How did Cooper Flagg perform at McDonald's All-American Game 2024 scrimmage 1? Taking a closer look

Cooper Flagg, a Duke-bound forward, participated in the McDonald's All-American Game 2024. The McDonald's All-American Game is a stepping stone for the future stars of basketball.

Flagg, ranked as the best long-term NBA prospect in high school basketball, is set to be the biggest freshman one-and-done star in college basketball since Zion Williamson.

Cooper Flagg is considered a true superstar prospect and is the heavy favorite to be the No.1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. In the scrimmage leading up to the McDonald's All-American Game, Flagg made a number of tremendous plays.

How did Cooper Flagg get his buckets?

Cooper Flagg showcashed his scoring versatility during the scrimmage. He demonstrated his ability to score at a different levels. Here are some highlights of how he got his points:

#1. Driving to the basket: Within the first 15 seconds of the game, he caught the ball on the left wing, drove baseline, and got to the rim for an easy two. He had a few other high-level plays and shots before the game was all over.

#2. Mid-range game: He showed pretty good lift into his mid-range pull-up.

#3. Finishing at the rim: He had a couple of tough rim finishes with both hands over contesting interior defenders.

These plays don't only highlight Flagg's scoring ability, but also his potential as a future NBA prospect.

What traits did Flagg show off at the scrimmage?

Here are the traits that Cooper Flagg showed off at the scrimmage:

#1. Rapid decision-making: Flagg demonstrated his ability to make quick and accurate decisions during the game.

#2. Sturdy build: He stands at 6’9 with a 7-foot wingspan, which gives him a physical advantage on the court.

#3. Defensive prowess: Cooper Flagg has the potential to be one of the most impactful defensive freshmen in college basketball with his ability to protect the rim and handle ‘wing stopper’ duties in one-on-one situations. He showed it off quite a few times in the scrimmage.

#4. Game-changing plays: During the scrimmage, Flagg made a beautiful bounce pass to Maryland-bound big man Derik Queen for the layup and recovered an offensive rebound to finish with a dunk.

Flagg is expected to excel at Duke and perform even better in the NBA, indicating that the best is yet to come. It would be a major upset if anyone surpasses him for the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.