Capping off a tremendous high school career for onset with one of the most decorated college basketball programs. This is how the last few months have spanned out for the latest Duke commit Cooper Flagg. However, all the loud noises around him don’t come as a surprise to many. Apparently, a testament to his immense potential came to the surface last week when he joined the likes of NBA greats like LeBron James and Jayson Tatum to become the best male high school athlete in the nation. But what was the experience like for the 17-year-old phenom?

GQ’s Matthew Roberson managed to catch up with the 6 ft 9 forward despite his busy schedule which includes his appearance at the recent ESPY Awards. Occupying somewhat of a center stage among the many engaging conversations was his inclusion in an elite list. As it turns out, just a week ago, Cooper Flagg grabbed the Gatorade Best Male Player of the Year. “I was kind of shocked”, Flagg said. “I wasn’t really expecting it at all. It was a great experience to share that moment with my teammates”. 

Cooper Flagg might have been shocked, but his admirers aren’t. Being regarded as one of the best high school players in the past decade, he gave a glimpse of his immaculate skills by being the youngest member of the select team that took on USA Basketball’s national team recently. So much so that Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant couldn’t help but express, “He looks like a hell of a player,” by the end of the night.

Despite the obvious signs of excellence, Flagg’s reflection revealed accolades did not seem to be in his sight. The 2024 McDonald’s All-American added, “I didn’t really think about any of the awards. It definitely crossed my mind a couple times, but I was never actively thinking, I have to win this. I was just playing my game. But it was really cool”. 

Hardly anyone would argue that he is a sure-shot future NBA prodigy. But, who from the former or the current lot is his choice for a dream Team?

Cooper Flagg names his all-time starting five

An illustrious and accomplished list of players occupies Flagg’s list of the best of the best. 5× NBA champion Magic Johnson is an ideal point guard for him whereas he entrusts Bulls legend Michael Jordan with the shooting responsibilities. These are smart picks. Mainly due to the fact that Johnson has been a 4× NBA assists leader and Jordan capped off his career by being the NBA scoring champion on 10 occasions.

Joining Johnson from the Lakers alum are the 2× NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and the all-time leading scorer in NBA history LeBron James. Both these stalwarts fit in the offensive half of the court as small and power forwards respectively. The iconic No. 33 of the Milwaukee Bucks holding the record number of 6 NBA Most Valuable Player honors in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is the final inclusion. According to Cooper Flagg, he is a perfect center in this highly distinguished squad.

A future bright prospect in the NBA himself, Cooper Flagg surely knows his game. On top of that, his aptitude for the sport at such an age is such a huge asset for the Blue Devils. It will be worth a watch to witness how he impacts the program’s upcoming campaign.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And, join us for the exciting pilot episode of the “Dual Threat Show”. Our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and SEC All-Freshman Team Selection, Silas Demary Jr.