Cooper Flagg made a massive impression on some of the biggest names in the NBA during the Team USA scrimmages in Las Vegas over the weekend. The 17-year-old is the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Kevin Durant was impressed by Flagg’s play for the USA Select Team against Team USA.
“I wish I had gone up against him at practice. But watching him from the sideline, he looked like a hell of a player. He’s somebody that’s only going to get better with more experience. He’s 17 years old coming in here playing like he’s a vet almost. No emotion, he’s going out there and doing his job. That’s a good sign..”
I asked Kevin Durant for his impressions of potential No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg. He replied, “He looked like a hell of a player. He’s somebody that’s only going to get better with more experience. He’s 17 years old coming in here playing like he’s a vet almost. No emotion.” pic.twitter.com/Q1FOn0aT55
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 9, 2024
Durant missed out on participating in the Las Vegas scrimmages due to a calf injury. He’s expected to miss Team USA’s first warm-up game against Canada on July 10 but is eyeing a return for the US Olympic Showcase in Abu Dhabi next week. He couldn’t play against Flagg but had a sideline seat to watch a future NBA rival.
Flagg will be among the most talked about basketball players this year as he plays his freshman NCAA season for the Duke Blue Devils. People will keep a close eye on the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, as Flagg is considered to be a generational prospect.
The 6’9″ forward led his high school, Montverde Academy, to a national title with a 30-0 record. He averaged 26.8 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.2 blocks, and 4.7 assists per game in the Nike EYBL League, with Duke fans excited to see what he can do for the historic university.
Cooper Flagg Impressed Everyone With His Showing
Flagg has many admirers in the NBA after his performance for the Select Team, with Durant’s Phoenix Suns teammate Devin Booker also reacting positively to Flagg’s performance.
“He wants it. I know this experience he’s going to take with him and move forward.”
Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. was stunned at the poise with which Flagg played, showering praises on him.
“To be able to do what he did, not even playing a college game, let alone an NBA game, there’s no fear. It’s relentless. And the thing that you can tell about him is that he just has a knack and the will to win. He doesn’t need the ball. He just finds a way to it. And the ball finds its way to him. That’s something that you can’t teach. He’s just got a great feel for the game.”
Flagg was the first high school player in over a decade to be invited to the Select Team scrimmages. Anthony Davis went to the 2012 Olympics without playing an NBA game but after being drafted after his freshman college season. Flagg hasn’t even played in college yet, so this invite was a pleasant surprise to the forward who wants to learn as much as he can.
“Once the ball goes up, I’m just trying to win at all times. 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.”
Flagg is the top prospect in a stacked 2025 NBA Draft, but his status could change if he has a disappointing year at Duke. Nonetheless, the impression he’s left on NBA players already shows he’s going to come into the NBA with massive hype and the chance to be a franchise-changer for whoever gets the No. 1 pick.
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