Miami Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. Endorses Hype Around Future NBA Top Pick Cooper Flagg

Anthony Pasciolla | Jul 13, 2024

Apr 2, 2024; Houston, TX, USA; McDonald's All American East forward Cooper Flagg (32) controls the ball as McDonald's All American West guard Valdez Edgecombe Jr (7) defends during the first half at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

The 2025 NBA Draft is loaded with talent, highlighted by incoming Duke Blue Devils standout Cooper Flagg.

Flagg, who is expected to hear his name called with the No. 1 pick next June, recently justified the hype surrounding him while practicing against Team USA.

Miami Heat rising star Jaime Jaquez Jr. was on the same team as Flagg that helped the Olympics team prepare for Paris later this month. Flagg did more than hold his own as the first collegiate invite in more than a decade.

After facing off against numerous future Hall of Famers for nearly a week, Jaquez is convinced Flagg, 17, is worthy of all the praise.

"Man, that guy is an insanely hard worker," Jaquez shared with Miami Heat On SI's Anthony Pasciolla. "He's got an incredible feel for the game, so I would say the hype about him is real. Being able to spend a couple days with him, like I said, he's got a great understanding of the game of basketball. He's a guy that can impact in so many ways, not just scoring, so he's going to be an incredible player."

Flagg is not the only star heading to Duke this fall, as former BAL center Khaman Maluach and sophomore guard Caleb Foster are also projected first-round picks. The 6-foot-9, 205-pound forward has the mix of talent, athleticism, and character needed to become a superstar in the league. 

"Oh, that's a good one," Jaquez said of an NBA comparison for Flagg. "I don't know if I can give you an answer, but he's just one of those guys that just impacts the game at all levels, he does the little things so well."

Jaquez added that Flagg is more a mix of multiple players than comparable to a single NBA player. The Heat forward is spending his weekend appearing in the NBA Summer League, starting with a game against the Boston Celtics Saturday evening.

Anthony Pasciolla works as a contributing writer to Inside the Heat. He can be reached at ampasciolla@gmail.com or follow him on X @AnthonyPasci.

Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook HERE

Subscribe to our YouTube channel HERE