Cooper Flagg got here into school with an excessive amount of hype, having been projected because the primary participant in his class and the highest decide for various seasons, and has begun to ship on that hype, impacting video games together with his properly rounded talent set. His offensive recreation continues to point out progress as his vary and scoring capacity enhance. He has appreciable NBA potential attributable to his intangibles with competitiveness, robust household background and maturity. Flagg turned 18 simply over per week in the past, and was extraordinarily spectacular in our interview. There could also be detractors, that don’t suppose his capturing will permit him to be a franchise expertise on the subsequent stage, but it surely’s vital to recollect his age, work ethic and skill to enhance. Flagg is a perfect participant for an NBA group to construct round. We acquired the possibility to meet up with Cooper on the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland earlier this yr. Right here is the interview.
Query: To begin with, simply what’s it like being within the metropolis (of {Portland) proper now the place you recognize you possibly can really find yourself enjoying right here in a number of years?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I imply, it’s a fantastic metropolis. Ever since we landed right here, you recognize, it’s been a fantastic atmosphere, you recognize, very nice climate, you recognize, simply having a very good time to date.
Query: What number of NBA courts have you ever performed on to date?
Cooper Flagg: I feel like two or three.
Query: What’s it identical to for you while you get to play in NBA arenas proper now?
Cooper Flagg: It’s undoubtedly a cool expertise, you recognize. I haven’t performed in like that kind of ambiance lots. Like the large like backdrop, like no backdrop behind the rim, so it’s a bit little bit of a unique expertise, but it surely’s undoubtedly enjoyable and it’s good to get on the market and play a bit bit.
Query: What’s it identical to for you proper now, this like interval the place some folks know you, some folks don’t know you, you recognize in a number of months that lots of people are going to know you, simply what’s it like sort of residing on this interval proper now for you?
Cooper Flagg: I imply, yeah, I’m simply having fun with it. I’m having enjoyable. You recognize, I simply completed up highschool basketball, so I’m sort of unhappy about that. You recognize, it’s been a very enjoyable journey with my group who I’m going to play this yr and win the nationwide championship. In order that was a very enjoyable journey, however you recognize, I’m simply having fun with life proper now. I’m taking it someday at a time and actually simply making an attempt to remain within the second.
Query: What was tough about leaving your highschool group in Maine?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I imply, I attempt to be loyal, going to go away that group simply because you recognize, my brothers, folks I play with, since I used to be fourth grade or as early as fourth grade. So, you recognize, it’s about loyalty for me. And you recognize, simply we had been capable of even have numerous success with that group. You recognize, everybody was actually related and it was only a lot, I feel it was much more enjoyable and it was sort of extra fulfilling to me to have the ability to play with guys I knew since I used to be younger and simply have success. So I’m simply actually, I’m actually grateful for all of them in order that they stick with me and I stick with them.
Query: What do you suppose you’ll be able to be taught from you when it comes to enjoying for Monteverde, increase your individual group and the place you’re from as a substitute of residing elsewhere?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I feel making an attempt to get that fashion of basketball. I really feel like we sort of performed the appropriate approach. And it’s arduous, like while you watch folks at AU like lots now, it’s extra like all-star groups coming collectively, enjoying one-on-one basketball. So I feel that sort of helped me to get an understanding of the sport actually early. And like, you’ll be able to solely like be taught good basketball IQ from enjoying the appropriate approach. So I feel that helped me from a very younger age, simply enjoying with the group, getting good like accustomed to the fellows, helped me to construct an excellent basketball IQ from a younger age.
Query: I can inform you’ve been working lots in your recreation, in addition to being nice on protection, getting blocks, what features do you’re feeling you convey to the desk and do it is advisable to enhance?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I imply, I’m simply, I’m enjoying numerous hours within the fitness center, all season lengthy, you recognize, after observe. After which defensively, everyone talks in regards to the blocks such as you mentioned, however I’m actually simply engaged on, you recognize, speaking much more. That’s one thing that each coach goes to ask of you while you get to increased ranges, is communication after which versatility and simply having the ability to guard one by 5, sit down and keep in entrance of level guards and two guards after which having the ability to chest up and physique out large.
