Cooper Flagg: The Teenage Prodigy Who Stole the Show at USA Basketball Camp

As the scorching summer heat of Southern Nevada bore down on the USA Basketball camp, a 17-year-old prodigy from Maine emerged as the talk of the town. Cooper Flagg, bound for Duke University in the fall, put on a show that will be remembered for years to come. The 6-foot-8 forward led a select team of young NBA players in a scrimmage against the heavily favored national team, and nearly pulled off an upset.

Cooper Flagg takes on the best in the world

Flagg’s impressive display of all-around skills left even the likes of LeBron James and Stephen Curry in awe. The polished wing started his scoring burst with a three-pointer from the left corner over Anthony Davis and a post-up turnaround over Jrue Holiday. Then, with momentum building, Flagg brought the ball up the court, worked his way into an isolation against Davis, and drilled a side-step three-pointer over arguably the NBA’s best defensive player.

“I was just competing and trying as hard as I can,” Flagg said. “Giving it 100 percent. I’m confident in my ability and skill. I’m confident in who I am and what I can do.”

Flagg’s game-changing performance was made even more remarkable by the fact that he is five years younger than the national team’s youngest player, Anthony Edwards. When Flagg was born, James was in his fourth NBA season and about to make his third all-star appearance.

Flagg’s stats are off the charts

Flagg’s appeal as a prospect owes to his excellent motor, strong athletic tools, and innate basketball intelligence. He is an effective ballhandler, a willing outside shooter, a physical rebounder, an above-the-rim finisher, and a multi-positional defender who can handle assignments in the paint or on the perimeter.

“The select team was great,” said Steve Kerr, coach of the national team. “They challenged us. They were physical. They ran a lot of stuff the European teams will run. It couldn’t have worked out any better.”

Flagg’s fearless showing at the University of Nevada Las Vegas will be remembered as the moment he first proved he could hold his own against the best in the world. And with his sights set on a spot on USA Basketball’s roster for the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar, the sky’s the limit for this teenage prodigy.

Flagg’s future is bright