Cooper Flagg is able to outline the following technology of basketball superstardom

Cooper Flagg walked into USA Basketball observe with nothing to lose and every thing to show. He was simply in regards to the youngest particular person within the constructing, competing towards extra mature and extra achieved gamers with far larger pedigrees. He entered the scrimmages needing to regulate to a brand new position in a very new surroundings on the fly, all whereas going towards the largest, quickest, and most gifted competitors of his life.

Flagg instantly acknowledged he wasn’t going to get the ball as a lot as he did again house in Maine. In spite of everything, each participant within the health club solely had three days to go away an impression on the coaches, to indicate that they belonged in a setting as prestigious as USA Basketball. If Flagg needed the ball, he knew he was going to need to get it himself.

Andy Bedard, his coach since third grade, watched from the sidelines, reminding him that there was no must preserve power like he would for a 40-minute recreation. Each possession was the chance of a lifetime, and he needed to depart all of it on the ground. And so he did: there was Flagg crashing the glass and ending putbacks over elite huge males. There he was rotating for weak aspect blocks, and forcing steals on the defensive finish. There he was giving second and third efforts on virtually each possession.

By the tip of the week, everybody in attendance believed Flagg was probably the greatest gamers on the court docket. It was surprising somebody so younger might carry out so nicely towards world-class competitors.

“You’ll have thought he was the oldest one there primarily based on the maturity and poise, and the best way that he dealt with his recreation,” Bedard instructed SB Nation.

This isn’t an account of Flagg’s triumphant observe run towards Crew USA forward of the 2024 Paris Olympics, although that’s the place his story leaves off for now. No, this was two years earlier, when Flagg was a 15-year-old making an attempt out for the U17 FIBA World Cup roster.

“That’s when it actually occurred for him off the ball.” Bedard stated. “You hear the road on a regular basis about Cooper, he impacts successful with out the ball. And I believe that was the primary time the place he actually had to try this. Since then it has turn out to be second nature.”

Flagg didn’t simply make the group popping out of U17 minicamp — he established himself as somebody the coaches couldn’t preserve off the ground. He painted a particular masterpiece within the gold medal recreation towards Spain, ending with 10 factors, 17 rebounds, eight steals, 4 blocks, and two assists. Within the course of, he launched himself to the broader basketball public for the primary time because the participant who might dominate with out demanding touches whereas vacillating via a wide range of much less heralded roles.

Simply two years later, Flagg feels extra well-known than half the NBA at the very least. After reclassifying to basically skip his senior 12 months of highschool, he enters Duke as 17-year-old freshman who’s the landslide favourite to be the No. 1 general decide within the 2025 NBA Draft. Most individuals across the sport imagine he’s the perfect long-term basketball prospect on the planet at present outdoors of the NBA. After watching him rating towards Jrue Vacation, rip threes over Anthony Davis, and end layups via Bam Adebayo on the Olympic Choose Crew, it doesn’t really feel like a stretch to say Flagg might very nicely be a generation-defining expertise.

NBA superstars include their very own hallmark traits, and for Flagg, it’s his well-roundedness. He can play virtually any position on the ground, from main creator to ground spacer, from passing hub to play finisher. He’s the uncommon non-big man high prospect whose defensive capability is so unbelievable that it overshadows his offense. It doesn’t harm to be 6’9 with elite run-and-jump athleticism, a uncommon really feel for the sport, and an countless motor, both.

“If he was instructed he might by no means take a shot outdoors of 12-feet, he might nonetheless be a really efficient NBA participant,” stated Kevin Boyle Jr, who helped coach Flagg at Montverde Academy.

Flagg hails from the city of Newport, which has simply 3,300 residents. Maine as a state hasn’t produced a participant chosen within the NBA draft in 40 years. That is maybe the least probably place within the nation for a world-class NBA prospect to develop, however these round him have been nurturing his expertise from an early age. It would simply result in the following evolution of how a basketball star is meant to play.

