Cooper Flagg is leaving Las Vegas as the talk of the now-concluded Team USA training camp.
Flagg, 17, an incoming freshman at
Duke and an early favorite as the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, is not on the team headed for Paris and a possible fifth Olympic gold medal. But he was the best player on the select team and one of the most consistent players on the court during three scrimmages over the last three days against the national team of stars.
“Cooper Flagg was unbelievable,” said Jim Boylen, assistant coach for both the select team and the
Indiana Pacers. “He’s not scared.”
“He showed no fear,” added
Jalen Duren, center for the
Detroit Pistons and the select team. “He came and worked hard every day. You would think he’s already here, you know what I mean?”
“Coop was playing out of his mind,” added
Jaime Jaquez Jr., a select team player who also plays for the
Miami Heat. …
A final points tally for Flagg was not immediately available, but U.S. coaches and executives estimated Flagg scored between 14 and 17 points in a narrow 74-73 loss to Team USA on Monday. And in the portion of the scrimmage open to the media, Flagg drained a corner 3 and then executed an audacious putback over the American defense to put the select team ahead, 69-68, with less than 2 minutes left. Flagg missed the ensuing free throw. …