Meet Cooper Flagg, the teenager who lit up Team USA and stunned NBA fans while on same court as LeBron James and Steph Curry
LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are uniting to win gold in Paris.
But first Team USA had to deal with a 17-year-old sharpshooter who could become one of the new faces of the NBA.
4
Cooper Flagg stole the show in Las Vegas while some of the best basketball players in the world prepared for the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Video footage from a scrimmage showed Flagg playing with supreme confidence as he shook off defenders, unleashed powerful dunks and drilled long-range shots.
"He gonna be a problem for sure when he enters the league," one fan tweeted.
"This kid is going to be special," a second fan posted. "Him and Wemby are going to run the league."
READ MORE ON NBA
"Will be a one and done at Duke," a third fan wrote.
Victor Wembanyama put up historic numbers last season while winning NBA Rookie of the Year with the San Antonio Spurs.
Flagg is already the projected No. 1 overall pick for the 2025 draft.
But before he joins The Association, he's set to play for Duke -- for at least one year.
Most read in Basketball
4
4
4
"Imagine being Lebron James and getting to face Cooper Flagg," one fan tweeted.
The 6ft 9in Flagg was one of 12 players on a select team who worked out against Team USA in preparation for exhibition games that will lead to the Paris Olympics.
Team USA's Olympic Basketball team reveal whether they can spin a ball on their finger leaving NBA stars surprised
Despite only being a month removed from high school graduation, Flagg looked NBA ready with James, Curry, Durant and more watching up close.
“He’s a special young man,â€Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley . “His talent level, his basketball IQ, his level of toughness, not afraid of those moments, protect the rim, make the right play, make the right read. He had all that.â€
Flagg was a five-star recruit and won multiple national player of the year honors in high school.
“It was just an honor to come out here and compete,†Flagg said. “Every one of them reached out to me. They’ve all been very welcoming. Told me to keep working and stay confident.â€
The native of Newport, Maine attended Montverde Academy in Florida, played in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League and has Amateur Athletic Union experience.
The hype for Flagg has been building for a year.
After lighting up Team USA less than a month away from the Olympics, Flagg will now have a Wemby-like buzz.
At 17, he's already impressed NBA superstars and is followed by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes on Instagram.
“He wants to be great,†Devin Booker said.
Topics