Cooper Flagg

[Roy H.]

I'm trying to get some perspective from outside of Maine:  what have you heard about this kid?

He lives about 25 miles away from me, and the hype I'm seeing is unbelievable.  He's a rising high school sophomore who is transferring out of tiny Newport, ME (25 miles away from me) to Montverde Academy.  I got the chance to watch him play, and as a high school freshman, he looked like he was a top-tier college player playing against high school kids.

I'm seeing him described as the best high school player in the country, period.  He's going to eventually end up at Duke, unless the NBA changes its eligibility rules.  He's got a twin brother who is good, too, although I don't know where he ranks as a prospect.

What are you guys who aren't as local hearing?  Is the hype real?

[SHAQATTACK]

Gee..Sounds like the name of a fictitious CIA goon 

[bdm860]

There was actually a time when kids would go to Maine for high school basketball, I guess Maine Central Institute ain't what it used to be, looks like Caron Butler was last one to come out of there.

I've heard nothing of this kid (but my current knowledge of high school and even college hoops is now at about 0).  Went to look up some highlights of Cooper Flagg.  This was the first video that popped up, and it was almost 30 seconds and 3 highlights in before I could figure out which one Flagg was.

When I hear about high school studs, I expect to see extreme athleticism, not something I'm seeing here. 

While looking him up, I read this article:

When you watch footage of him representing his country, Flagg looks two years older than everyone, not the other way around. Jonathan Givony shared a detailed scouting report on his game (via ESPN):

    “Besides playing with an insatiable energy level, Flagg displays uncanny basketball instincts with the spatial awareness, processing speed and timing he shows rotating for blocks, staying in front of guards on switches, and always being the first off the ground for loose balls. Considering the level of competition he had played up to this point, several NBA executives in attendance said they were shocked by Flagg’s temperament, knowledge of the game and ability to make an impact without needing a single play called for him, something that bodes incredibly well for his long-term outlook.”

So sounds like the scouts love him.  But the one highlight reel I watched, he didn't look 2 years older to me (again, it took me a bit to even figure out which kid he was).  The spatial awareness, timing, etc, ya I can see it, but I've also learned that other kids will catch up with that, so you need more than that to make you a real stud.  But he's also only 15, and maybe I'm judging him off memories of 17 year old phenoms.

Gee..Sounds like the name of a fictitious CIA goon 

Any kid that has a name that sounds like a GI Joe toy is okay in my book.

[Celtics2021]

Monteverde is arguably the top school for high school prospects, so to be able to get in there is indication enough that he’s very legit.  Sounds like he’s the high school class of 2025, and a lot can change between now and then, but it appears he’s on a top-50 prospect track at a minimum.  Getting to go up against the competition Monteverde sees will be big for him.

[mef730]

Gee..Sounds like the name of a fictitious CIA goon 

Nah, he was the bad guy in Stephen King's "The Stand."

Mike

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

Haven't heard of this guy, but I know that very few high-quality players come out of Maine. Remember Andy Bedard? He was probably the greatest Maine high-schooler I ever saw play, and he never made the NBA. But maybe Flagg will buck the trend.

[Roy H.]

Any kid that has a name that sounds like a GI Joe toy is okay in my book.

His twin brother is "Ace Flagg", and his older brother (not an elite prospect) is Hunter Flagg.

[boscel33]

Gee..Sounds like the name of a fictitious CIA goon 

He's the grandchild of Colonel Flagg from M*A*S*H!

[Moranis]

Anyone that gets offers from Duke, Michigan, UCLA, Iowa, and West Virginia clearly is talented.  24-7 doesn't have ratings up yet, but some sites have him as the #1 prospect in 2025. 

[Sketch5]

Looks solid on D, but he's 6'8" and looks like a 7 footer. Hopefully he grows a few more inches to make up for the lack of athletic ability. Or maybe since he's only 15, his athletic comes ability comes later? I just remember KG about the Same age and a little bigger flying around the court.  But at 15, he's got a chance for both to happen.

[Roy H.]

Here’s a good article:

https://www.si.com/college/2022/07/21/cooper-flagg-peach-jam-usa-basketball-nike-college-basketball-recruiting

He’s like Luka on offense and Gobert on D. 

[Kernewek]

I’ve heard impressive things from folks who have seen him play, but the level of competition is fairly low so most of it just consists of hearing about how much better he is than everyone else.

Hopefully he stays on track (and the world doesn’t end by 2025) so I can see how he does in the NBA, as I’m not a big college hoops fan.

[SHAQATTACK]

Gee..Sounds like the name of a fictitious CIA goon 

He's the grandchild of Colonel Flagg from M*A*S*H!

Yep …that s the guy I was thinking of 

[SHAQATTACK]

There was actually a time when kids would go to Maine for high school basketball, I guess Maine Central Institute ain't what it used to be, looks like Caron Butler was last one to come out of there.

I've heard nothing of this kid (but my current knowledge of high school and even college hoops is now at about 0).  Went to look up some highlights of Cooper Flagg.  This was the first video that popped up, and it was almost 30 seconds and 3 highlights in before I could figure out which one Flagg was.

When I hear about high school studs, I expect to see extreme athleticism, not something I'm seeing here. 

While looking him up, I read this article:

When you watch footage of him representing his country, Flagg looks two years older than everyone, not the other way around. Jonathan Givony shared a detailed scouting report on his game (via ESPN):

    “Besides playing with an insatiable energy level, Flagg displays uncanny basketball instincts with the spatial awareness, processing speed and timing he shows rotating for blocks, staying in front of guards on switches, and always being the first off the ground for loose balls. Considering the level of competition he had played up to this point, several NBA executives in attendance said they were shocked by Flagg’s temperament, knowledge of the game and ability to make an impact without needing a single play called for him, something that bodes incredibly well for his long-term outlook.”

So sounds like the scouts love him.  But the one highlight reel I watched, he didn't look 2 years older to me (again, it took me a bit to even figure out which kid he was).  The spatial awareness, timing, etc, ya I can see it, but I've also learned that other kids will catch up with that, so you need more than that to make you a real stud.  But he's also only 15, and maybe I'm judging him off memories of 17 year old phenoms.

Gee..Sounds like the name of a fictitious CIA goon 

Any kid that has a name that sounds like a GI Joe toy is okay in my book.

Ha ha ….  The nemesis of “Captain America “

[nebist]

From what I’ve seen, Flagg is supposed to be a real deal type national prospect. I know he was on the U17 USA team this summer and was supposedly one of the most impactful players on there. Another name to keep an eye on is Koa Peat (son of NFL lineman Andrus Peat) out of Perry High School in Gilbert, Arizona (also the school Jalen Williams - 12th pick in this year’s draft went to) in the class of 2025. Peat was also on that U17 team this summer with Flagg. Anyways, I coach for another school in the same region as Peat’s team. They beat us in last year’s 6A state championship with Peat as probably the best player as a 15 year old freshman on a team with two other high-major D1 players. Coaching against this kid Peat is the first time in my HS coaching career I’ve ever felt like I was looking at a no doubt future NBA player. Kid was/is 6’8” and probably 215 (not a rail thin tall kid at all - looks like a college athlete already) at 15 years old and plays his butt off. High motor. I’ve seen him ranked 1 or 2 nationally in that class (alongside guys like Flagg and Carlos Boozer’s son).