage against Team USA, so there should be close to zero doubts that he'd at least make a significant impact on the Blue Devils, who are looking to win their first national title in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era and since 2015.
Outside of Duke, Cooper Flagg also got offers from big programs like the Kansas Jayhawks, UCLA Bruins, Villanova Wildcats, and UConn Huskies.
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