Full name: Cooper Flagg Born: December 21, 2006 — Newport, Maine (born at Maine Medical Center, Portland) Father: Ralph Flagg — former college basketball player, Eastern Maine Community College Mother: Kelly Bowman Flagg — former University of Maine basketball captain, high school coach, Maine Sports Hall of Fame inductee (September 2025) Twin brother: Ace Flagg — forward, University of Maine Black Bears Older brother: Hunter Flagg — University of Maine, sports management degree Late brother: Ryder Alan Flagg — Hunter’s twin, passed away August 6, 2004, two days after birth Current team: Dallas Mavericks Season just completed: 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year, 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists per game
Newport, Maine has about 3,300 people.
There is one traffic light. There are more snowmobiles than streetlamps. The closest NBA arena is in Boston, four hours south. Nobody from Newport had ever been drafted into the NBA before.
Then came Cooper Flagg.
He went first overall to the Dallas Mavericks in June 2025. He averaged 21 points a night as an 18-year-old. He won Rookie of the Year. He became only the second player in NBA history — Michael Jordan being the first — to lead his team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals in a rookie season.
But before any of that, there was a driveway in Newport. Two parents who both played college basketball and met at a community centre pickup game. Three boys competing until someone bled. A family that went through something devastating before Cooper was even born, and came out the other side tighter for it.
That is the real story.
The Flagg Family Background
Ralph and Kelly Flagg both went to Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine.
They did not date in high school. They went their separate ways for college, both played basketball, and found each other years later at a men’s recreational league at the local community centre. Two former college athletes who had stayed close to home, ended up in the same gym, and bonded over the one thing they had both always loved.
They got married in the early 2000s. They settled in Newport. They started a family.
What happened next is one of the most quietly remarkable family stories in American sport — not because of the fame that followed, but because of what the family survived before any of it began.
Ralph Flagg: The Father Who Built the Foundation
Ralph Flagg played college basketball at Eastern Maine Community College. He is not a nationally known name. He never played professionally. He coached from the sideline of a driveway in Newport for years, running drills with his sons on a hoop that got as much use as anything else in the house.
He is fiercely proud of where he comes from. In an interview with The Athletic, he pushed back on the idea that Maine is not a basketball state. He said: “Just because we don’t produce the big D1 athletes as much as those other states do, people don’t think basketball is as big here. But it really is.”
That pride in Maine runs through the whole family. It shows up in where Hunter chose to study. In where Ace chose to play. In how Cooper talks about Newport in every interview about his childhood.
Ralph instilled something in his sons that is harder to teach than a jump shot — an understanding that where you are from is not a limitation. It is an identity.
He was at the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. He was at the 2024 ESPYs, where the Flagg family met Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in the green room. He is at games whenever life allows.
He is also the kind of father whose sons describe him without much fanfare. Cooper does not give long speeches about his dad in interviews. He just plays with the same values Ralph modelled — work, loyalty, never backing down because someone assumes you came from somewhere small.
Kelly Bowman Flagg: The Mother Who Made Maine Proud
Kelly is the more publicly visible of the two parents, and for good reason.
She was exceptional at Nokomis Regional High School. Her coach there, Charlie Wing, was quoted in the Bangor Daily News in 1994 saying something that sounds like a scouting report: “She can score, rebound, handle the ball and play good defence. She’s a very well-rounded player who does everything well. She also has a tremendous desire to succeed and is very coachable. I wish I had a dozen Kelly Bowmans.”
She went to the University of Maine. She played for four years. She was part of four consecutive American East Conference championship teams. She captained the 1998-99 squad that made program history by defeating No. 7-seed Stanford 60-58 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. It remains the only NCAA Tournament win in University of Maine women’s basketball history.
After her playing career ended, she stayed in the sport. She coached the varsity girls basketball team at Nokomis Regional High School — her alma mater, the same school where her sons would later win a state championship together. She also worked as an assistant coach with Cooper’s Maine United AAU club.
She did not step back when her children got famous. She stepped closer.
Kelly has spoken openly about how invested she gets on game days. She said: “I’ve learned that people shouldn’t mess with Mama Bear. Mama Bear definitely can come out, even when I don’t want it to. Sometimes I can’t help it.”
