Blue Devil Country

Duke Basketball Freshman Earns More Respect From LeBron James

Projected Duke basketball one-and-done Cooper Flagg doesn't appear out of his league when playing against Team USA.

Matt Giles

Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg
Duke basketball forward Cooper Flagg / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports
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By the time Cooper Flagg was born on Dec. 21, 2006, LeBron James was already a two-time All-Star. Now, the 17-year-old Duke basketball rookie, the youngest player and only collegian on the USA Basketball Select Team currently in Las Vegas helping Team USA prepare for the 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris beginning later this month, is on the same court as the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

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On Sunday, Flagg and his professional teammates battled James and Team USA in a scrimmage at the UNLV practice facility.

Judging by a couple of leaked highlights from the scrimmage and the handshake line afterward, it's safe to say the 6-foot-9, 205-pound Flagg, who finished No. 1 overall on the 247Sports 2024 Composite and is the favorite to go No. 1 at next summer's NBA Draft, impressed James and others on hand.

There was the following sequence on offense, where Cooper Flagg saw his pull-up floater swatted by James' Los Angeles Lakers co-star in big man Anthony Davis, snagged the loose ball, passed it out of traffic, cut to the basket, and received a dime for the baseline slam:

And there was this soft catch-and-shoot floater from a few feet out over Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid:

Finally, the official NBA account posted a three-second clip of LeBron James showing respect to Cooper Flagg, and vice versa:

Flagg, the all-time most heralded recruit from Maine, headlines a six-deep Duke basketball freshman class that ranks No. 1 in the country. They join two key returning pieces in guards Tyrese Proctor and Caleb Foster, along with four inbound transfers, for Jon Scheyer's third season as head coach of the Blue Devils.

Their 2024-24 campaign tips off on Nov. 4 when they welcome Maine to Cameron Indoor Stadium.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of Duke Blue Devils on SI, North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining SI in 2022, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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