Picture by Juan Ocampo/NBAE by way of Getty Photos

Matt MacKenzie met Cooper and his twin brother Ace Flagg as they have been coming into sixth grade. The boys’ mom, Kelly, had heard about MacKenzie’s work coaching high highschool gamers round Maine, and instructed him that she had two boys desperate to be taught and put in work. On the time, Cooper was 6’1 and will simply barely contact the rim on his max vertical leap.

Two issues about Cooper instantly caught out to MacKenzie.

“He was extremely aggressive,” MacKenzie instructed SB Nation. “You might undoubtedly inform that he needed to win in any respect prices.”

“He was additionally a child who picked up on issues in a short time, much more so than a number of the faculty gamers that I might work. His capability to accumulate expertise was simply phenomenal. His pure IQ for the sport of basketball was at a stage that I hadn’t seen earlier than for a child that age.”

MacKenzie might see that Flagg was getting a beautiful basketball schooling at house. Kelly had been a productive wing at College of Maine, the place she helped this system win its first and solely NCAA match recreation ever. Their father Ralph was a 6’9 put up participant at Japanese Maine Neighborhood School. The Flagg dad and mom have been diehard Boston Celtics followers, and the Larry Chicken period was their favourite. Cooper and Ace grew up rewatching video games from their legendary 1986 season, a group not simply outlined by its great success (67 common season wins and an NBA championship) but additionally by its willingness to share the ball and play the best method.

MacKenzie and the Flagg brothers labored diligently collectively within the health club till their routine was interrupted by a pesky world pandemic. Their classes moved to Zoom, similar to every thing else on the planet. Thrice per week, the Flagg brothers would work on strikes of their driveway as MacKenzie instructed them via a display from his health club. After they lastly obtained again collectively, MacKenzie had a startling realization.

“We obtained again head to head within the health club, and I actually seen it. I used to be like, man, I do know it’s been just a few months, however you guys actually shot up.”

Flagg was out of the blue pushing 6’7, and beginning to construct a reputation for himself in Maine because the junior excessive child dunking throughout opponents. In the summertime going into his freshman 12 months, MacKenzie was bragging about Flagg to his good friend, former NBA participant Brian Scalabrine. Scal invited MacKenzie to carry Flagg all the way down to Boston for a pickup run towards a number of the greatest highschool gamers within the metropolis.

Pitted towards older, high-level competitors, Flagg was dominating. MacKenzie recollects one sequence from that session now and remembers it as the primary time he knew Flagg was particular.

“Cooper is driving proper. He establishes his left pivot foot, pump fakes, after which steps via beneath the defender’s armpit, throws the ball off the glass, catches it within the air and dunks it for a lob alley-oop.”

“The entire health club goes quiet. Scal he checked out me and he goes, Matt, you might be growing a professional.”

Scalabine went house and known as Brad Stevens to inform him in regards to the younger phenom he simply noticed. Quickly, everybody else would find out about Cooper Flagg, too.

Flagg was about to take Maine highschool hoops by storm, and Bedard knew it was coming. He had been one of many state’s most profitable basketball tales himself again within the day, incomes a scholarship to Boston School earlier than transferring to Maine the place he led the American East in assists two seasons in a row. Now he was teaching the Flagg twins and his son Kaden on the grassroots group that might turn out to be Maine United, whereas getting a entrance row seat to Cooper’s rise.

Bedard’s group had been half of a bigger AAU group within the state, however he knew he needed to break away to get his gamers extra publicity. He sought out marquee matchups in neighboring states across the Northeast, and even did some touring throughout the nation. He let the children select the identify. It didn’t take lengthy for individuals to understand how good Cooper was: he obtained his first scholarship provide from Bryant in eighth grade, and Nike quickly reached out to get Maine United on the EYBL.

“We had been tearing aside groups from New York, groups from Virginia, go forward and identify a state,” Bedard stated. “When he confirmed up as a freak as a freshman, tearing aside Maine highschool basketball, it was no shock.”

Nokomis is the one highschool in Newport. The boys group had by no means received a state championship as Cooper and Ace joined this system with a number of of their grassroots teammates. It shortly turned clear that the youngest gamers on the group have been extra gifted than the veterans, which included Cooper and Ace’s oldest brother Hunter as a senior huge man.

