A year from now, Duke University freshman Cooper Flagg could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft and is already adding to his resume. USA Basketball has invited the 17-year-old to practice against Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Flagg was one of 15 players selected to join the USA National Team on Friday, a group that will help the national team prepare for training camp next week in Las Vegas. There is a long history of players from the national team squad who eventually joined the national team including current players Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Haliburton, who took the position in 2021 ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
Flagg, a 6-foot-9 senior from Newport, Maine, is the first college player to play for the team since 2013 when Creighton star Doug McDermott and Oklahoma State star Marcus Smart were on the team.
Flagg will be joined by a group of players who just finished strong seasons as rookies. Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, who finished third in Rookie of the Year voting last season, will join the team along with Brandin Podzemski, Trace Jackson-Davis of the Golden State Warriors and Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat, who were all outstanding rookies in the 2023-24 season. .
Veteran players Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans, Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons, Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings, Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic, Micah Potter of the Utah Jazz, Payton Pritchard of the champion Boston Celtics and the youngsters of the Houston Rockets. Forwards Ameen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. were also named to the team.
Players with overseas experience in FIBA style play will also be on the roster including former NBA players Langston Galloway and Nigel Hayes-Davis.
The team will be trained by Magic coach Jamal Mosli.
“As a former member of Team USA, I know how important and exciting this opportunity is for each of these players,” USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill said in a statement. “There is a tremendous amount of talent on this select team with the important mission of helping the 2024 U.S. Men’s National Team as it begins its journey to the Olympic Games. Each of these athletes will play a role in our preparations as we also develop the national team’s lineup for the future.”
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