Brian Scalabrine Discovered Cooper Flagg Before Anyone Else—And the Story Is Wild…Read More….

Brian Scalabrine Discovered Cooper Flagg Before Anyone Else—And the Story Is Wild…Read More….

Before Cooper Flagg became the most hyped basketball prospect in a decade—before the viral blocks, the sellout high-school gyms, the No. 1 draft pick chatter—there was one unlikely NBA figure who spotted the Maine phenom’s potential long before the rest of the world: Brian Scalabrine.

Yes, that Brian Scalabrine—the beloved “White Mamba,” NBA champion, broadcaster, and accidental cult hero.

And the way he discovered Flagg? It’s the kind of story nobody would believe if Scalabrine hadn’t told it himself.

According to several coaches who have worked with both of them over the years, Scalabrine’s first encounter with Flagg came when the future NBA star was still in middle school. Flagg, then a skinny unknown kid from Newport, Maine, arrived at a small offseason camp where Scalabrine was doing guest skill sessions. Most of the players were simply excited to meet an NBA veteran—but Flagg? He wasn’t there for photos. He wanted to compete.

Scalabrine quickly realized this wasn’t an ordinary kid.

During a 3-on-3 drill, Flagg—just 13 at the time—blocked one of Scalabrine’s jumpers off the backboard. At first, Scalabrine laughed. Then Flagg did it again. And again. Then he started hitting deep threes. Then he started barking at older players, telling them to bring the ball to his side because he “wanted the challenge.”

After one session, Scalabrine reportedly pulled aside a group of coaches and said something that sounded ridiculous in the moment: “This kid is an NBA player. A real one. Like… a future star.”

They laughed. Scalabrine didn’t.

What shocked him most wasn’t just the talent—it was the intensity. Flagg practiced like he had something to prove every second. He attacked drills with a fire Scalabrine said he’d only seen in a handful of pros.

The story gets crazier.

Over the next year, Scalabrine continued to track Flagg’s development, checking in with coaches and evaluating film whenever he could. By the time Flagg was entering high school, Scalabrine was already telling national scouts and media members to “watch the kid from Maine.” Some brushed it off. Others assumed Scalabrine was exaggerating. But a few insiders now admit that Scalabrine was the first influential NBA figure to publicly vouch for Flagg’s superstar trajectory.

Fast forward to today, and everything Scalabrine predicted—every bold claim, every early warning—has come true. Cooper Flagg has become a generational prospect, a dominant two-way force, and the face of the newest wave of basketball talent. His high-energy competitiveness, his defensive instincts, his leadership, his NBA-ready mentality… all traits Scalabrine noticed before anyone else was paying attention.

And now? The basketball world is buzzing about the story. Social media has resurfaced Scalabrine’s early quotes. Fans are calling him “The Prophet Mamba.” And Flagg himself has even acknowledged the early belief, telling reporters he was grateful Scalabrine recognized his potential before the spotlight arrived.

In the end, it’s a reminder of how wild the basketball journey can be: sometimes the first person to spot a future superstar isn’t a top scout, a big-name coach, or a front-office executive.

Sometimes it’s Brian Scalabrine.

And sometimes—he’s absolutely right.