Nokomis gamers wore masks on the court docket because the pandemic lingered, and put along with a season for the ages. With Cooper establishing he was the perfect participant on the ground in each recreation, Nokomis completed 21-1 general. The state title recreation was a rout as Flagg dropped 22 factors and 16 rebounds. He was named Maine’s Gatorade Participant of the 12 months, the primary freshman to ever take house the distinction.

Flagg was formally on the nationwide radar as an elite participant in his class, however his starring run with USA Basketball on the U17 group months later blasted him into the stratosphere. It was clear that Flagg had outgrown his small pond in Maine and wanted an even bigger problem. There was no higher alternative than Florida prep powerhouse Montverde Academy.

Bedard had already been telling the Montverde coaches a couple of star participant again on house after his son Kaden had transferred to the college whereas Cooper and Ace have been at Nokomis. It was simple to dismiss the concept some child in Maine might play for the highest NBA manufacturing unit in highschool basketball at first blush, however issues shortly modified as Flagg’s accolades piled up. When Maine United got here to Orlando for a spring match, Bedard was in a position to rating health club time at Montverde to observe.

When the employees noticed Flagg, they knew he was totally different.

“Usually in the event you’re going to be a sophomore, that in all probability means it’s gonna be an actual problem so that you can get on the court docket right here,” assistant coach Kevin Boyle Jr. instructed SB Nation. “So generally we’ll form of discourage youngsters and attempt to advise them that, hey, why don’t you possibly revisit this if you’re a junior or senior?”

“However straight away with Cooper, you can see it. Sure, he’s adequate to return off the bench and assist as a sophomore, and , possibly extra.”

Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald by way of Getty Photos

Nobody in highschool basketball has coached extra elite gamers than Kevin Boyle. He constructed New Jersey’s St. Patrick’s right into a powerhouse with the assistance of Kyrie Irving and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist earlier than making the transfer to Montverde in 2011. Since arriving in central Florida, Boyle’s rosters have learn like a who’s-who of NBA lottery picks, together with Ben Simmons, D’Angelo Russell, and R.J. Barrett. He had Cade Cunningham, Scottie Barnes, Moses Moody, and Valuable Achiuwa on the identical group.

A month earlier than the brand new season began, Montverde flew out to Las Vegas for a tune-up invitational towards different high applications. This could be Flagg’s unofficial debut for the massive boys of highschool basketball, and he left an instantaneous impression. Montverde knocked off Jared McCain’s loaded Centennial (CA) squad within the semifinals to succeed in the championship, the place it confronted five-star ahead Koa Peat and Arizona Compass Prep.

Montverde trailed by 14 factors early earlier than making an enormous comeback. The sport got here down the final possession. The ball swung to Flagg who was alleged to reverse it, however he didn’t have a passing lane.

“He obtained that look in his eye, confronted the basket, and stated I’m going to be the one to attain on the buzzer,” stated Boyle Jr. who was performing because the group’s head coach. Montverde received in time beyond regulation.

“Moments like that stand out if you’ve seen loads of guys over time now that find yourself turning into superb NBA gamers, find yourself turning into NBA All-Stars, All-NBA guys. And a kind of issues is, , having that intuition, having that gene and particularly if you’re nonetheless growing loads of your expertise, to someway you discover a solution to get it executed.”

Flagg’s preseason buzzer-beater was an indication of issues to return. After shedding to that very same Arizona Compass group within the season opener, Montverde ripped off wins in 23 of their subsequent 24 video games towards a loaded schedule that took them from Utah to Maryland to Hawaii to Massachusetts. Kwame Evans Jr. (Oregon) and Sean Stewart (Duke) have been the Eagles’ senior leaders, nevertheless it was turning into clear a gaggle of underclassmen led by Flagg have been essentially the most promising skills in this system.

Montverde’s season resulted in a surprising upset towards Matas Buzelis and Dawn Christian within the quarterfinals of the Chipotle Excessive College Nationals. As Flagg entered the offseason, he was able to quick monitor his improvement to the following stage.

