Before USA’s eventual gold medal-winning team jetted off to Paris, they prepared against the Select Team in a scrimmage. Cooper Flagg was given the call to be part of the sessions and he became the first college player in more than a decade to take part in the camp. With the limelight firmly on Team USA’s Olympic stars, Flagg used the opportunity to turn it into a showcase of his talents. This was a glimpse of what was to come from the former Montverde Academy talent.
Flagg has had the NCAA basketball scene buzzing with his performances for Duke. After reclassifying, he’s already on the radar of NBA scouts, with many pegging him as the potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. This season, his first in college, he has averaged 16.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game.
His prowess was on display once again on Tuesday as he dropped 24 points, helping his side to a convincing win against Virginia Tech. However, the fans had one complaint.
Apart from his 24 points, he shot 9-for-14 from the field, including two 3-pointers, and even added six assists. Cooper also shot 50% from beyond the arc on four attempts. But his performances became secondary for some fans who were unhappy at the commentators mispronouncing and in some instances entirely messing up his name.
This has been a theme this season, with the 18-year-old being referred to as Cooper Kupp or Connor Flagg on various occasions. This mess-up comes as a surprise given the fact that Duke sits top of the ACC with an 11-2 record overall and how much attention Flagg has garnered this season.
Flagg had left everyone stunned during the scrimmage against Team USA. He dunked over the Olympic champion Anthony Davis and scored 3-pointers over the All-Stars. This led Kevin Durant, who was watching from the sidelines to quip,
If Durant knows you well enough, then shouldn’t those who are commentating on the game be more aware? Nonetheless, the 6-foot-9 freshman has also been labeled as a prodigy by ESPN college basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla.
Against Virginia Tech, he was absolutely essential to Duke’s offense, and even though he picked up two fouls early, he stayed cool and made a huge impact once he got back into the game. In one incident, he sprinted the length of the floor and soared for a put-back tip.
His four-point play to spark Duke’s 17-2 run was a real turning point. Duke had some help from Tyrese Proctor, who chipped in 13 points, and Kon Knueppel, who also scored 13. Isaiah Evans posted 12 points, and Sion James and Mason Gillis each had 10. But it was Flagg who really stood out as the team’s top scorer and leader.
The game also saw a bit of a storyline with Virginia Tech’s Jaden Schutt, a transfer from Duke, who got the start for the Hokies. Schutt hit a quick 3-pointer to give Virginia Tech an early lead, but that was short-lived as Duke took control and never looked back.
So, while the announcers may keep messing up his name, Cooper Flagg is out there proving he deserves every ounce of attention he’s getting—and more. But for the time being, fans are not in the mood to forgive.
Announcers are supposed to be the most informed people in the room when it comes to the game. Getting the name of the players right, especially of someone like Flagg, who has been the talk of the town is the bare minimum. Unhappy with the commentators getting things wrong, one user wrote, “These announcers need to be more prepared.
They’re broadcasting some of the most high-profile games, and their announcers have a massive platform. If they’re the ones getting it wrong, it’s a bad look all around. You’d think they’d have someone in their ear—or at least on the roster—making sure these mistakes don’t happen.
Coming from rural Newport, Flagg joined Nokomis Regional and after winning a state championship as a freshman, Flagg transferred to Montverde Academy. In his first season, he averaged 9.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and three assists per game. Then he played for Maine United in the EYBL and averaged 25.4 points and reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class after his sophomore year. Hence, he came into college one year earlier, but hasn’t looked out of place.
Meanwhile, another user expressed their sheer disbelief at the commentators getting Flagg’s name wrong. “Man just called Cooper Flagg ‘Connor’… oh man.” exclaimed the fan.
To top it off, as another fan pointed out that this has been a regular occurrence. “This is like the 3rd Duke game in a row an announcer has not called him by his right name lmao,” they wrote. So, this isn’t the first time. It’s becoming a pattern, and fans are clearly fed up.
Flagg is impressing in every game and going by this it looks like he has a bright future at Duke. As far the mistakes in pronouncing his name goes, it won’t be too long before everybody recognizes
