Cooper Flagg reflects on Olympic training camp, winning Gatorade National Player of the Year

Yahoo Sports NBA draft analyst Krysten Peek talks with Cooper Flagg and Kevin Love about Flagg’s recent USA Basketball scrimmage where the incoming Duke freshman stole the show. Cooper & Kevin join Yahoo Sports on behalf of the Gatorade National Player of the Year award.

Video Transcript

I’m Kristen Pe joined by Cooper flag and Kevin Love in partnership with the Gatorade player of the year award.

Cooper.

You’ve had a huge week.

How are you feeling after the USA basketball scrimmage and playing against some of the top players in the world?

Yeah, I feel great.

It was a, it was a huge opportunity, a great experience to be able to share the court with players at that level.

Um the highest of the high.

So I think just being able to, to share the court and just learn a lot of things from them and um kind of be able to soak it all in was a great experience.

Were you nervous at all?

For sure, for sure, Kevin, I’m sure you saw the highlights.

What did you think of him?

And how do you see his game translating to the NBA?

Yeah, I just keep saying that, that he belongs.

I mean, you see uh there’s a number of players uh games that I, you know, see with within Cooper’s game just in, in watching the highlights and watching some of the extended film just uh you know, saw a little bit of everything taking advantage of smaller players, uh, assuming everything is amiss falling, uh, for putbacks, uh, just taking advantage of a guy backing off of him and, and, and shooting the three regardless of the size.

Um, you know, using his height and length to be able to switch one through five.

I know, especially for USA basketball.

They love to do that.

So I think his size and length and athleticism, uh, is also what impresses me as well.

I think all of our expectations are in June of next year.

You know, he’d be the that first guy, uh you know, up there on the stage, first guy to the podium and, you know, we welcome him to the NBA Cooper.

You said you were nervous, what was the moment during the scrimmage where you settled into the game?

And you said, OK, I, I can play, I think for me it wasn’t a moment once I like start once we started playing, I think, or I think it was like as soon as I kind of got on the court, um stepped in between the lines for me.

That’s usually when most of the pressure, the any uh anything else that I’m thinking about?

That’s usually when all that goes away.

Um As soon as I step onto the court and, and actually start playing Cooper, you guys have already had some summer practices at Duke.

What can we expect from the team this year?

Yeah, I think um having got on the court with all the guys now um getting to meet them, getting to know everybody.

Um It’s been a really seamless smooth transition just to get out to Duke and start to meet my teammates.

So I, I mean, I love the group.

We have um a very talented experienced group also.

So I think we have the the best of both worlds, a really balanced squad.

So I think just kinda taking on that role of having the target on our backs and just using it to, to help bring us, bring us all together.

Um It’s gonna make us closer as a team.

Um We’re gonna go over it and we’re gonna get better from it.

You both are here for the Gatorade player of the Year Awards, Cooper.

You won it for boys basketball.

How does it feel now to be included with the same group as Kobe Bryant lebron James, Jason Tatum and Kevin won the award in 2007?

Yeah, I mean, I think it’s a huge accomplishment and a great honor just to be here.

Um like you said, joining such such great company um of people that have won this award.

So I think just get this opportunity just to be here, interact with players from other sports, you know, start to build relationships is something that’s gonna stick with me for a long time.

What would it mean for you to win the Gatorade national player?

Of the year award.

I think it would mean a lot.

Um, it’s just kind of a, uh, just be a really big thing for me, um, knowing how much has gone into it, the consideration and everything like that.

So, I think it’s just, it kind of shows more than just being a basketball player.

I think that sort of a word kind of speaks to who you are as a person.

So I think that would mean a lot to me just moving forward, um, be recognized for something like that.