Flagg didn’t have a lot time to internalize the tip of his first season with Montverde. Solely three weeks after that defeat, he was already again on the ground within the EYBL with Maine United. Whereas he was roundly thought-about the perfect participant in highschool basketball at this level, Flagg can be enjoying on Nike’s U16 circuit as a result of that was the extent that greatest suited his teammates.

Flagg dropped 52 factors towards Professional Expertise in his first outing of the spring, however Maine United nonetheless misplaced a detailed recreation. This could turn out to be a theme: Flagg was placing up comically dominant stat strains, however his group stumbled via the season at simply 9-8 general. Maine United squeaked out some late wins to qualify for Peach Jam, and that’s when every thing began coming collectively.

With Cooper attracting a lot defensive consideration, his teammates out of the blue began coming into their very own. Ace Flagg was rising right into a succesful co-star for his twin brother, popping off for double-doubles towards a number of the hardest groups on the circuit. Landon Clark was turning right into a lethal outdoors shooter, and Kaden Bedard was contributing in his minutes, too. As for Cooper , he was cruising as at all times: 25.5 factors, 13.0 rebounds, 6.9 blocks, 5.7 assists and 1.4 steals per recreation to spherical out his occasion. Alongside the best way, he even obtained some phrases of encouragement from LeBron James.

Maine United ran all the best way to the championship recreation at Peach Jam earlier than shedding to Nightrydas with the Boozer twins — the second 12 months within the row they met this actual ending. With no USA Basketball engagements the remainder of the summer season, Flagg obtained within the lab with MacKenzie and began working to turn out to be an improved all-around offensive participant.

Flagg had at all times been in a position to win on offense his mixture of measurement, athleticism, and IQ. His passing was his strongest offensive ability, however he knew he wouldn’t absolutely be capable to entry it till the remainder of his ability set rounded out. The first step was ironing out his soar shot.

Flagg had hit 25.7 p.c of his threes at Montverde, and 33 p.c in his spring and summer season run with Maine United. To proceed to construct his soar shot, MacKenzie introduced Flagg again to the fundamentals.

“There was a time in his recreation the place he can be releasing the ball just a little bit too late, and it might result in a reasonably flat shot,” MacKenzie stated. “The largest factor for him is getting his footwork to be constant each single repetition, ensuring that he’s balanced and that he’s in a position to movement from the muse of his soar shot proper as much as the highest of his launch.”

“Ensuring that he’s catching it with clear palms, that was crucial. The opposite piece is ensuring that he had simply nice rhythm, each single shot.”

Flagg was about to turn out to be the unquestioned No. 1 choice at Montverde within the upcoming season, so he had to have the ability to deal with the ball higher, too. The large level of emphasis was ensuring that he was conserving his hips low when he put the ball on the ground.

“When he was youthful, he had a bent to get his hips very excessive and his dribble was developing just a little bit too excessive as nicely,” MacKenzie stated. “So we have been engaged on organising decide and roll, coming off ball screens, after which having to learn defenses.”

Flagg was set to enter his third 12 months of highschool, however the worst saved secret within the sport was that it might be his final. On the finish of the summer season, Flagg introduced he was reclassifying from 2025 to 2024. He would now get to varsity sooner, and extra importantly, get to the NBA sooner. However earlier than any of that would occur, Flagg, at 16 years outdated, nonetheless one another season left at Montverde.

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Flagg needed to make his faculty choice and finish the rampant hypothesis about his recruitment earlier than his senior 12 months started. Two weeks earlier than the season began, he dedicated to Duke over UConn and Kansas.

“After I obtained on campus, I actually began to check myself in Durham,” Flagg stated in his dedication video.

Flagg was minted as the perfect participant within the nation, a future No. 1 general NBA draft decide, and maybe basketball’s subsequent huge factor. He knew none of it might imply something with no stellar senior 12 months at Montverde, and he was stepping onto a roster loaded with each expertise and continuity.