The Hall of Fame
On September 21, 2025, Kelly Bowman Flagg was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in Bangor.
The whole family came back for it. Cooper flew in from Dallas. Hunter and Ace were there. Ralph was there. The local press called it “The Flagg Five” in the stands.
Kelly said at the ceremony: “Maine really means everything to us, to our family. It’s where I grew up, it’s where I learned my values, and about community and pride in where you’re from.”
Her son was the NBA’s reigning Rookie of the Year. She was being inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame for her own basketball career. The family had two completely separate reasons to celebrate on the same day.
The superstitions
Kelly and Ralph take basketball superstitions seriously. Reporters and television cameras have caught them over the years following specific pre-game and in-game rituals that they decline to explain in full. The superstitions are not a public performance. They are genuine.
Kelly has acknowledged them with humour but has been careful not to give away what they actually do, presumably because saying it out loud might break the spell.
Ryder and Hunter — The Story Before Cooper Existed
This is the part of the Flagg family story that most casual basketball fans have never heard.
Before Cooper was born. Before Ace was born. Before any of the state championships or the Duke commitment or the NBA Draft — the Flagg family went through something that no parent should have to go through.
Kelly went into premature labour at just 24 weeks on August 4, 2004. She was carrying twins. Both boys were born that day at Maine Medical Center in Portland, 90 minutes from the family home in Newport.
Hunter weighed 1 pound, 10 ounces. Ryder weighed slightly less.
Ryder Alan Flagg died two days later, on August 6, 2004.
Hunter survived. But survival meant 109 days in the neonatal intensive care unit, fighting through complications that included blindness in his right eye caused by oxygen exposure before his retinas had fully formed. There were phone calls in the middle of the night. There were moments when it was not clear Hunter would make it either.
Kelly did not go home. Newport was 90 minutes away and the hospital was where her son was. Portland’s Ronald McDonald House became where she lived for those 109 days.
She described it later at a 2024 fundraising event: “After Hunter was born, I said, I’m not leaving without him. There were times that were sort of perilous during his journey, and I’d get a call at any time of day and night that I needed to get over there to the hospital. Being three minutes away instead of an hour and a half was huge.”
Ralph and Kelly eventually decided to try again. It took several cycles of IVF. Because the first pregnancy was high-risk, doctors admitted Kelly to Maine Medical Center in early December 2006 for monitoring. Ralph and Hunter stayed at the Ronald McDonald House.
On December 21, 2006, Cooper and Ace were born at 35 weeks. Ace weighed 6 pounds, 2 ounces. Cooper weighed 5 pounds, 9 ounces. Both were healthy enough to go home days later.
The family was home for Christmas.
109 days
The number 109 is not an abstraction in the Flagg family. It is a real accounting of nights Kelly spent three minutes from a hospital, waiting.
It is why the family has a specific connection to Ronald McDonald Houses. It is why when Cooper was at Duke in December 2024, the family did not just show up at a fundraising event. They showed up, donated $10,000, and talked about what the organisation had meant to them twenty years earlier.
Kelly stood in that room at Durham’s Ronald McDonald House and got emotional telling the story again. She had said she wasn’t going to cry. She cried anyway.
What Cooper said about Ryder
Cooper has spoken about his brother Ryder carefully and honestly. He told the Raleigh News and Observer in December 2024: “I don’t really remember a moment when I was told or anything like that. It’s just been something that has always meant a lot in our family. We’ve talked about it very generally for my whole life. It’s kind of just been something terrible that my parents went through, and Hunter.”
That last phrase is important. He doesn’t say “something terrible that happened to our family.” He says something terrible that his parents and Hunter went through. He understands instinctively who carried the weight of that time.
The $10,000 donation
In December 2024, while Cooper was in the middle of his freshman season at Duke, the Flagg family visited the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle in Durham and donated $10,000.
Cooper helped a three-year-old named Eli practice shooting during the visit. Eli was there because he was scheduled for open-heart surgery the next day.
The family took Polaroid photos. Kelly cried. Cooper handed the ball to a toddler who had no idea he was standing next to the number one prospect in the country.
That is the family Kelly and Ralph built.
