Hall of Famer Grant Hill reveals advice for No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg
Hill, as the managing director of USA Basketball, had the opportunity to watch Flagg firsthand last year when the program brought him in to scrimmage with the select team ahead of the Paris Olympics. He was the first collegian to participate with the select team since 2013.
Flagg jumped to the collegiate level with additional hype following that appearance with USA Basketball. He lived up to those lofty expectations and handled himself like a professional at just 18 years old, which Hill commended Thursday on the "Dan Patrick Show."
Cooper has handled the pressure so well. Last summer, we brought him in. I was a little worried that it might be too much for him ... and Day 2, he was one of the best players on the court and had no fear. He was going at these guys. ... Just go out there, compete and have fun. The weight of the world is on your shoulders. You got a great coach in Jason (Kidd) who I think will utilize him, put the ball in his hands, take advantage of his versatility. I'm excited to see what he can do. I think he is in a great spot and has got a chance to be on a winning team his first year, which is important for a rookie.
Flagg was the AP national college player of the year after leading Duke to the Final Four, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks on 38.5% shooting from 3-point range. He became the 22nd player in program history to be a consensus first-team All-American.
The Maine native is viewed as a generational prospect thanks to his size, athleticism and ability to impact games on both ends of the court. He is also highly regarded for his ability to process plays in real-time and his decision-making with the ball in his hands.
Flagg has drawn some comparisons to Hill, along with other current players, due to their similar skill sets on the court. The organization is excited to see him take the court next season and will be hopeful that he can live up to those expectations as the top pick.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
a minute ago
- Newsweek
Kendrick Perkins Names Best NBA Defender Without Hesitation
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The 2025-26 NBA season is quickly approaching. After an action-packed 2024-25 campaign that saw the Oklahoma City Thunder emerge victorious over the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, fans are ready to get a new year underway. With the season coming up fast, a lot of opinions are being shared about where players rank among each other throughout the league. Over the years, the league has transitioned towards offense. Gone are the days of praises being sung far and wide about elite defenders. Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins attend the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend at Wolstein Center on February 18, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins attend the Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game during the 2022 NBA All-Star Weekend at Wolstein Center on February 18, 2022 in Cleveland, Ohio. Photo byDespite that fact, former NBA player and current ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins took some time to reveal who he believes the top defenders in the league are. Read more: Lakers Receive Massive Austin Reaves Update His list includes five worthy candidates. However, at the No. 1 spot, Thunder wing Alex Caruso came in as the pick. Behind Caruso, Perkins picked Evan Mobley, Amen Thompson, Victor Wembanyama, and Lugentz Dort. Kendrick Perkins on his top 5 current defensive players in the NBA 👀 1. Alex Caruso 2. Evan Mobley 3. Amen Thompson 4. Victor Wembanyama 5. Luguentz Dort Thoughts? 🤔 (via @ESPNNBA) — ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 6, 2025 Perkins' list immediately drew quite a few reactions from NBA fans on social media. They did not hesitate to share their opinions on the topic at hand. "No disrespect to these 5, but Derrick white not being on this list is insane," one fan commented. Another said, "No Bam makes the list invalid." "Solid list. Could interchange the order or a name here and there. Folks just wanna be mad about something," a third fan wrote. A fourth comment read, "No AD is crazy other than Wemby I got him best defensive player in the game." "Where is Dyson Daniels," another comment read. Notably, Perkins included two members of the championship winning Thunder on his list. Both Caruso and Dort tortured opposing offensive players all year long. Read more: Dan Patrick Goes Off on Lakers' Bronny James for Odd Reason Without Oklahoma City's two defensive geniuses, there is a very good chance that the Thunder would not have prevailed over the Pacers in the NBA Finals. Caruso has been an extremely underrated player for years. He ended the 2024-25 season averaging 7.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 44.6 percent overall and 35.3 percent from three-point range. Fans may not love Perkins' list, but all five names are elite defenders. Caruso receiving the pick may not have been loved by all, but he is more than deserving of being in the consideration for being the best defender in the NBA. For more on the Oklahoma City Thunder and general NBA news, head on over to Newsweek Sports.
USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
US gymnastics championships: TV channel, time, stream and what to know
"The Pommel Horse Guy" is back for another spin. Stephen Nedoroscik returns to competition for the first time since the Paris Olympics this week, looking to win a fifth consecutive title on pommel horse at the U.S. gymnastics championships. Fellow Paris Olympians Hezly Rivera, Brody Malone, Frederick Richard and Asher Hong are also planning to compete at nationals, which are Thursday through Sunday at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans. Results at nationals will help determine who makes the world championships in October in Jakarta, Indonesia. There is no team competition at this year's worlds, with only individual titles — all-around and events — at stake. In addition to the usual all-around and event titles awarded at nationals, there will be a "squad showdown" this year. Each rotation group will be considered a "squad," and their highest three scores on each event on the first day of competition will be counted in the "showdown." The squad with the highest score wins. Here's everything you need to know about the U.S. gymnastics championships: Where are the U.S. gymnastics championships? The U.S. gymnastics championships are being held at Smoothie King Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It's the first time the national championships have been in New Orleans since 1995. The state first hosted the event in 1977, when nationals were in Baton Rouge. When are the U.S. gymnastics championships? Competition is Thursday through Sunday, with the men and women alternating days. Here's the schedule (all times Eastern): Thursday, 8-10:30 p.m., men's competition, day 1. Friday, 7:45-10 p.m., women's competition, day 1. Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m., men's competition, day 2. Sunday, 7-9 p.m., women's competition, day 2. How can I watch the U.S. gymnastics championships? The U.S. gymnastics championships will be shown on Peacock, NBC and CNBC. Here's the schedule: Thursday, 8-10:30 p.m., Peacock. Friday, 7:45-10 p.m., Peacock. Saturday, 6:30-9 p.m., CNBC. Sunday, 7-9 p.m., NBC. Watch the US gymnastics chamoionships with Peacock Who are the gymnasts to watch? Stephen Nedoroscik, aka "The Pommel Horse Guy," became a fan favorite at the Paris Olympics when he was seen looking positively Zen-like on the sidelines as he waited to compete in his one event with a rare medal for the U.S. men on the line. He and the U.S. men won the bronze, their first Olympic medal since the 2008 Games. Nedoroscik then added an individual bronze on pommel horse. Olympic teammates Frederick Richard, Asher Hong and Brody Malone are also competing, though Malone is not expected to do the all-around. Hezly Rivera, who was the youngest member of Team USA at the Paris Olympics, and Paris alternates Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson are all expected to contend for their first all-around title. Skye Blakely, a favorite to make the Paris team until she ruptured her Achilles at the Olympic trials, is expected to do the uneven bars and balance beam. Also keep an eye on up-and-comers Claire Pease, Simone Rose and Jayla Hang. Is Simone Biles competing? No. The seven-time Olympic champion is taking time off, just as she did after the Rio and Tokyo Games. Biles has said repeatedly that she still hasn't decided whether she'll compete at the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. Biles is the most-decorated gymnast in history, male or female. In addition to 11 Olympic medals and 30 medals at the world championships, Biles is a nine-time U.S. all-around champion. Are Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey competing? Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles and Jade Carey, all two-time Olympians, will not compete at the U.S. championships this week. But don't rule out seeing Carey and Chiles in the future. Both Carey and Chiles are taking breaks after competing in NCAA gymnastics this season, Chiles for UCLA and Carey for Oregon State. Chiles won a national title on uneven bars while Carey won bronze on balance beam. Chiles has already said she intends to return to UCLA for her senior season. Carey's collegiate career is over, and she told she thinks the time off will help her decide whether she wants to compete elite again. "Right now, (I'm) taking time and going to see where things end up,' she said. 'So, it's not a no, but it's not a yes.' As for Lee, the all-around champion at the Tokyo Olympics, she said in Paris that she was content with her career. Health issues had sidelined Lee for the better part of a year before Paris, getting so bad she was struggling to get out of bed seven months before the Games. But after doctors got her medications right, Lee was able to resume training. She won three more medals in Paris: a gold with Team USA, and bronzes in the all-around and on uneven bars. "If I don't (come back), I feel like I had a really good run. I'm super proud of everything that I was able to accomplish. Especially this year, not even knowing if I would be able to make it here," Lee said in Paris.
New York Times
33 minutes ago
- New York Times
How waiving Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal handcuffs Bucks, Suns until 2030
This summer, two NBA teams used a salary-cap tool known as the waive-and-stretch provision on high-profile guards in their early 30s with significant money left on their contracts. Now they're stuck with dead money on their books, which counts toward a team's salary cap but is paid to a player not on the roster. Advertisement In early July, the Milwaukee Bucks waived and stretched All-Star point guard Damian Lillard's contract. Lillard wasn't going to help them next season as he recovers from a torn Achilles, and the Bucks were desperate to add talent with Giannis Antetokounmpo's contract up in two years. Milwaukee waived Lillard, then stretched the $113 million left on Lillard's contract over the next five seasons, which comes out to almost $22.5 million of dead money on their books every season through 2030. The move enabled Milwaukee to create enough cap room this summer to sign former Pacers center Myles Turner. Two weeks later, the Phoenix Suns bought out Bradley Beal's contract. Beal had nearly $111 million and two years remaining on his contract but gave back a little short of $14 million in his buyout. The Suns could have kept that dead money over the next two years, but they chose to stretch it over five, lessening Beal's annual cap hit to slightly under $20 million annually. The Bucks and Suns still owe Lillard and Beal the rest of their deal, even as they now head to the Portland Trail Blazers and LA Clippers, respectively. Typically, this mechanism has been used for lower-salaried players, not ones owed anything close to as much as Lillard or Beal. The reason why: It's not safe. The Bucks and Suns will owe money to players not on their roster through the end of the decade, harming their flexibility in the process. The Bucks were desperate to stay competitive while Antetokounmpo remains in Milwaukee. The Suns were desperate to save money on a team that wasn't good last season. Now we wait to see if either move works. — Video narrated by Fred Katz. Produced by Jen Klockner and Jayne Orenstein. Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
