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Myron Medcalf, ESPN Staff Writer
Cooper Flagg earned praise as he dribbled through NBA All-Stars and made shots over future Hall of Famers during a scrimmage between the United States select team and the men’s national squad earlier this month in Las Vegas.
But before that matchup against Team USA, Flagg said he had to calm his nerves and “snap out of it,” especially when he realized he’d have to battle one of his idols — LeBron James.
“It was cool, an unbelievable experience,” Flagg said during an appearance on “The Brotherhood Podcast,” hosted by his Duke teammate Caleb Foster. “Just having the opportunity to be there and just share the court with that level of talent and player, the people who’ve made that type of name for themselves. I’ve been watching them for years, growing up.
“The first day, for sure, I was nervous. I didn’t know what to think. I got on the court, and I was like, ‘Wow.’ I was guarding LeBron in the corner. It kind of just hit me for a second, and I had to snap out of it.”
But 17-year-old Flagg, a five-star recruit for the Blue Devils and ESPN’s projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, said he grew more comfortable once the game started. During one sequence, Flagg dribbled off a screen and hit a 3-pointer over the outstretched hands of Lakers star Anthony Davis — a moment that went viral.
“I think once I got going into it, it was just playing basketball, and I think a lot of players share a similar experience that once you start playing, the nerves and stuff [disappear],” Flagg said. “Most of the players that can really perform at a high level, once the tip goes up, it all goes away, for sure.”
Flagg led Montverde (Florida) Academy to a 30-0 season and national championship last season. College basketball fans will get their first official glimpse of the phenom during Countdown to Craziness on Oct. 4, according to an announcement Wednesday about Duke’s Midnight Madness preseason event.
Flagg will join returnees Tyrese Proctor and Foster, along with grad transfer Mason Gillis and five-star prospect Khaman Maluach, in a quest for the Blue Devils’ sixth national championship and first in the post-Mike Krzyzewski era.
Flagg has received the most preseason buzz for a college basketball player since Zion Williamson won the Wooden Award in his lone season at Duke during the 2018-19 campaign. He credited former Duke star Grant Hill, managing director of USA Basketball, for giving him the opportunity to play with the select team and compete against Team USA.
Flagg said he’s preparing for his first collegiate season by working on his agility and quickness. He also said he hopes to gain a mental edge and is playing more golf and implementing yoga into his routine.
“I’m just working on bettering myself in ways that aren’t just physical,” he said.
