How can you tell when the hoopla surrounding Cooper Flagg is intensifying? It occurs when NBA players are interviewed by TMZ and Flagg is brought up.
That’s what happened when TMZ tracked down Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat and inquired about Flagg. He stated the following: “He has amazing talent.” Amazing athlete. Fantastic individual
Jaquez wasn’t as sure, though, when asked if Flagg would be as high a draft pick as LeBron James or Victor Wembanyama. “We’ll observe. There’s just one method to ascertain this.
Naturally, that is the correct response.
Brandin Podziemski of Golden State is likewise enthusiastic about Flagg’s potential. “Selfishly, I wish high school players that are ready didn’t have to go to college,” he stated to the U.S. Sun. He could be playing in the NBA right now, in my opinion.
That’s what a lot of people believe. While not directly related to Flagg’s status as an NBA player, this statement from Mike Krzyzewski regarding Flagg’s membership on Team USA is perhaps relevant: “Not right now but he will be.” Not only is he gifted, but he also loves the game and is a driven young athlete. He is, after all, just as competitive as any freshman to have attended Duke. He is without employment. He’s just a very talented basketball player.
Excellent ratings everywhere.
Basketball players from Duke are not on the Nike Academy invite list.
Caleb Foster, Jared McCain, and Mark Mitchell, teammates in 2023–24 basketball, made up about a fifth of the college players at the Nike Skills Academy in Portland, Oregon, last year, which was exclusive to invitees.
This time around, not even Cooper Flagg, the nation’s top-ranked rookie and expected one-and-done phenom, is a Blue Devil on the 15-deep college roster. Taking place from Monday through Thursday, the camp features a combination of elite college and high school players who are learning from active and retired NBA players through scrimmage action and other drills, all in front of NBA scouts.
Maybe the reason Flagg and fellow five-star Duke basketball freshman forward Isaiah Evans aren’t there this year is because they were there as preps the previous year. But in 2023, a few invited collegiate players were present as preps, such as Drake Powell, a freshman forward from UNC.
The college & HS rosters for the 2024 Nike Skills Academy. 📝 pic.twitter.com/Vi0U0VrlPJ
— EliteYouthBasketball (@NikeEYB) August 5, 2024
It’s probable that the Blue Devils turned down any invitations to the Nike Skills Academy, even though they are now back on campus and ready to welcome back five-star freshman center Khaman Maluach after his Olympic experience with South Sudan.
They seem to be completely focused on team-building activities in Durham, after all:
Bet you weren’t expecting an iconic sand volleyball play by @stanleysborden on your timeline today?
Squad’s always competing pic.twitter.com/QWZm9VvKWi
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) August 3, 2024
While there aren’t any current Duke basketball players in Portland, there may be one or more prospective Blue Devils among the 22 prep players participating.
Four of Jon Scheyer’s top 2025 targets are in this group: five-star forward Nate Ament of Highland School in Virginia; five-star guard Brayden Burries of Eleanor Roosevelt High School in California; five-star forward Jalen Haralson of La Lumiere School in Indiana; and five-star forward Caleb Wilson of Holy Innocents Episcopal School in Georgia.
Additionally, five-star guard Jordan Smith Jr. from Paul VI Catholic High School in Virginia and five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr. from St. John Bosco High School in California are the two early beneficiaries of 2026 Duke offers.
