Cooper Flagg is a 6-foot-9 junior that plays for Montverde Academy. He is looked at as a defensive specialist but it’s his rapidly improving offense that is taking his game to the next level. With Victor Wembanyama now in the NBA, is Flagg the best prospect in the world?
He absolutely dominated the EYBL U16 in, averaging 26.9 points, 11.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 4.5 blocks in 17 games. He led Maine United to one of the top teams in his age group despite his team not having a ton of top tier talent. Let’s dive into why Flagg is the best prospect in the world regardless of age.
Flagg is a 16-year old forward that attends Montverde Academy. The young prospect is a special defensive prospect that has the ability to change the outcomes of games due to his unreal defensive impact. He has the ability to serve as a primary rim protector due to his elite shot-blocking instincts, high defensive IQ, and mobility.
Not only is Flagg a game-changer as a rim protector, but he also has the ability to defend out in space effectively. He has good lateral quickness and does a good job of getting in a stance to contain ball-handlers trying to attack the rim. His elite defensive versatility makes him one of the best defensive prospects we have ever seen.
The generational prospect is known for his defense but his offense isn’t as far behind as it once was. Flagg has made great strides as a shooter, shot-maker, and scorer over the last two years. We should only expect him to continue to improve offensively as he continues to get older and develop his game.
He can have a point forward kind of role offensively as at 6-foot-9 he has the ability to handle it in the open floor and in the half-court. Flagg's vision really stands out at that size and his feel for the game is off the charts. There’s no one else in the high school game that makes a two-way impact like Flagg does.
In the EYBL this past year, Flagg dominated on both ends of the floor like we’ve never seen before. It’s unknown what’s next for Flagg as he has the ability to reclassify if he chooses too. It’s safe to assume that every division one college and a lot of professional programs will be pursuing the two-way forward.
