Incoming Duke freshman Cooper headlines the Flag USA Select Team

A year from now, incoming Duke freshman Cooper Flagg could be the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, and he’s already adding to his resume. USA Basketball has invited 17-year-olds to practice against Team USA ahead of the Paris Olympics.

Flagg was one of 15 players named to the USA Select Team on Friday, a group that will help the national team prepare for a training camp in Las Vegas next week. Select team players have a long history of eventually joining the national team ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, including current players Anthony Edwards and Tyrese Halliburton.

Flagg, a 6-foot-9 forward from Newport, Maine, is the first collegian to play for the team selected since 2013, when then-college stars Creighton’s Doug McDermott and Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart were on the squad.

Joining Flagg will be a group of players who just finished strong rookie seasons. Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller, who finished third in Rookie of the Year this past season, will be joined by Golden State Warriors Brandin Podziemski and Trace Jackson-Davis and Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., all of whom were standout rookies in 2023-24.

Veteran Trey Murphy of the New Orleans Pelicans, Jalen Duren of the Detroit Pistons, Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings, Jalen Suggs of the Orlando Magic, Micah Potter of the Utah Jazz, Peyton Pritchard of the champion Boston Celtics and the young Houston Rockets. Forwards Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. also made the team.

Players with overseas experience in the FIBA-style game will also be on the roster, including former NBA players Langston Galloway and Nigel Hayes-Davies.

The team will be coached by Magic coach Jamal Mosley.

“As a former member of the USA Select Team, I know how important and fun this opportunity is for every player,” USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill said in a statement. “As the 2024 USA Men’s National Team begins their journey to the Olympics, there is a wealth of talent in this select squad. Each of these athletes will play a role in our preparation as we also develop the national team. Team pipeline for the future.”