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Team USA raves about Cooper Flagg: 'Unbelievable'

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Team USA raves about Cooper Flagg: 'Unbelievable'

LAS VEGAS — Cooper Flagg is leaving Las Vegas as the talk of the now-concluded Team USA training camp.

Flagg, 17, an incoming freshman at Duke and an early favorite as the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft, is not on the team headed for Paris and a possible fifth Olympic gold medal. But he was the best player on the select team and one of the most consistent players on the court during three scrimmages over the last three days against the national team of stars.

“Cooper Flagg was unbelievable,” said Jim Boylen, assistant coach for both the select team and the Indiana Pacers. “He’s not scared.”

“He showed no fear,” said Jalen Duren, center for the Detroit Pistons and the select team. “He came and worked hard every day. You would think he’s already here, you know what I mean?”

Added Jaime Jaquez Jr., a select team player who also plays for the Miami Heat: “Coop was playing out of his mind.”

“He wants it, you see how bad he wants it,” said Devin Booker of the U.S. national team.

That was just a sampling.

A final points tally for Flagg was not immediately available, but U.S. coaches and executives estimated Flagg scored between 14 and 17 points in a narrow 74-73 loss to Team USA on Monday. And in the portion of the scrimmage open to the media, Flagg drained a corner 3 and then executed an audacious putback over the American defense to put the select team ahead 69-68 with less than 2 minutes left. Flagg missed the ensuing free throw.

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Team USA won thanks to consecutive 3s by Booker and then Jrue Holiday (who was tasked with guarding Flagg — a compliment to the Duke freshman because Holiday is one of the best defenders in the NBA). Anthony Davis swatted away Brandin Podziemski’s potential game-winning shot at the buzzer.

One of Flagg’s 3s came against Davis, which Jaquez said was retribution from a block Davis registered on Flagg in Sunday’s scrimmage.

“Today, he came right back and hit it in his face,” Jaquez said. “Right after that he got the and-1 putback, so those few plays, and he got a steal in there. He was incredible today.”

Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward, is the first college player to participate in a Team USA training camp since Marcus Smart and Doug McDermott in 2013. He is not the first select team player to disrupt a USA training camp by shining as brightly as the team of stars. For instance, last year Cade Cunningham drew similar reviews.

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But Cunningham had already been in the NBA for two seasons, and part of why his select team stint drew such praise was because he was coming off a knee injury that had cost him most of his second season in Detroit.

Flagg is, well, not old enough to vote. But his competitiveness belies his youth.

“I just think that he’s got a competitive fire, and he’s not afraid of anyone and he’s gonna go at you,” said Trayce Jackson-Davis, the 24-year-old Golden State Warriors big man who is coming off of his rookie season. “You need that as a player. And when you’re already like that, and you’re 17, the sky’s the limit.”

The select team was dismissed after Monday’s practice, as the national team will have a walk-through on Tuesday and play Canada in an exhibition game on Wednesday night in Las Vegas before flying to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Duke coach Jon Scheyer and two of his assistants were in Las Vegas to watch Flagg, as were Flagg’s parents.

Flagg was a member of the USA under-17 team that won gold at the World Cup in 2022. This past season, as a senior at Montverde Academy in Florida, he was the Gatorade and the Naismith Boys’ National Player of the Year in high school.

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All are lofty accolades, but not quite the same as holding his own against NBA champions, Olympic gold medalists and all-time leading scorers.

“Once the ball goes up, I’m just trying to win at all times,” Flagg said, explaining why he was not awestruck by his surroundings in Las Vegas despite his age. “I’m just a competitor, and that’s what it boils down to. It’s a little bit of an adjustment, being on the court with them, but at the same time I’m just playing basketball and trying to learn.”

In numerous interviews, USA staff and select team players gushed over Flagg’s skills and size. But also his mental capacity.

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“He’s got that confidence about himself that he’s not afraid of moments, and I think that’s big for young kids, especially someone his age,” said select team and Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley.

Langston Galloway, a former NBA player and longtime USA Basketball player who serves as a practice player for the national team, became an instant fan of Flagg’s game.

“I’m not even impressed about the scoring and all that; I’m more impressed about his poise,” Galloway said. “He’s not out there trying to force it like, ‘It’s my turn now. Let me try to get a shot up.’ He’s trying to make plays. You can see he understands the game. Get in the paint, everybody collapses, making the right reads. So that’s the most impressive part of it, for a 17-year-old to be able to understand the game.”

