Cooper Flagg is showing Team USA why he’s the future of the league

If Cooper Flagg had been allowed to enter the NBA draft directly out of high school last month, there’s a good chance he would have been the number one pick.

Instead, the consensus top recruit in the high school class of 2024 is headed to Duke, but he maneuvered his way into playing with the elite of the elite this week. The 17-year-old Maine native took part in a Team USA scrimmage at the UNLV training facility ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics and showed the Olympians that he’s coming for them.

Washington Post reporter Ben Golliver’s timeline on social media platform X is filled with highlights from the Team USA vs. Select Team scrimmage, and several are of Flagg getting the best of the NBA stars. Perhaps the best is this series of possessions in which he hits a 3-pointer over Los Angeles Lakers big Anthony Davis, tracks AD down the court as an errant pass flies in their direction, takes the ball upcourt, and then puts in an athletic putback while getting fouled.

Here’s another possession in which he backs down the smaller Jrue Holiday and then hits the turnaround jumper over the Boston Celtics guard, one of the top defenders in the NBA:

And while he’s comfortable playing down low, taking the ball and shooting off the dribble, Flagg was also happy to spot up in the corner and hit a 3 over Davis.

Team USA won 74-73, according to Golliver, and from the replays, it looked like they weren’t putting in 100% effort. But the play of this 17-year-old who has yet to start college, let alone step onto an NBA court for game action, is a forewarning for what may come as soon as next year.

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