Montverde had 4 of the top-15 gamers within the nation returning. There was Liam McNeeley, a 6’9 sharpshooter who might stretch the opposing protection off motion and was already drawing lottery buzz. There was Derik Queen, a bruising middle with phenomenal palms who might play from the elbows. There was additionally Asa Newell, a 6’10 pogo keep on with elite explosiveness and agility who might end performs above the rim on each ends. Montverde additionally introduced in guard Robert Wright (merely the No. 25 general recruit within the nation) so as to add some further perimeter creation, however in the end Flagg can be the straw to stir the drink.

With MacKenzie coming down one weekend per thirty days to proceed their coaching classes, Flagg’s offensive enchancment skyrocketed. He was thriving as a downhill driver and finisher, he was confidently firing three-pointers off the catch and off the dribble, and he was sustaining his high-motor on each ends. His numbers have been exploding from the earlier season, and development could possibly be seen all around the tape. Because it occurred, Montverde was rolling over nearly everybody.

Montverde solely performed three video games all season inside 10 factors, and two of them have been towards a Prolific Prep group with the No. 1 participant in 2025 and 2026 in A.J. Dybansta and Tyran Stokes. The Eagles took an undefeated report into highschool nationals, and this time they wouldn’t be denied.

Th Eagles knocked off AZ Compass by 15 factors within the quarterfinals, knocked off the Boozer twins at Columbus by 14 factors within the semifinals, and beat Paul VI by 16 factors within the championship recreation. The Eagles completed 33-0.

Flagg went from averaging averaging 9.8 factors, 5.2 rebounds, and three assists per recreation in his first season at Montverde to twenty.5 factors, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists in his senior season. He additionally averaged almost 4 blocks and 4 steals per recreation. His three-point proportion was only a shade below 40 p.c on the best quantity of his profession.

To the teaching employees, the best way he dealt with his surging fame was simply as spectacular as his on-court improvement.

“Probably the most spectacular factor to me in addition to all of the basketball stuff was how he dealt with your entire 12 months, since you each recreation we went to was a offered out crowd all eager to see him,” Boyle Jr. stated. They’d run as much as him within the lodge, happening for breakfast, entering into the elevator when he’s nonetheless waking up. And he at all times accommodated the fan requests.”

“Often an individual like that isn’t additionally like, , a mom effer on the court docket. However he flips it proper on. He’ll take anyone’s head off and run via a display and dunk on individuals. Then after the sport, he carries himself like anyone you’d let babysit your youngsters.”

Flagg now walks into Duke with the largest expectations of any high recruit in latest reminiscence. He’s not simply the presumptive No. 1 decide within the 2025 NBA Draft, he’s additionally being voted as the perfect participant in faculty basketball proper now. These are sometimes two very totally different titles that few gamers (Zion Williams and Anthony Davis come to thoughts) have ever been in a position to pull off. It’s particularly tough for somebody who shall be a 17-year-old freshman till late Dec.

It’s onerous to venture how dominant Flagg shall be as a scorer straight away. His three-point shot is definitely improved, however will stay an space to observe. Duke can have an absurd quantity of expertise round him, however his position and utilization might fluctuate. Both method, he’s going to overwhelm faculty opponents along with his measurement, athleticism, and relentless dedication to enjoying onerous.

Flagg already appears so polished that it’s onerous to fathom his prime is a decade away. Will he finally be the alpha main initiator NBA famous person desires are fabricated from? Will he be nearer to a 98 general Shawn Marion? The world is filled with prospects for a 17-year-old, however by all accounts, Flagg has the psychological make-up wanted for greatness.

“He simply has a pure sense of like, hey, that’s the place they rating baskets, that’s what we the place we have to cease them from going,” stated Boyle Jr. “Like, clearly you must be know the place your man is and your place on protection. However always, he’s nonetheless conscious and able to defend the basket.”

Given how a lot the game has modified during the last decade, it’s unattainable to say what the NBA of the mid 2030s will seem like. Nevertheless the sport evolves, it certain appears like Cooper Flagg shall be one of many gamers serving to outline it.