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The Duke basketball program is gearing up for an exciting 2024-25 season, headlined by the arrival of five-star recruit Cooper Flagg. Flagg received the honor of playing with the 2024 Team USA Select squad, which practices against the United State's official Olympic roster. Flagg has had the opportunity to go against big professional names such as LeBron James. The incoming Duke freshman gave a “humbled” take on his opportunity to play with such elite competition.
“I was pretty surprised just because it's not like a normal thing,” Flagg told ESPN Sunday after he scrimmaged against a star-studded men's national team for the first time. “So I was definitely really honored and just excited that I had this opportunity.”
“If you think about it, you're able to learn from… if you look at their team, it's nobody better. So it's just being come out here and learn, this is a great experience and I'm really just humbled and I'm really grateful and blessed that I was selected,” Flagg added.
At 6'9″ and highly versatile, Cooper Flagg is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The 17-year-old looks to become a part of a loaded class several teams are interested in. Flagg put up impressive numbers in the Nike EYBL League. He averaged 26.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, and 4.7 assists, per ESPN. In addition, he led Montverde Academy to a 30-0 record during his senior year and a national title.
Flagg also participated in the Nike Hoop Summit and other high school all-star games. His accomplishments propelled Team USA to select him as the first college player to take part in the 2024 training camp since Marcus Smart and Doug McDermott in 2013.
Cooper Flagg is making his mark amid Duke basketball arrival
Flagg has left a good impression on Team USA Select and Orlando Magic coach Jahmal Mosley during his short time practicing against the Olympic squad.
“Well, I hadn't been around him, so just meeting him and talking to him the first day in practice the other day, you can just see the quiet confidence that he carries with himself,” Mosley said, via ESPN. “His ability to know what he's capable of doing, but also the humility of knowing, ‘OK, I'm still trying to figure some of these things out at this level,' but he's not afraid of it. And that's what, that's one thing you can tell right away.”
“[He has a] high basketball IQ, tough, willing to learn,” Mosley continued. “He gets to the spots that he needs to for a shot a lot, able to get to the rim, great touch on his shot.”
“I mean, he can play. There's no in between. There's me saying, in many different forms, he can just flat out play.”
Flagg has the skill to play with some of the world's best, which why is he is so highly touted. At the same time, he knows he still has things to work on. An NBA future looms on the horizon for the talented forward. In the meantime, Flagg looks to keep ascending and help Duke be a force in the ACC during the 2024-25 college basketball season.
