Flagg bearer

Good morning! Hope you had a marvelous weekend that wasn’t as stressful as England’s Euro 2024 victory.

Let’s talk some college hoops.

1. All aboard the Cooper Flagg hype train

Take a look at this team. Notice anyone who isn’t a pro?

Nestled between Jalen Duren (Pistons center, nearly 21) and Langston Galloway (32-year-old NBA journeyman) is incoming Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Not only is he the only non-pro on the 15-man USA Men’s Select Team, Flagg has yet to play a college game.

He’ll be the first college athlete to play for USA Select since 2013 when Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart were on the squad.

Yeah. That’s a big deal.

The 6-9 forward is the top prospect in the class of 2024, and the likely No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. He’ll the THE guy on a Duke team that should be a preseason Top 10 squad, and could have a chance to be an All-American as a freshman.

He’s got a great squad around him at Duke. It’s one that plays to Flagg’s strengths as an absurd sideline-to-sideline defender and rim protector, and all-around talent. Whether he leads Duke in scoring (probable) isn’t the point.

Watching Flagg is watching a player elevate everyone else around him. It’ll be fascinating to hear he how fares with the USA Select Team as he’s at least 3 years younger than everyone else. He’s not a ball-dominant offensive player, or a lights-out perimeter shooter. Flagg’s a player who simply helps a team win.

Giving him the chance to learn other winning traits by playing with pros this summer? Well, that hardly seems fair for the rest of college hoops.

2. Going pro isn’t always the answer

The No. 1 rule for any college hoops player is go pro, ASAP. You never know when a career-altering injury will happen, but for elite prospects, the timeline of starting the NBA contract math is essential. The sooner you can reach that life-altering second-contract money, the better.

That rule might not be as ironclad as it once was.

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