By Aidan Joly
The Peach Jam is always one of the most star-studded youth basketball events of the calendar year. It has the highest-level high school players in the world, NBA stars make appearances and the next generation of stars is born at the event.
This year, it was Cooper Flagg who stole the show.
Flagg hails from one of the most unlikely states in the country. That state is Maine, a state that hasn’t had a player who hails from there drafted in nearly 40 years, and only one player in the league right now from there (Duncan Robinson).
With his local team, Maine United, Flagg put together eye-popping stat line after eye-popping stat line, including a 38-point, 16-rebound, 12-block and 6-assist game on Thursday, one of the most epic Peach Jam performances in recent memory. He followed it up with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 10 blocks two days later in an elimination, double overtime win.
Flagg came into the week as the No. 2 player in the class of 2025 behind Cameron Boozer, but it seems to just be a matter of time before he surpasses Boozer to take the top spot, even though Boozer’s Nightrydas Elite beat Maine United in the 16U title game.
Flagg impressed all week. Still just 16 years old, he stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs 200 pounds and plays well beyond his years, moving the ball like a point guard, setting up open shots for his teammates and scores with multiple guys on him. On defense, he’s a true rim-protector.
Like just stated, Flagg is doing this at 16 years old. He still has two or so more years of growing, so he might get up to seven feet tall by the time he is in college basketball and the NBA. It’s still early in his recruitment, but due to his age he can re-classify into the class of 2024 and be in college for the 2024-25 season and be eligible for the 2025 NBA Draft. It might behoove him to do so, as the class of 2024 lacks the star power that the class of 2025 and class of 2026 does. Cameron Boozer and brother Cayden are both high-impact players, as are Caleb Wilson, Darius Acuff Jr. and Jalen Haralson. In 2026, AJ Dybantsa and Tyran Stokes made headlines in North Augusta.
Going back to Flagg; if he goes to the class of 2024, he immediately becomes the best player in the class and increases his chances of becoming the No. 1 overall pick in the draft in 2025. He has lots of time to make a decision on that, but it will be fascinating storyline to follow in the next handful of months.
As for where he could go to college, look at Duke or any of the top programs in the northeast to make a hard charge at him, particularly Villanova and UConn. Schools like Michigan and Kansas are sure to be in the running as well.
Or a pipe dream: stay home and play at Maine for a year. Imagine how cool that would be? The Black Bears would be a force in mid-major basketball and give the program, state and America East a ton of recognition. It’s highly, highly unlikely, but one can dream.
This all being said: Cooper Flagg is a future star and what comes next in his career will be very fun to follow.
AJ Hoops 