Duke’s Cooper Flagg has Team USA camp buzzing after putting on a show against game’s elite

LAS VEGAS — All Cooper Flagg had to do was show he belonged on the floor with the NBA’s best. He accomplished that feat in Day 1 of the scrimmages between the U.S. Men’s Olympic team and the Select Team.

But in Day 2, Flagg was making an impact during scrimmages and showing why next season could be a tankathon among the league’s bottom-feeding franchises in the race to position themselves for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

In one sequence the media was allowed to see during the final 10 minutes of the scrimmage, Flagg — listed at 6-foot-8 and slightly over 200 pounds — stole the show as the Select Team was making a comeback against the NBA’s stars.

First, he calmly nailed a wing triple over Lakers star Anthony Davis’ outstretched arms. Then, as Davis leaked out, Flagg disrupted the long pass and tracked back downcourt.

Following a missed shot, he swooped in with a tip and foul on Miami’s Bam Adebayo. It’s not like there are stats officially being kept, but that was a glimpse of what Duke is getting later in the fall, and what the NBA will look forward to, as the stands were filled with coaches and front office personnel.

Cooper Flagg has made quite the impression playing against LeBron James and the U.S. men’s national team during scrimmages at the team’s training camp in Las Vegas. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

They were buzzing, not about the result, as the Olympic team escaped with a one-point win after Davis blocked Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski’s shot in the final seconds. But those who saw the whole thing were whispering about Flagg.

Olympic coach Steve Kerr isn’t allowed to talk about Flagg specifically due to draft rules, but he spoke highly of the Select Team’s performance as a whole. There was light concern about Flagg coming in and perhaps not being able to hang with the physicality of the game, but he answered that question resoundingly.

“I’m confident in my ability and my skill,” Flagg said afterward. “So yeah, at the end of the day I’m confident in who I am and what I can do.”

Flagg won’t turn 18 until late December, so he wasn’t expected to…

Source link : https://ca.sports.yahoo.com/news/dukes-cooper-flagg-has-team-usa-camp-buzzing-after-putting-on-a-show-against-games-elite-003440784.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-07-09 00:34:40

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.