His documentary, when filmed, will start with a date and a place: July 6, 2024, Las Vegas. Cooper Flagg, then a 17-year-old high school student, appeared at the USA Team's training camp before the Paris Olympics and started playing with the brightest stars, LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant. It was just a practice, but also something more: "Is this kid really that good?". In a few minutes, there was already an answer. Flagg finished a layup over Bam Adebayo, shook Jrue Holiday, or hit a corner three-pointer over Anthony Davis.
"He will be a great player, a generational talent. He already plays like a veteran, without nerves, and will improve with experience," Durant declared after the session, and the boy was blessed. From then until June 26, when he will be chosen as the number one pick in the NBA draft, the only question left was whether he could dominate the NCAA, the college league, a question that is being answered these days. In the March Madness, the single-elimination tournament that decides the title, his university, Duke, is already in the quarterfinals to face Arizona on Thursday, led by Conrad Martínez, a former Joventut player.
Anything other than a complete victory for Duke with Flagg as the MVP would be a surprise after a historic regular season. Despite being a freshman, he was named the best player in his conference with an average of 18.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, showing great dominance. Throughout the year, Duke has only lost three games with Flagg and two other players, shooter Kon Knueppel and center Khaman Maluach, expected to join him among the top 10 picks in the draft. But... What makes Flagg stand out? In reality, almost everything.
A 6'9" small forward, incredibly strong for his age, equally skilled at shooting over 40% from three-point range, rebounding, shot-blocking, and excellent defense. In pre-draft profiles, he is often compared to Kawhi Leonard, although some already consider him a kind of white LeBron James. Yes, Flagg is white, and that's what makes him unique. In recent years, there have been several African American number one picks in the draft like Anthony Edwards or Paolo Banchero, but Flagg would be the first white American to be chosen first overall in almost 50 years, since Kent Bentson in 1977.
Many Celtics games
Born in Maine, in a rural community that once held a parade in his honor when he led Nokomis High School to their first state title, Flagg grew up in a basketball family - his twin brother, Ace, also aims for the NBA - idolizing the white legend, Larry Bird. As a child, he always traveled with a portable DVD player to watch Celtics games from 1986 and learn from Bird's moves. A nightmare for Spain's Hugo González and Izan Almansa in the 2022 U17 World Cup, he later moved to Montverde Academy in Florida but never lost his connection to his birthplace. When all the shoe companies offered him a million-dollar contract, he chose New Balance because they have two large factories in Maine.
Focused now on dominating the NCAA, calculations are already underway on which NBA franchise will enjoy his talent and, more importantly, where he would fit best. There is a remote possibility of him joining Victor Wembanyama at the Spurs, but it is more likely that he will end up with the Hornets, the Utah Jazz, or the Wizards, the worst teams in the league. "I don't want to be racist, but Utah is a very white place. I'm sure they see [Flagg] as their next great hope, he would fit in very well," commented Draymond Green on his podcast.