When Cooper Flagg wowed Team USA stars at age 17

The action takes place on July 8, 2024 at the Mendenhall Center at UNLV, in the City of Vice. The main protagonist is a 17-year-old kid, who will meet the constellation of stars for the first time in his life.

Basketball legends gathered in Vegas to prepare for the Paris Olympics, including LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry among many others…

Perfectly calm in a gratin

During one of the small practice games, which was narrowly won by the Paris Olympians (74-73), Cooper Flagg made a strong impression, making a great shot. like Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber and Grant Hill in 1992 before Barcelona in the “Dream Team”.

He’s the one who actually brings his team back late in the game, with a baseline shot, first over Jrue Holiday, then a 3-pointer under the nose of his future Mavs teammate, Anthony Davis, before flying over Bam Adebayo for a layup, no more fouls! Enough to make the Select Team bench roar.

We are still talking about three defenders who are mentioned in the NBA and even at the world level. But the boy from Maine negotiated his arrival in the big world with the utmost calmness. Perfectly calm.

“He didn’t have any stage fright. He just came to play basketball.”laughed Anthony Davis recently for ESPN. “He was hot and obviously impressed everyone on the day. We’ve heard about him, but some young people might be hesitant against players like Bron and Steph. When you play against guys you’ve looked up to, it can make you nervous, but he already had full confidence in himself.”

“Above all, I felt I was on par”

The first collegiate player to serve as a training partner for Team USA since Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart in 2013 – but the latter had already accomplished much in the NCAA, Cooper Flagg didn’t disappoint later, winning multiple honors: Player of the Year, plus an ACC Finals title and a berth in the Four.

But, at this exact moment, he has yet to set foot on even the tiniest floor of a university…

“I don’t know if I wanted to prove my worth more or simply to gain confidence through this experience, but above all I felt that I was up to par” evaluate Cooper Flagg in retrospect. “I knew I had the ability to play with them.

One and done Impressive at Duke, averaging 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists, Cooper Flagg continues to overcome one obstacle after another with bewildering ease. The old Dukies legend agrees, having seen the phenomenon in action and comparing it to the same age.

“I saw it too”said Grant Hill, director of Team USA. “He’s trying to be as complete as possible. You look at the scoreboard and he already has 22 points, even though he didn’t seem to be trying to score. He’s so unselfish. He defends hard. He’s just trying to do whatever it takes to win games.”

Fullback in the wing corps

During this 2024 summer camp, which was both an introduction to the world of Team USA and international basketball, as well as a well-organized calibration for the camp of young prospects, Cooper Flagg impressed with his maturity on the court, with monster versatility, combined with an already massive frame.

“He asked a lot of questions. And he asked good questions, which is not easy at his age.”adds Jamahl Mosley, the Magic’s coach who was on deck in Vegas last summer as the Select Team coach. “He communicates very well and that says a lot about him. You’re going to get asked these questions by guys with a high basketball IQ. And he wasn’t afraid to play (against Team USA’s stars). He kept himself. The same attitude on and off the court.”

Expected to be one of the main architects of the post-Doncic rebuild in Dallas, the rookie wing has yet to ignite in the preseason, held to 13 points in the last of four appearances. But everyone who was present at the Mendenhall Center on July 8, 2024 knows this: Cooper Flagg is one of a breed of very tall people.

“I remember the strength he exuded”concludes Steve Kerr. “We felt it straight away. And not because he dunked or anything! No, it was simple in his passing, his cuts, his control, the little left-footed low post. It’s so complete. I trained against him and had the best players, but we clearly saw his sense of the game. He’s very strong, but he plays as a full-back.

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