2024 Nike Hoop Summit Recap
2024 Nike Hoop Summit Recap
Corey, Albert, and Metcalf break down their impressions on nine prospects from the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit
The No Ceilings crew breaks down the nine most impressive prospects they scouted during their week in Portland for the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit
Cooper Flagg | Forward | Duke
The best way to sum up Flagg’s week is to say that he was as advertised. In the postgame presser, he talked about how much it meant to him to play for the US, and you could feel that both in the game and throughout the week. He treated every drill, scrimmage, and game as if his life were on the line. He played with an intensity and force that was unmatched by anyone. Flagg put his whole defensive arsenal on display, whether it was talking on defense, fighting for loose balls, boxing out, or picking up full court. On offense, his game is not what many may perceive.
Flagg is never going to be a ball-dominant guy who constantly hunts his shot and looks for heavy volume. He always plays within himself and the flow of the game. His shot still needs more work and more reps. The mechanics of the shot look a little funky, but it’s pretty clean at the top. He’s great getting downhill, can play and finish through contact, and can hit a nice pull-up midrange jumper. Flagg will find a way to average 20+ points per game in the NBA, but he won’t need a million shots to get there. In the actual game, Flagg led the US in scoring with 19 points, but he did it with an efficient 8-for-11 from the field. He flashed that play-finishing ability all night with some nice finishes at the rim and even hit a three. He was also a beast on the boards, leading the US with 11 boards.
It was clear that Flagg understood the importance of this week. The pressure and all the attention on him didn’t bother him, and he just played his game. Flagg lived up to the hype, and Duke Blue Devil fans should be ecstatic about the incoming star.
VJ Edgecombe | Guard | Baylor
Edgecombe–representing the Bahamas for Team World–was another standout from the entire week. While Edgecombe struggled to knock down outside shots in the game, his dynamic athleticism was on full display. VJ was probably pound-for-pound the best athlete on either roster, and it shows as he breaks out in transition, skying in for alley-oops or using his quick hands to generate steals in passing lanes and catch big air highlight reel breakaway slams.
The kid is just smooth on the court. When Edgecombe is moving around the floor, it feels like he’s gliding. That smoothness is on full display when he finishes near the hoop. VJ is an acrobat in the air, with the kind of insane hang time that you don’t see very often. Even on the defensive end, the athleticism can be jaw-dropping as he floats in the air to punch shots near the rim or as he slides his feet to mirror his opponent’s strides. On a possession early on in the game, VJ checked Dylan Harper and showed how dynamic he can be on the ball by blocking a Harper perimeter jump shot.
Edgecombe is a little shorter than you’d like him to be, but his frame and athleticism more than make up for the two inches he’s missing in height. The jump shot isn’t consistent right now, and his shot-making will ultimately determine how high his pro ceiling becomes, but if it comes around…Edgecombe is a star.