Contending in the McDonald’s All-American Game is a right of passage for the basketball stars of the future. While the video game itself frequently handles the feel of an All-Star Game as an exhibit implied to delight the fans, the practices and skirmish leading up to the huge occasion are traditionally a lot more competitive and provide a much better examination setting before the leading potential customers in the nation dive to the next level.
The class at the 2024 young boys McDonald’s All-American Game currently feels more skilled than the groups from the previous 2 years. This year’s class has a real super star possibility in Duke-bound forward Cooper Flagg, who is the heavy preferred to be the No. 1 choice in the 2025 NBA Draft. If the basic agreement is that Flagg has actually separated himself from his peers at this moment, the practices and skirmishes revealed simply how deep with skill this class is. It’s currently clear there are going to be numerous effect freshmen around the nation next season that will produce a more powerful NBA draft class in 2025 than the one coming this June.
Let’s satisfy this year’s McDonald’s All-American class, with a concentrate on what we saw throughout the skirmish on Sunday.
Cooper Flagg is the future super star Duke and the NBA requires
Picture by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire through Getty Images
Last summertime, we ranked Flagg as the very best long-lasting NBA possibility in high school basketball over a packed cast of oppositions consisting of Cameron Boozer, A.J. Dybantsa, Tyran Stokes, and more. He’s going to be the greatest freshman one-and-done star in college basketball because Zion Williamson, and it would be a significant shock if anybody surpasses him for the very first choice in the 2025 NBA Draft.
What makes Flagg so excellent? It begins with his two-way ability, non-stop motor, fast decision-making, and strong frame at 6’9 with a 7-foot wingspan. Flagg can be among the most impactful protective freshmen to strike college hoops in years with his capability toggling in between safeguarding the rim and managing ‘wing stopper’ responsibilities in one-on-situations. His offense has actually leveled up too over the in 2015, with an enhanced shooting stroke and remarkable cutting impulses to match his currently great passing flashes.
Here are 2 clips from the skirmish that reveal part of what makes Flagg unique. In the very first clip, he manages the ball outdoors flooring and tosses a lovely bounce pass to Maryland-bound huge male (and present Montverde colleague) Derik Queen for the layup. In the 2nd clip, Flagg recuperates the offending rebound and displays his speed off the flooring to end up with a dunk.
There were other minutes throughout the skirmish where Flagg advised us simply how young he is. Keep in mind: with a Dec. 2006 birthday, he’ll just be 18.5 years of ages on draft day in June 2025, making him the youngest leading possibility in the class. He’ll play lots of huge video games at Duke as a 17-year-old.