"He is 16!": Steph Curry awestruck by high school phenom Cooper Flagg's tenacity and confidence, believes its NBA level
Steph Curry got an chance to put his scouting hat on when he witnessed high school phenom Cooper Flagg in person at his annual camp in California. Flagg has gained attention as one of the country's most elite young players. He is widely projected to be the first pick if he enters the draft in 2015.
Curry praised the Montverde Academy prospect's tenacity and confidence. It's an anomaly to see high school players project NBA-caliber IQ at a young age, but the Warrior star is seeing that in Flagg. Curry also lauded the 16-year-old's poise, which is uncommon for players his age. If anything, the 15-year-veteran has only improved Flagg's NBA prospects.
"He obviously can show his athleticism and overall skill set, but he's one that I've seen that's like never in a hurry out there, and for highschool level, that's hard to find because they're so athletic so fast," said Curry in an interview with SLAM.
"They rely on that, but he almost plays like an NBA style ... He is 16. So that like, just watching it, you can see it too, you can see a little difference in his pace and his overall know-how."
Steph Curry is one of the masters at displaying flawless patience and rhythm on the court. The 'flow-state' allows him to be a dominant player, so it's quite a big deal that he sees that in Cooper Flagg, who is still at least a couple of years away from the NBA.
As Curry pointed out, young athletes, as teenagers, are more focused on their physical attributes, so Flagg breaking those norms does make him a standout performer.
Cooper Flagg was a standout performer at Steph Curry's camp
Steph Curry's annual 'Curry Camp,' which included several top high school prospects, has been one of his major basketball highlights this offseason. The two-time NBA MVP had several high school prospects scrimmaging with and against him in a five-on-five setup. Cooper Flagg was present, too. He lined up opposite Curry, setting up an enticing clash with the Warriors superstar.
The nationally ranked No. 2 player impressed Curry. Flagg displayed his well-rounded game, showing no signs of being intimidated on the court while going up against a legend like Curry. Here are some highlights from the camp:
Cooper made some brilliant reads during the scrimmage, which certainly stood out for Curry. The highly-ranked high school player seems to be on the right path for now. He couldn't have asked for a better mentor than an all-time great like Curry.
Suggested reading: Montverde's Cooper Flagg and Prolific Prep's AJ Dybantsa turn out as key features in Steph Curry's camp