Thought Caitlin Clark was a funhouse mirror for the zeitgeist? Meet Cooper Flagg, the Duke star tapped to be the first white American in 48 years to go No 1 in the NBA draft
Five months ago USA Basketball convened an inter-squad scrimmage in Las Vegas before the Paris Olympics, and the standout player was a gawky teenager from Maine.
On that heady July day, Cooper Flagg showed flashes of his sky-high potential, out-jumping Bam Adebayo for a put-back layup, spinning off Jrue Holiday for a baseline jumper and burying a corner three over an outstretched Anthony Davis to key a near upset of Team USA’s “Monstars.” One NBA head coach in attendance called Flagg the 13th-best player in the gym (behind Indiana Pacers leading man Tyrese Halliburton and Boston Celtics point guard Derrick White, ostensibly), while Kevin Durant endorsed Flagg’s on court sangfroid as “a good sign.” As the clips of Flagg’s workout circulated online, hoops fans couldn’t help speculating about the further damage the 6ft 9in teen terror might do in college basketball.
About Author
More Stories
Generation TikTok: how sportswomen set the bar higher than the men
Ivan Juric sets sights on ‘death metal football’ at struggling Southampton
Claressa Shields: ‘I’m not here for people to cry and feel sorry for me’