Hunter Flagg — The Oldest Brother
Hunter Flagg was born in August 2004. He was 1 pound, 10 ounces. He spent 109 days in the NICU. He came home to Newport with one blind eye and two parents who would never again take anything for granted.
He grew up playing basketball with his brothers. He played varsity at Nokomis Regional High School alongside Cooper and Ace during their freshman year — the year Nokomis won its first-ever Class A state championship in Maine. That season in 2022 was the one and only time all three Flagg brothers played together on the same team.
Hunter is currently studying sports management at the University of Maine. He is not a professional athlete. He did not have Cooper’s recruitment profile or Ace’s physical upside. What he has is a family that made it to the other side of something terrible in 2004, and knows exactly what that means.
Cooper once said, speaking about all of it, that Ryder’s loss “has always meant a lot in our family.” Hunter is living proof of what the Flagg family decided to do with that meaning.
Ace Flagg — The Twin Who Chose Maine
Ace Flagg is Cooper’s fraternal twin brother. Born December 21, 2006. Six feet seven inches tall, 205 pounds. He plays as a forward.
He and Cooper are not identical. Their playing styles are similar — both prioritise winning over scoring, both were raised with the same emphasis on defence and fundamentals. But they have followed completely different paths after sharing the same starting point.
Cooper reclassified into the 2024 recruiting class to play his one college season at Duke a year earlier. Ace stayed in the class of 2025 and made a different choice entirely.
He committed to the University of Maine.
Not Duke. Not a major conference programme. Not the school that would give him the highest exposure. His home state university, where his mother played and where his brother Hunter studies.
He announced his commitment on Instagram in October 2024 with the caption: “Coming Home.”
Three state titles, three different states
Before choosing Maine, Ace had a high school career that is genuinely its own story.
Freshman year at Nokomis Regional in Maine — state championship. Sophomore and junior years at Montverde Academy in Florida — national championship and state championship. Senior year at Greensboro Day School in North Carolina — state championship.
Three state championships. Three different states. Three consecutive years. Cooper, rightly, was proud of his brother. He said at a press conference: “He got three state championships in three different states through his high school career. That’s pretty cool.”
Ace is now a freshman at the University of Maine, averaging 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game as of early 2026. He is not a first overall pick. He is his own player, building his own career, in his mother’s gym, in his home state.
That choice says something about who the Flagg family is.
Newport, Maine — What It Gave Him
Newport has one traffic light and roughly 3,300 people. The winters are long. The basketball season is when the community comes alive.
Cooper spent his first year of high school at Nokomis Regional, the same school both his parents attended, the same place his mother coached. He was the first freshman in Maine history to win the state’s Gatorade Player of the Year award. He was already over six feet tall in sixth grade. He dunked on a full-size hoop in seventh grade.
Nokomis won the state championship that freshman year. All three Flagg brothers on the floor together, for the only time it has ever happened.
After that season, Cooper and Ace transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida. The decision came through a connection with the Bedard family, whose son Kaden was already at Montverde. Cooper and Ace moved in with the Bedards. Kelly and Ralph gave their blessing.
Cooper remembered the place he came from all the way through. He told The Ringer before the draft: “The place I grew up in taught me to work for everything, to value fundamentals, and to never back down just because someone thinks they come from a bigger programme or place.”
Newport put that in him. Duke refined it. Dallas got the finished version.
The Road from Newport to Duke to Dallas
The path from a small Maine town to the top of the NBA Draft does not happen on one straight road.
Cooper went from Nokomis to Montverde to Duke, skipping a year ahead to play for the Blue Devils as an 18-year-old in the 2024-25 season. At Duke, he averaged 19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. He won the Wooden Award, given to the best college basketball player in the country. He led Duke to the Final Four.
Then came the draft.
At the 2025 NBA Draft Combine, teams confirmed what their scouts had already concluded: Cooper Flagg was the consensus first pick. Not one of the top picks. The first pick.
The Dallas Mavericks, holding the number one selection, never seriously considered anyone else.
The 2025 NBA Draft Night
On June 25, 2025, Adam Silver called Cooper Flagg’s name first at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Kelly embraced him on the stage. She had said she wasn’t going to cry at the Hall of Fame. She had said it at Durham’s Ronald McDonald House. She is a woman who knows her own limits and exceeds them regularly when it involves her children.
