GOTTEN TO THIS POINT. COOPER FLAG BURST ON THE MAIN HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL SCENE, WINNING A STATE TITLE AS A FRESHMAN AT NOKOMIS. HE ENROLLED AT PREP POWERHOUSE MONTVERDE ACADEMY IN FLORIDA IN HIS SOPHOMORE YEAR. THAT SUMMER, AS A 15 YEAR OLD, HE HELPED USA WIN GOLD IN THE U17 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. THAT PERFORMANCE HELPED HIM WIN USA BASKETBALL’S MALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR 2022. IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, AN EPIC PERFORMANCE WITH HIS MAINE UNITED TEAMMATES AT PEACH JAM HELPED ELEVATE HIS STATUS. LATER THAT SUMMER, HE ANNOUNCED HE WOULD RECLASSIFY TO A SENIOR AND SKIP HIS JUNIOR YEAR AT MONTVERDE. AS A SENIOR AT MONTVERDE, HIS TEAM WENT 34 ZERO, WINNING A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP. HE WAS NAMED THE GATORADE NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR FLAG, COMPETED FOR THE U.S. SELECT TEAM AGAINST THE U.S. OLYMPIC TEAM OVER THE SUMMER, DRAWING PRAISE FROM FUTURE HALL OF FAMERS LIKE LEBRON JAMES. IN THE FALL, HE ANNOUNCED HIS PARTNERSHIP WITH NEW BALANCE ON A SHOE CONTRACT, AND HE EMBARKED ON AN ALL AMERICA