Fans left debating as Cooper Flagg becomes only college player to be named in USA basketball select team: "Going to be a star" "Overrated"

Duke Blue Devils commit Cooper Flagg reclassified from the class of 2025 to the class of 2024, skipping his final year of high school to join coach Jon Scheyer's team.

The effort seems to be paying off already. Flagg was the only collegian among a 15-man select squad named on Friday to help Team USA in its preparations for the Paris Olympics.

The select team will be coached by the Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley. He will have his assistants in Purdue Boilermakers' coach Matt Painter and Indiana Pacers' assistant coach Jim Boleyn.

The select team that Cooper Flagg is a part of will work out with the team chosen for the Olympics between July 6 and July 8, at the camp in Las Vegas. This is before a few of the players are chosen to travel to Abu Dhabi with the team to continue with preparations for the Olympics.

College hoops fans on X debated extensively on whether the talented Duke star merited the honor of being in the select team.

Other fans in the comments did not think that Flagg was that special.

"Cooper Flagg is the most overrated prospect I have ever seen," one fan tweeted.

"Why the hell is that 17-year-old 'flagg' in here," another fan tweeted.

"Cooper Flagg is the most overrated prospect I have ever seen," one fan tweeted.

Did former Duke star have an influence in Cooper Flagg pick for Team USA?

Cooper Flagg is one of the most celebrated commits for the incoming Duke Blue Devils class of 2024, alongside standout center Khaman Maluach. Duke is one of college basketball's elite programs and has a lot of influence in the sport.

One of the Duke alumni is former NBA star Grant Hill, who attended between 1990 and 1994 and is Team USA's managing director. During a recent episode of NBA Today, analyst Austin Rivers urged Hill to pick Flagg for Team USA.

"Grab Cooper Flagg, hell, make him the 12th guy," Rivers said.

"The experience it would give him. You're talking about grooming players for tomorrow and what that experience would do for these young talented players, especially in a draft class where you don't have a lot of star power. Throw the biggest star in there, throw Cooper Flagg in there, it makes sense. Grant Hill is a Dukie, get it done," Rivers said.

After announcing the 15-man roster for the select team that includes the celebrated Flagg, Hill released a statement.

“As a former member of the USA select team, I know how important and fun this opportunity is for each of these players,” said Grant Hill. “There is a tremendous amount of talent on this select squad with the significant job of helping the 2024 USA Men’s National Team as they begin their journey to the Olympics. Each of these athletes will play a role in our preparation as we also develop the national team pipeline for the future.”

Whether or not the Duke connection helped Cooper Flagg get on the select team, it is still a huge stride in his nascent career that has barely started in earnest.