Uniondale welcomes the best basketball players in the country

Over the weekend, Uniondale rolled out the red carpet and welcomed Cooper Flagg, the number one ranked high school basketball player in the country — who many believe is a lock to be the first overall pick in next year’s NBA draft — to the community for their game against Long Island Lutheran at the Bob McKillop Invitational tournament at Hofstra.

The game was a big deal for this community as the best team in the country, Montverde Academy, where Flagg plays in Florida, was taking on the number two ranked team in the country, LuHi, right here in Uniondale — but fans were not there to see, or even cheer for LuHi.

For those in attendance, it was all about witnessing future NBA stars play against each other right here in their own backyard. Hofstra’s 5,000 seat arena sold out within minutes for this high school game, which featured a plethora of future division one and NBA superstars — a few who may be in the league as soon as 2025.

Flagg, who is committed to Duke University, did not disappoint the fans who came out to Uniondale from all over Long Island to see the future NBA superstar play. Finishing with 20 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists in a 30-point blowout win against VJ Edgecomb and LuHi, leaving the crowd in awe. Edgecomb is the best ranked player in all of New York state and the number five player in the country, who is also slated to be a top pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

After the game, fans stormed the court trying to get selfies and autographs with Flagg, but he was quickly rushed away. “He has been dealing with this all season,” said Joseph Katuka, Monteverde Academy’s assistant coach. “He is extremely humble and appreciative.”

“There are clearly a lot of fans on this side of town,” Katuka said, “we appreciate all of them for coming.”

Bob McKillop — a Hofstra basketball legend who the tournament is named after — believes this game was a legendary moment for the community that people will always remember and look back on in the years to come.

“We’re witnessing history,” said Christian Mazzie, a fan who was in attendance. “On the court right now there is a Duke commit, a Baylor commit, an Indiana commit, and a Georgia commit, who are all multiple future first round picks. I’ve never seen anything like this in person,” he said.

Mazzie said he and his brother, Ryan, arrived early just to see how they warm up and get locked in. “You can tell these kids are different,” he says, “you think the kids from your high school are good until you see this level of competition and realize this is just another level.”

Basketball is a big deal on Long Island, especially in Uniondale and Hempstead. Home to legends like Julius Erving and Speedy Claxton, as well modern day standouts like Darrian Jackson — of the high school girl’s team who recently scored her 1000th point — and Jomani Wright, a division one bound Knight who was tragically killed in a car accident in 2021.

“What a crowd, what a statement about Long Island basketball,” McKillop said to the Herald after the game.

Kiyan Anthony, the son of Knicks legend, Carmelo Anthony, plays for LuHi and told ther Herald despite the tough loss, he was excited to be home on Long Island and play in front of such a massive and passionate crowd at Hofstra.

“This was a college level game and atmosphere,” Anthony said to the Herald. “Even though we couldn’t pull it out and get the win we wanted, it was still a great experience overall.”