Cooper Flagg came into college with a great deal of hype, having been projected as the number one player in his class and the top pick for a number of seasons, and has begun to deliver on that hype, impacting games with his well rounded skill set. His offensive game continues to show progress as his range and scoring ability improve. He has considerable NBA potential due to his intangibles with competitiveness, strong family background and maturity. Flagg turned 18 just over a week ago, and was extremely impressive in our interview. There may be detractors, that don’t think his shooting will allow him to be a franchise talent at the next level, but it’s important to remember his age, work ethic and ability to improve. Flagg is an ideal player for an NBA team to build around. We got the chance to catch up with Cooper at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland earlier this year. Here is the interview.
Question: First of all, just what is it like being in the city (of {Portland) right now where you know you could actually end up playing here in a few years?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I mean, it’s a great city. Ever since we landed here, you know, it’s been a great environment, you know, really nice weather, you know, just having a really good time so far.
Question: How many NBA courts have you played on so far?
Cooper Flagg: I think like two or three.
Question: What is it just like for you when you get to play in NBA arenas right now?
Cooper Flagg: It’s definitely a cool experience, you know. I haven’t played in like that type of atmosphere a lot. Like the huge like backdrop, like no backdrop behind the rim, so it’s a little bit of a different experience, but it’s definitely fun and it’s good to get out there and play a little bit.
Question: What is it just like for you right now, this like period where some people know you, some people don’t know you, you know in a few months that a lot of people are going to know you, just what is it like kind of living in this period right now for you?
Cooper Flagg: I mean, yeah, I’m just enjoying it. I’m having fun. You know, I just finished up high school basketball, so I’m kind of sad about that. You know, it’s been a really fun journey with my team who I’m going to play this year and win the national championship. So that was a really fun journey, but you know, I’m just enjoying life right now. I’m taking it one day at a time and really just trying to stay in the moment.
Question: What was difficult about leaving your high school team in Maine?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I mean, I try to be loyal, going to leave that team just because you know, my brothers, people I play with, since I was fourth grade or as early as fourth grade. So, you know, it’s about loyalty for me. And you know, just we were able to actually have a lot of success with that team. You know, everyone was really connected and it was just a lot, I think it was a lot more fun and it was kind of more fulfilling to me to be able to play with guys I knew since I was young and just have success. So I’m just really, I’m really grateful for all of them so that they stay with me and I stay with them.
Question: What do you think you can learn from you in terms of playing for Monteverde, building up your own team and where you’re from instead of living somewhere else?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I think trying to get that style of basketball. I feel like we kind of played the right way. And it’s hard, like when you watch people at AU like a lot now, it’s more like all-star teams coming together, playing one-on-one basketball. So I think that kind of helped me to get an understanding of the game really early. And like, you can only like learn good basketball IQ from playing the right way. So I think that helped me from a really young age, just playing with the team, getting good like familiar with the guys, helped me to build a good basketball IQ from a young age.
Question: I can tell you’ve been working a lot on your game, besides being great on defense, getting blocks, what aspects do you feel you bring to the table and do you need to improve?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I mean, I’m just, I’m playing countless hours in the gym, all season long, you know, after practice. And then defensively, everybody talks about the blocks like you said, but I’m really just working on, you know, talking a lot more. That’s something that every coach is going to ask of you when you get to higher levels, is communication and then versatility and just being able to guard one through five, sit down and stay in front of point guards and two guards and then being able to chest up and body out big.
Question: Can you talk a little bit about your expectations for next season?
Cooper Flagg: I mean, I haven’t had any expectations to be honest. You know, I’m just going in, looking to help rebuild the program from last year. You know, I think a bunch of guys are leaving. They had some good success, so just going in, expectations of just doing whatever I can, you know, whatever Coach Schauer needs me to do.
Question: And leadership come naturally to you? Is that something you worked on?
Cooper Flagg: I mean, it’s definitely something that’s kind of worked on. Like I said, the communication part is definitely, I wasn’t always like that. I’m still working on it, but I think it’s easier when I’m more comfortable with my teammates and stuff. So I mean, I think like all these guys over here, I’m trying to kind of get really comfortable with them because we’ve been at camps together and everything for the past like two years. So it’s really helped to just get to know all these guys and it’s helped to help me be a leader because I’m really comfortable with them.
Question: Comparisons, people have declared Bird, they said number of players. Who do you feel like you’re getting compared to?
Cooper Flagg: I wouldn’t compare myself to anybody. I’m trying to be my own player. So I wouldn’t want to compare myself to anybody else. I’m trying to make my own path and be my own player.
Question: Have any of the guys you’ve been working out with, some guys that have been here to help, besides even NBA, just former players, has there been any of these guys that you’ve got a mentor into as well?
Cooper Flagg: I mean, not a ton. Like, obviously, when I went to Jayson (Tatum)’s camp over the summer, we kind of talked a while. And then Paolo (Banchero) just signed me the other day when he gave me the gear and everything. Those are the two, especially coming from Duke, they kind of like want to give me that wisdom. And I was able to talk to them a little bit through my recruitment and just have them as tools.
Question: Who’s the guy that you watch and learn from on the NBA side and the college side as well? Which of these guys do you watch and learn from?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, definitely like Tatum and Paolo, you know, just the way they use their body offensively. I think defensively, like Jonathan Isaac. I’ve been going to some Magic game recently, just being in the area, just watching the way that he kind of plays, like, healthy defense and stuff, and seeing the way he positions himself has been kind of really cool to see because he’s really versatile.
Question: Of the guys here and coming into Duke, Isaiah Evans, Darren Harris, Khaman Maluach and the rest of the guys. What do you look forward to the most? Being together as a collective?
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I mean, obviously, Isaiah was at McDonald’s, so starting to build that relationship. And then just played against Darren and Pat in game in the national championship game. So, I mean, they’re both excellent players. I mean, I’m sure Khaman Maluach too. I haven’t seen that, but I’m looking forward to seeing that. But yeah, I mean, I think it’s like an extraordinary group of guys. Like, it’s a really deep group. I think more than that, it’s just a bunch of competitors and people that like to play the right way. Like, seeing Isaiah here, like, I feel like he just plays really hard, but he plays the right way too. So, same thing with Pat. (Patrick Ngongba) Pat has a really high IQ for a big, really fast ball. And then Darren, Darren was scoring the outskill tonight, so, you know, just really good to see our team just shaping up. Looking forward to next season for sure.
Question: Could you just last thing, talk about being from Maine, what it means, representing the state of Main.
Cooper Flagg: Yeah, I mean, obviously, it means everything to me, to be able to represent the state. I’m trying to do something that not a lot of people have done before, if anybody, from the state of Maine. So, I take a lot of pride in that.
