Cooper Flagg Stuns Team USA, Signals NBA Readiness
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LAS VEGAS — Cooper Flagg’s first statement to the NBA came 15 months before his professional debut, when the then-17-year-old joined the USA Basketball Select Team for a closed scrimmage against the 2024 Olympic squad on July 8, 2024, at UNLV’s Mendenhall Center.
Inviting an amateur to the Select Team had not happened since 2013, but the 6-foot-9 forward’s reputation warranted the exception. Flagg responded by almost steering the Select Team to an upset, forcing the Olympians to hang on for a 74-73 victory and erasing any remaining doubt that he would be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
“Zero nerves,” said 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, now Flagg’s Dallas Mavericks teammate, recalling the teen’s poise that day. “He went out and balled.”
From Las Vegas to Durham and Back
After the scrimmage, Flagg headed to Duke, where he swept national player of the year honors, led the Blue Devils in every major statistical category, won the ACC title and reached the Final Four. Dallas, holding just a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery, landed the top pick and selected the Maine native first overall in June 2025.
Flagg returned to Las Vegas in July for Summer League, where head coach Jason Kidd tested him as a point forward. Flagg shot 5-for-21 in his debut yet sealed the win over the Lakers with a weak-side block, coast-to-coast push and kick-out assist for the go-ahead three. He followed with 31 points in 31 minutes against San Antonio before the Mavericks shut him down for the remainder of the event.
“He has a talent for winning,” Kidd said. “It would be unfair not to make him uncomfortable.”
Why the Scrimmage Still Resonates
Those who watched the 2024 scrimmage still point to three late possessions that showcased Flagg’s versatility: a baseline turnaround over Jrue Holiday, an off-dribble three over Davis and an and-one put-back over Bam Adebayo. Steve Kerr, then coaching Team USA, said Flagg’s all-court impact—passing, cutting and a left-hand hook as the shot clock expired—was more impressive than any highlight.
“You immediately felt him as a basketball player,” Kerr said. “It was so consistent.”
Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, who led the Select Team, was equally struck by Flagg’s curiosity in film sessions and a lengthy strategy talk with Jalen Suggs. “He’s a communicator,” Mosley said. “High IQ guys ask the right questions.”
Next Test: NBA Preseason Finale
Flagg will close his first NBA preseason Wednesday night when Dallas meets the Los Angeles Lakers at T-Mobile Arena, less than three miles from the gym where he first announced himself to elite pros. Kidd started the rookie at point guard in Monday’s win over Utah and continues to evaluate how much of the offense the teenager can shoulder alongside Luka Dončić and Davis.
Reflecting on that July afternoon, Flagg said the experience provided confirmation rather than revelation. “I knew I belonged,” he said. “I knew I could be out there.”
Source: ESPN
