But in Day 2, Flagg was impressing during scrimmages and showing why next season could be a tankathon among the league’s bottom-feeding franchises in the race to position themselves for the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft .
In a sequence the media were allowed to see during the final 10 minutes of the scrimmage, Flagg – who stood 6 feet 8 inches tall and weighed a little more than 200 pounds – stole the show as the Select Team battled back against the NBA’s stars. Was staying.
First, he calmly hit a wing triple over the outstretched arms of Lakers star Anthony Davis. Then, as Davis leaked, Flagg intercepted the long pass and recovered it downcourt.
After a missed shot, he drew a tip and a foul on Miami’s Bam Adebayo. Not that stats are being officially kept, but it was a glimpse of what Duke is getting later in the fall, and what the NBA will look forward to, as the stands were filled with coaches and front office personnel .
They were discussing, not the result, as the Olympic team escaped a one-point victory after Davis blocked Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski’s shot in the final seconds. But those who saw it all were whispering about the flag.
Olympic coach Steve Kerr is not allowed to talk specifically about the flag due to draft rules, but he praised the performance of the select team overall. There was some concern about Flagg coming in and perhaps not being able to adjust to the physicality of the game, but he answered that question strongly.
Flagg later said, “I’m confident in my ability and my skills.” So yes, at the end of the day I am confident in who I am and what I can do.
Flagg won’t turn 18 until the end of December, so he wasn’t expected to dominate on the day, and no one would say he was the best player on the field – after all, it’s no stretch to say that to all 12 members of the Olympics. It doesn’t matter whether the team will make the Hall of Fame.
But there are some expectations attached to him and he probably knows it. It will be one thing to go into the year with Duke’s pedigree, but so will the belief that he can be the next American-born star to come into a pipeline that is increasingly filling with foreign players.
However, as far as the first two days of camp were concerned, he was just playing ball. And doing it well.
“It’s some pressure – I wouldn’t say pressure, it’s a surreal feeling to be able to share the court. “I’m blessed to have this opportunity and be here,” Flagg said. “So just knowing I could go out here and compete, I had no worries. I don’t put any pressure on myself, just because I’m here for a reason. I’m pretty sure I was just playing ball.”
The selection appears to be a suitable tune-up for the Olympic team, which will play an exhibition game against Canada on Wednesday night in Las Vegas. It’s almost a crash course in a way for Team USA – certainly a talented team, but the countries they’re competing against have been working and playing together for a while. However, Flagg doesn’t think it will matter to Team USA.
“They can be whatever team they want to be. There are no weaknesses, no holes,” Flagg said. “They can play any way they want and dominate. “It will just be a dominant team that will impose its will on everyone.”
But for now, or at least for a few moments, Flagg has established himself among the game’s elite. He could take it to Duke and beyond — possibly even putting himself in the Olympic pipeline for the Americans.
Unlike the next level of NBA stars, the Select Team is generally filled with new players, but in one four-year cycle a number of players have moved from the Select Team to the Olympic team.
“It just builds confidence, keeps getting better and proving things,” Flagg said. “Just seeing success and going for what I know. I know I can do it, it gives me confidence.”
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