When you walk across Madison Square Garden, there are pictures of Muhammad Ali, Patrick Iwing, Billy Joel and Bruce Springstin and countless other symbols in sports and entertainment.
Saturday night, Cooper Flage He will take MSG aura and get a chance to make his fingerprint. Choose the first future in this June The American Professional League A draft led by No. 3 in the third place Blue Duke Devils In the classic guard against Illinois in 8 pm East time on the fox.
The Blue Devils, who are 23-3, have been directed throughout the year and lost only once since November 26, 2024, with 17 points, 14 rebound balls, assistants, two masses, and two anecdotes earlier this week at the same time 80-62 Win Virginia. This is equal to the 6 -feet and 9 feet tournament, which is now 19.7 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.0 passes, 1.6 theft and 1.2 blocks per game. No student in Total basketball History led his team in each major statistical category and played in the NCAA championship. Flagg tracks this exactly and may end more than just appearing in the large dance hall.
To take the statistics sheet like this during the shooting by 49 % of the land and 37 % of the city center means that any team that has the number 1 selection in the draft this year is to get a player who is the total package. The fact that FLAGG is only 18 years old and was supposed to be a member of the student next year makes what he does much more.
One of the scouts in the American Professional League told Fox SPORTS: “With Cooper, it seems to be a guarantee that he will contribute to a winner in the American Professional League.”
What makes Flagg great is his feeling and instincts for the game, as well as his ability to make many of the plays that won on both ends of the floor. It makes the unusual appearance more normal. With a wing of more than 7 feet, it has the ability to explode in the basket on the offensive end and change the shots at the defensive end. It is the most talented defensive possibility that we have seen in the upper part of the draft for several years and must be joined Kevin Durantand Anthony Davis and Zion Williamson As the only beginners win the national player this year.
[Read more: What are the 10 best men’s college basketball seasons by a freshman?]
The growth of the Flagg game was as a top scorer and playmaker to watch it, but the same importance is its maturity and lack of selfishness. After playing with American basketball in the training camp as a member of the Select team before Paris Olympics Last summer, the lights were not brighter on Flagg. He dealt with it easily, note the positives.
“To be able to do what he did, not even play a university game, not to mention the American Professional League game, there is no fear,” select a team forward Jaime Jacos Junior Subordinate Miami Hit He said. “It is uncomfortable, and the thing you can tell about is that he has just a talent and a will to win. He does not need the ball. He finds a way for that. The ball finds its way to it something that you cannot teach.
John Sher, Duke coach, doubled by Jacgos, focusing on Flage’s ability to lead and always his teammates.
“The most impressive thing for me is the fact that it is in the same way every day,” Sher told the founder of 68 earlier this week. “His approach. He is a competitor. He has energy. He is loud like anyone in the gym. He picks up everything.
“Often as a coach, you are talking about the energy of practice or [saying]”We need to receive it.” This did not happen this year. Cooper is not the only reason, but being the best player, it is a great reason behind this is the case. He just has a unique feeling of how to pick up others and upgrade this occasion. He has done an incredible job to do all of these things. “
It will be great to see Flagg under the bright lights on Saturday against the Illinois team, which struck a barrier in its season, falls in consecutive matches and is now sitting on 9-8 in Big Ten. As this game looks like a difficult timing for Fighting Illini, it may be the type of stage that the Brad Andrewwood team needs to get out of the Vank.
What makes this game interesting is that there is another possibility of the top five to play Kasparas Jakucionis6 feet goalkeeper and 6 Lithuania, which has an average of 15.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.8 passes for each game. Make his creativity and length as a multi -use guardian in this category. The park will see a large number of scouts on Saturday.
[Read more: 2025 NBA Draft No. 1 pick odds: Dyland Harper gaining ground on Cooper Flagg]
Beyond basketball, Flagg story is something that goes beyond the standard for a higher possibility. It is well documented, but I do not think that the fact that it is from Nioport, Maine can be exaggerated. The story of a small town and modest beginnings of the great son of Maine, his mother Kelly, with his father, Ralph, who played in the East Maine Community College, gives him this additional dimension of being linked. His twin brother AS in Maine.
The reason for the presence of a team in the Mine United in The Peach Jam 2023 – the legendary Nike Eybl championship that was held in Georgia – the only reason that makes it absolutely Flagg, which ignited the Atlanta gym to his game.
Through a shoe deal with a new balance, a hidden brand in the world of basketball shoes that Nike usually driven, Flagg showed the world that he was keeping his own path.
Besides Teres Protector And a female student Kon KnuepetFlagg and The Blue Devils have a real opportunity to show the world in April in San Antonio that Duke returned to the top and that Jon Scheyer, 37, was actually perfectly appropriate to take over Mike Krzyzewski.
[Read more: Duke’s new king: Jon Scheyer’s journey to one of basketball’s biggest jobs]
Currently, it’s the bright lights of MSG on Saturday night.
“It is a generation,” Wake Forest The lead coach Steve Forbes said earlier this year when described. “I trained against some great players in my career. It will be one of them. I got a list of Kevin Durant or Derek Rose or Kohi Leonard. Flagg at this level. “
One of the scouts in the American Professional League said it is better when I asked what we should expect on Saturday: “Cooper Flage is currently living. Make popcorn ready.”
John Vanta is an anchor and national basketball writer in Fox Sports. It covers sport in a variety of capabilities, from connecting to the FS1 games to working as a major host on the Big East Digital Network to provide comments in the field of 68 media networks. Follow it in john_fanta.
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