Miami Heat small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was struck by the talent of Cooper Flagg, the incoming Duke basketball freshman, during their training with LeBron James and Team USA in preparation for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
TMZ Sports spoke with Jaquez at an airport about Cooper Flagg as a draft prospect. Jaquez praised Flagg's remarkable skill and talent and expressed his optimism about Flagg's future success on the court.
The Miami Heat forward described Flagg as “an incredible talent.”
“Man, he's an incredible talent, an incredible player, great person. So who knows, man, we'll see,” Jaquez continued.
Cooper Flagg reaching LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama level hype
At just 17 years old, Flagg, who is a five-star recruit for Duke and is projected by ESPN as the top pick in the 2025 NBA draft, demonstrated his impressive skills during a scrimmage in Las Vegas. He successfully dribbled past NBA All-Stars and scored over future Hall of Famers while playing against the U.S. select team and the men's national squad.
Regarding the buzz that Flagg might be as promising a prospect as Victor Wembanyama or LeBron James when he enters the NBA draft, Jaquez Jr. acknowledged that it’s definitely a possibility.
“I mean, those are great. Yeah, like I said, only time will tell. I wish him the best. We'll see when it's all said and done,” he said.
Flagg was the sole high school player selected for the 2024 USA Basketball Men's Select Team. In this role, he guarded NBA stars such as James, Anthony Davis, and Jason Tatum as they prepared for the Olympics.
How Cooper Flagg is performing so far
Flagg earned several prestigious awards in his senior year, including Gatorade National Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year, and McDonald's All-American honors. He averaged 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 2.7 blocks per game, leading Montverde to a perfect 33-0 season and a national championship title at the Chipotle High School Nationals.
Additionally, as a freshman, he became the first to be named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year, averaging 20.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game.
Flagg also shined in the Nike EYBL 16U league, averaging 26.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, and 4.7 assists per game.
The 17-year old advanced a year in high school to join the Blue Devils a year early. Heading to Durham this fall, he remains the top-ranked recruit in the nation, even though he’s younger than many of his competitors.
Holding his own against Team USA
Flagg has garnered the most preseason attention for a college basketball player since Zion Williamson during his single season at Duke in 2018-19. He attributed the chance to train with the select team and face off against Team USA to former Duke star Grant Hill, who now serves as managing director of USA Basketball.
Cooper Flagg proved he wasn’t a boy among men. He went viral for his performance against All-NBA defenders like Anthony Davis, Bam Adebayo and Jrue Holiday.
In one sequence, Flagg dribbled off a screen and nailed a 3-pointer over the extended arms of Lakers star Anthony Davis.
Jaquez, drafted by the Heat as the 18th pick in 2023, was one of the 12 players on NBA or NBA G League contracts who received an invitation to join the team.
Expectations for Cooper Flagg are through the roof, but his recent performances with the United States select team suggest he's well on his way to meeting them.
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