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Boylen, a former head coach in the NBA and also a past coach of USA teams, said Flagg would make an excellent player on the international stage. After this summer, the men’s national team won’t be in action again until the 2027 World Cup in Qatar and the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.

By the time the next Olympics roll around, Flagg will likely have three years of NBA service under his belt.

“He has versatility, he has position size, he’s a smart player and he embraces contact,” Boylen said.

Flagg confirmed he is interested in a World Cup appearance in three years if his game continues to develop.

“That’s something I’m striving for, just trying to be the best I can and, if I can achieve that and then join the World Cup team in two years, I mean, that’s another goal on my list,” Flagg said. “I’m just working and trying to get better every day.”

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Galloway left the Flagg experience understanding why experts say Flagg will go first in the next NBA Draft.

“I think today was a solidifier (showing) where he’ll be at next year,” Galloway said. “This year he’ll be at Duke. But next year, you see where he’ll be at.”

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(Photo of LeBron James and Cooper Flagg: Ethan Miller / Getty Images)

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Buccaneers bring back 464-pound defensive lineman Desmond Watson

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Buccaneers bring back 464-pound defensive lineman Desmond Watson

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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers re-signed defensive tackle Desmond Watson and added him to the practice squad as the team prepares to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 4.

Watson, the 464-pound rookie defensive lineman out of Florida, failed to make the 53-man roster in the preseason. He was forced to the sideline as he failed to meet the conditioning requirements to take the field. He was considered to be the heaviest player in NFL history.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Desmond Watson (56) warms up during the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rookie Mini Camp workout on May 9, 2025 at the AdventHealth Training Center in Tampa, Florida. (Cliff Welch/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Monday that Watson had a “good workout” when the team brought him in last week.

The Buccaneers will look to try to find a way to stop the Eagles’ tush push, which has come under the spotlight in the last few weeks as it appeared some players had been jumping before the ball was snapped to Jalen Hurts.

Bowles said Watson wasn’t just being brought in as the answer to the tush push.

“We’ll never bring him in just to stop a tush push. If we’ve got to bring in a guy to stop one play and the tush push never comes up, you’re wasting your time,” Bowles said. “If we bring him in, we think he can play, not just for a Philadelphia thing. 

Desmond Watson looks on

Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive tackle Desmond Watson watches from the sideline during practice at NFL football training camp, Wednesday, July 23, 2025, in Tampa, Fla.  (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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“It’s very unlikely he’d be ready to play, once we bring him in, for Philadelphia right now anyway. It’s just a matter of us making room and seeing if we have a place for him, and then what we see for him in the future.”

The 6-foot-6 defensive tackle was working with a nutritionist during the summer. The team didn’t say what an ideal weight for him would be.

Watson spoke about his weight gain to reporters earlier this year. He said he would consistently stop off to get food while at Florida.

“Stopping while driving,” Watson said when asked about bad habits he’s tried to shed at his pro day. “My biggest thing is keep going, get to where I need to get. There are stores and a lot of temptations. That’s helped me immensely.

Desmond Watson warms up

Tampa Bay Buccaneers nose tackle Desmond Watson (56) runs a drill during the NFL football team’s rookie minicamp Friday, May 9, 2025, in Tampa, Florida. (AP Photo/Chris O’Meara)

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“Don’t go inside the gas station. Pay at the pump. Because inside it’s snacks and all types of things like that. Don’t pull over. If you’re on the highway, stay on the highway until you get where you’ve got to go.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Prep talk: Another day, another life saved by high school athletic trainer

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Prep talk: Another day, another life saved by high school athletic trainer

For those high schools in California that still don’t have an athletic trainer, what happened last week at San Clemente High was another reason why they are so valuable for the safety reasons. And also proven was the requirement that coaches be certified in CPR every two years.

As a soccer class was ending last Thursday, an assistant coach fell to the ground. Head coach Chris Murray thought he tripped. Then he looked into his eyes, which appeared dilated, and saw that his face was purple. While a football coach nearby was calling 911, Murray began chest compressions.

