The potential of the teenage basketball sensation, Cooper Flagg, has been a much-discussed topic on NBA talk shows in the past year. Kevin Garnett has now decided to join this narrative by sharing his two cents on the 17-year-old.
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On the All The Smoke podcast, KG initially reflected on the youngster’s leadership qualities and superstardom. The 48-year-old spoke about how Flagg’s early success could fuel his progress further in the coming years. Garnett thus believed that the 6’9 forward remains well-positioned to uplift his team and teammates, stating,
“When it comes to being a leader, with all the exposure he has gotten in high school, he is used to leading a team, he is used to the attention. He is used to walking to the gym and people knowing who he is, that superstardom, that follows you… When you’re joining a team, that’s what you’re locking into the links of the other greats around you and the other good players that are around you.”
KG continued to stoke the hype around Flagg. He was confident that the Maine native’s prowess on both ends of the court could position him among the best American-origin white players in NBA history.
“We ain’t had no bad-a** cold-a** white boy like this in a long time. That’s some real s**t… He has got the wave behind him. Now it’s all about, ‘Okay, now we’re gonna see how you grow. How you are gonna develop.'”
KG is all-in on Cooper Flagg’s superstar potential 👀⁰⁰“I could see kids wanting to be like that and play like that… We ain’t have no cold a** white boy like this in a long time!”
ALL-NEW Ticket & The Truth: https://t.co/Twsr4EqkLV pic.twitter.com/9P0gBj8syC
— All the Smoke Productions (@allthesmokeprod) September 20, 2024
Flagg‘s meteoric rise during his high school years substantiates KG‘s thoughts. For instance, he was named the 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year at just 15. Over the next two years, he racked up impressive accolades, including National High School Player of the Year, McDonald’s All-American, and Gatorade National Men’s Athlete of the Year.
His performances soon earned him a college offer from the NCAA Division I men’s basketball defending champions, the UConn Huskies. However, Flagg ultimately chose to play for Duke before entering the NBA in 2025.
The expectations continue to rise around Flagg
In 2022, Flagg was considered the third-best prospect in the 2025 class. But, his rapid progress has now placed him at the top. This also led to his inclusion in the USA Select Team in July this year. He consequently received the golden opportunity to go toe-to-toe against a star-studded USA men’s Olympic team and test his limits.
He passed this test with flying colors. Footage of his gameplay caught the eyes of NBA fans and made them eager to await his arrival in the league next year. At the same time, it gave Flagg an early taste of the league’s competitive level, as he later said,
“It’s been a great experience to learn, talk, and kinda see what their routine is and to see what some of these guys do. So, it’s been great to be able to learn.”
As of now, one of either the Chicago Bulls, the Portland Trail Blazers, or the Detroit Pistons could select him in the upcoming NBA draft. Regardless of where he lands, Flagg looks set to leave a mark on the league immediately upon arriving.