Query: Are you able to discuss a bit bit about your expectations for subsequent season?
Cooper Flagg: I imply, I haven’t had any expectations to be sincere. You recognize, I’m simply stepping into, trying to assist rebuild this system from final yr. You recognize, I feel a bunch of fellows are leaving. They’d some good success, so simply stepping into, expectations of simply doing no matter I can, you recognize, no matter Coach Schauer wants me to do.
Query: And management come naturally to you? Is that one thing you labored on?
Cooper Flagg: I imply, it’s undoubtedly one thing that’s sort of labored on. Like I mentioned, the communication half is certainly, I wasn’t all the time like that. I’m nonetheless engaged on it, however I feel it’s simpler once I’m extra snug with my teammates and stuff. So I imply, I feel like all these guys over right here, I’m making an attempt to sort of get actually snug with them as a result of we’ve been at camps collectively and all the things for the previous like two years. So it’s actually helped to only get to know all these guys and it’s helped to assist me be a pacesetter as a result of I’m actually snug with them.
Query: Comparisons, folks have declared Fowl, they mentioned variety of gamers. Who do you’re feeling such as you’re getting in comparison with?
Cooper Flagg: I wouldn’t examine myself to anyone. I’m making an attempt to be my very own participant. So I wouldn’t need to examine myself to anyone else. I’m making an attempt to make my very own path and be my very own participant.
Query: Have any of the fellows you’ve been figuring out with, some guys which were right here to assist, in addition to even NBA, simply former gamers, has there been any of those guys that you just’ve acquired a mentor into as properly?
Cooper Flagg: I imply, not a ton. Like, clearly, once I went to Jayson (Tatum)’s camp over the summer time, we sort of talked some time. After which Paolo (Banchero) simply signed me the opposite day when he gave me the gear and all the things. These are the 2, particularly coming from Duke, they sort of like need to give me that knowledge. And I used to be capable of discuss to them a bit bit by my recruitment and simply have them as instruments.
Query: Who’s the man that you just watch and be taught from on the NBA aspect and the faculty aspect as properly? Which of those guys do you watch and be taught from?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, undoubtedly like Tatum and Paolo, you recognize, simply the way in which they use their physique offensively. I feel defensively, like Jonathan Isaac. I’ve been going to some Magic recreation lately, simply being within the space, simply watching the way in which that he sort of performs, like, wholesome protection and stuff, and seeing the way in which he positions himself has been sort of actually cool to see as a result of he’s actually versatile.
Query: Of the fellows right here and coming into Duke, Isaiah Evans, Darren Harris, Khaman Maluach and the remainder of the fellows. What do you look ahead to essentially the most? Being collectively as a collective?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I imply, clearly, Isaiah was at McDonald’s, so beginning to construct that relationship. After which simply performed towards Darren and Pat in recreation within the nationwide championship recreation. So, I imply, they’re each wonderful gamers. I imply, I’m certain Khaman Maluach too. I haven’t seen that, however I’m wanting ahead to seeing that. However yeah, I imply, I feel it’s like a unprecedented group of fellows. Like, it’s a very deep group. I feel greater than that, it’s only a bunch of opponents and folks that wish to play the appropriate approach. Like, seeing Isaiah right here, like, I really feel like he simply performs actually arduous, however he performs the appropriate approach too. So, similar factor with Pat. (Patrick Ngongba) Pat has a very excessive IQ for a giant, actually quick ball. After which Darren, Darren was scoring the outskill tonight, so, you recognize, simply actually good to see our group simply shaping up. Trying ahead to subsequent season for certain.
Query: Might you simply very last thing, discuss being from Maine, what it means, representing the state of Essential.
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I imply, clearly, it means all the things to me, to have the ability to characterize the state. I’m making an attempt to do one thing that not lots of people have carried out earlier than, if anyone, from the state of Maine. So, I take numerous pleasure in that.