Athletic trainer Amber Anaya received a text in her office that said, “Emergency.” She got into her golf cart that contained her automated external defibrilator (AED) machine and raced to the field within two minutes. She determined the coach was in cardiac arrest.

While Anaya hooked up her AED machine to the coach, Murray continued chest compressions. The AED machine evaluated the patient and recommended one shock. This went on for some seven minutes until paramedics arrived. Another shock was given after the paramedics took over.

The coach was transported to a hospital and survived. He would receive a pacemaker. It was a happy ending thanks to people who knew what to do in case of an emergency.

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Last school year, the Culver City athletic trainer helped save a track athlete who went into cardiac arrest.

Murray said what he did was based on instincts and adrenaline. As soon as the ambulance left, he said he collapsed to his knee exhausted.

“His ribs are sore but not broken,” Murray said, “so I guess I did good.”

All the preparation in case of an emergency was put to good use by the coach trained in CPR and the athletic trainer who knew how to use an AED machine.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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Police investigating USA Cycling incident as footage of organizers' interaction with activist goes viral

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Police investigating USA Cycling incident as footage of organizers' interaction with activist goes viral

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Police in Livermore, California, are investigating an incident that occurred at a USA Cycling event on Sunday, when organizers were seen berating a women’s sports activist who was inquiring about sex tests.

“At the moment, we are looking into the matter and are in the process of reviewing our report and video footage,” a Livermore Police Department spokesperson told Fox News Digital. 

Footage of the interaction at USA Cycling’s Oakland Grand Prix has gone viral in recent days. 

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Beth Bourne, a California activist known to oppose biological male athletes in women’s and girls’ sports, was seen in the footage asking organizers if the women’s competitors at the event had been sex-tested to prove they were not male. One organizer was then seen approaching Bourne and covering her camera, saying, “We have policies in place. You can stop filming me.” 

Bourne was then heard saying, “Give me my phone!” 

The footage then showed Bourne walking away from that organizer in a panic before another organizer came up behind her to shout, “Hey! Get the f— out of here!” 

Bourne told Fox News Digital that the incident was “emotional.”

“It was so unexpected. I have an idea that we’re going to have people maybe calling us names, or maybe calling us TERFs, which we’ve had, maybe even grabbing our signs. But to have somebody come up from behind me, before I even, I hadn’t even gotten a sign out, I had just asked two or three questions, so that shocked me, I was scared,” Bourne said. 

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“I was actually terrified, I was terrified that this person might really, really hurt me.” 

Additional footage of the incident showed the same organizer who yelled in Bourne’s face later putting a pizza box in front of her face, covering the view of Bourne’s camera, then picking up her protest signs and throwing them in the garbage. 

Bourne alleged that the organizer told her, “Your God isn’t going to protect you.”

“‘You’re just a hateful, awful person’” he told Bourne, she alleged. “And then he grabs all my signs and takes them and puts them in the trash can next to the start and finish area. And like that’s insane to me, that someone would grab someone’s property and throw it in the trash can, and it would be the race organizer himself.” 

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Fox News Digital has reached out to USA Cycling for comment, but has not received a response. 

The same event also drew scrutiny for another viral video of transgender cyclist Chelsea Wolfe telling protesters, “Go suck a sawed-off shotgun,” “You’re a Nazi piece of s—,” and “We kill Nazis.” 

Chelsea Wolfe of Team USA competes in the women’s final during the BMX Freestyle World Cup on Dec. 11, 2022, in Gold Coast, Australia.  (Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

Wolfe, a former Team USA alternate in women’s BMX who previously said the athlete wanted to win an Olympic medal to “burn the American flag,” took to social media to share multiple posts celebrating Charlie Kirk’s assassination last week.

“We did it!” Wolfe wrote in an Instagram Story sharing a report on the assassination last Wednesday.

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Police in Livermore, California are investigating an incident at a USA Cycling event where a 'protect women's sports' protester was berated by organizers.

Police in Livermore, California are investigating an incident at a USA Cycling event where a ‘protect women’s sports’ protester was berated by organizers. (Getty Images, Courtesy of Beth Bourne)

USA Cycling provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing Wolfe’s posts. 

“The views of current and former national team athletes are their own and do not reflect those of USA Cycling. Chelsea Wolfe has not been a member of the USA Cycling National Team or a member of USA Cycling since 2023,” the statement read. 

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