Cooper Flagg isn’t representing his country’s flag yet, but he’s on his way.
Cooper Flagg, an incoming freshman at Duke University, will join the U.S. men’s basketball national team that will practice against the team that will travel to Paris for the Olympic Games this summer. Flagg will be the only collegiate player on the roster, and he will also be the first collegiate player to make the team since Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart in 2013.
Flagg will join a roster full of rising stars: Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr. and Amen Thompson, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard, among others. Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley will coach the team.
“As a former member of the U.S. National Team, I know how important and exciting this opportunity is for each of these players,” said Grant Hill, U.S. National Basketball Executive Director. “There is a tremendous amount of talent on this National Team that has the important task of helping the 2024 U.S. Men’s National Team begin their journey to the Olympic Games. Each of these athletes will play a role in our preparation while also developing the national team pipeline for the future.”
Despite being just 17 years old, Flagg is no stranger to what it takes to play for USA Basketball. The projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft won gold at the 2022 FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup. He also won USA Basketball’s Male Athlete of the Year in 2022 as a 15-year-old.
History bodes well for a player’s chances of making the national team if he or she makes the select squad. Six current Olympic team players (Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Jrue Holiday and Kawhi Leonard) were on select teams before making Team USA.
Occasionally, players who play on the select team are promoted to the national team, such as Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs for the Tokyo Olympics.
Flagg is a five-star prospect from Montverde Academy. The forward won Gatorade National Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American as a senior in 2023-2024, averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 blocks per match. He also led Montverde to a 33-0 record and a national championship title in the Chipotle Nationals Tournament.
