Cooper Flagg said he was 'nervous' to face his idol LeBron James and Team USA in a scrimmage last month.
But before that matchup against Team USA, Flagg said he had to calm his nerves and"snap out of it," especially when he realized he'd have to battle one of his idols --."Just having the opportunity to be there and just share the court with that level of talent and player, the people who've made that type of name for themselves. I've been watching them for years, growing up."The first day, for sure, I was nervous. I didn't know what to think.
"I think once I got going into it, it was just playing basketball, and I think a lot of players share a similar experience that once you start playing the nerves and stuff ," Flagg said."Most of the players that can really perform at a high level, once the tip goes up, it all goes away for sure." Flagg led Montverde Academy to a 30-0 season and national championship last season. College basketball fans will get their first official glimpse of the phenom during Countdown to Craziness on Oct. 4, according to an announcement Wednesday about Duke's midnight madness preseason event.
"I got on the court and I was like, 'Wow.' I was guarding LeBron in the corner," Cooper Flagg said."It kind of just hit me for a second and I had to snap out of it." won the Wooden Award in his lone season at Duke during the 2018-19 campaign. He credited former Duke star Grant Hill, managing director of USA Basketball, for giving him the opportunity to play with the select team and compete against Team USA.
Flagg also said he's preparing for his first collegiate season by working on his agility and quickness. He also said he hopes to gain a mental edge, and is playing more golf and implementing yoga into his routine.
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