Kevin Garnett gives Cooper Flagg massive hype ahead of NBA foray: "Had no bad a** cold a** white boy like this in a long time"
Basketball Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett touts incoming Duke freshman Cooper Flagg as a future NBA superstar. He said the 17-year-old hooper from Newport, Maine, has a solid skill set and charisma which should translate well to the pros whenever he decides to make the jump.
'The Big Ticket' shared his thoughts on the former Montverde Academy (Florida) standout on the latest episode of "Ticket & The Truth" on the All The Smoke podcast, highlighting how Flagg is a special talent who could be the next big thing in the NBA.
Garnett said:
"He [Flagg] got that superstar potential that you can come in and put product behind him, you know what I'm saying. We ain't had no bad a** cold a** white boy like this in a long time. That's some real s**t..."
Check out what he had to say below. beginning at 27:17:
Garnett compared Flagg to another former Duke alum, Paolo Banchero, now of the Orlando Magic, in terms of his game looking better in the pros. KG then challenged Flagg to develop his game during what is expected to be his lone college season.
Cooper Flagg was ranked as the nation's No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2024 by ESPN. Late last year, he committed to play for Duke while also entertaining offers from other Division I schools, including UConn.
In his senior year at Montverde, he helped the Eagles to a perfect 33-0 record and a national title while averaging 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.7 blocks per contest. He was also named national high school player of the year (2024) and a McDonald's All-American.
At Duke, he is expected to bring his versatility on both ends of the court to a team that made an NCAA Tournament exit in the Round of 32 last year.
Cooper Flagg looks back on opportunity to play against Team USA
Apart from his body of work in high school, Cooper Flagg was brought to the consciousness of many fans when he had the opportunity to play against LeBron James and the rest of Team USA as they prepared for the 2014 Paris Olympic Games. He said it was a chance he truly savored and learned a lot from.
Flagg was among the players picked to be part of the USA Select Team to go up against the U.S. squad early in its Olympic preparation. The 6'9" wing player impressed with his versatility on both ends of the court, underscoring further his standing as the potential No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Cooper Flagg spoke about his Team USA experience, telling the "The Brotherhood Podcast" of Duke teammate Caleb Foster (via ESPN):
"It was cool, an unbelievable experience. Just having the opportunity to be there and just share the court with that level of talent and player, the people who've made that type of name for themselves. I've been watching them for years, growing up."
Apart from Flagg, also part of the USA Select Team were rising NBA stars Brandin Podziemski (Golden State), Amen Thompson (Houston), Brandon Miller (Charlotte) and Jalen Duren (Detroit).