Ralph stood close. Ace was there. Hunter was there. The whole Flagg Five.
Cooper later said about having them there: “To be able to go through it with them and have them along for this experience is truly surreal.”
For a family that started the parenting chapter in a NICU with one son lost and another fighting for his life, there is nothing ordinary about standing in Barclays Center watching the third boy go first overall. Ralph and Kelly know that better than anyone in that building.
Cooper Flagg’s Rookie Season in Dallas
The Mavericks had high expectations. The season did not go the way anyone planned.
Kyrie Irving was recovering from an ACL injury. Anthony Davis dealt with injuries. The team that was supposed to contend spent much of the year closer to the lottery than the playoffs. They missed the postseason entirely.
Cooper Flagg was the one thing that went right.
He started all 70 games he played. He averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.9 blocks per game. He shot 46.8% from the floor. He put up 51 points against Orlando on April 3rd. Two days later, he scored 45 against the Lakers.
He won Rookie of the Year, beating former Duke teammate Kon Knueppel of the Hornets in a tight finish. He was named to the All-Rookie First Team unanimously.
He joined Michael Jordan and Luka Doncic as the only players since 1973 to average at least 20 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in a rookie season. He became the second-youngest Rookie of the Year winner in NBA history, behind LeBron James.
The Dallas Mavericks fired head coach Jason Kidd after the season. Cooper Flagg was 19 years old and had just put up one of the greatest rookie seasons in NBA history on a bad team.
The second year will be different.
Cooper Flagg’s Personal Life and Relationship Status
Cooper Flagg keeps his personal life completely away from the public.
He has no confirmed girlfriend. He has not spoken about his romantic life in any interview. At 19 years old, playing in his first NBA season while carrying a franchise, there is not much evidence he has time for much beyond basketball.
What he has spoken about is what he does when he is not playing. He is a reader. He has mentioned enjoying time at home in quiet settings. He has talked about the importance of his family in grounding him during the pressures of his first NBA season.
He is close with his brothers. Ace was in Brooklyn at the draft. Hunter has been at games. The family group chat, one imagines, is active.
Key Facts at a Glance
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cooper Flagg |
| Born | December 21, 2006, Newport, Maine |
| Father | Ralph Flagg — former college basketball player, Eastern Maine Community College |
| Mother | Kelly Bowman Flagg — former University of Maine captain, HS coach, Maine Sports Hall of Fame 2025 |
| Twin brother | Ace Flagg — forward, University of Maine Black Bears |
| Older brother | Hunter Flagg — University of Maine, sports management |
| Late brother | Ryder Alan Flagg — died August 6, 2004, two days after birth |
| Height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Weight | 205 lbs (93 kg) |
| NBA team | Dallas Mavericks (drafted #1 overall, 2025) |
| Nationality | American |
| Hometown | Newport, Maine |
| High schools | Nokomis Regional, Maine; Montverde Academy, Florida; (Ace went to Greensboro Day, NC) |
| College | Duke University (one season, 2024-25) |
| College award | Wooden Award 2025 — best college basketball player in the country |
| Rookie season | 21.0 pts, 6.7 reb, 4.5 ast — Rookie of the Year 2025-26 |
| Relationship status | Single (no public relationship as of May 2026) |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who are Cooper Flagg’s parents? His father is Ralph Flagg, a former basketball player at Eastern Maine Community College. His mother is Kelly Bowman Flagg, a former University of Maine basketball player who captained the 1998-99 team that won the school’s only NCAA Tournament game. Both attended Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine, and met at a community centre pickup game after college. Kelly was inducted into the Maine Sports Hall of Fame in September 2025.
Does Cooper Flagg have siblings? He has two living brothers and one who passed away. His older brother Hunter was born prematurely in August 2004 alongside a twin brother, Ryder, who died two days after birth. Hunter survived after 109 days in the neonatal intensive care unit and is now studying sports management at the University of Maine. Cooper’s fraternal twin brother Ace plays basketball for the University of Maine Black Bears, where he committed in October 2024.
Who was Ryder Flagg? Ryder Alan Flagg was Hunter’s twin brother, born August 4, 2004. He died two days after birth after Kelly went into premature labour at 24 weeks. His death is a deeply personal part of the Flagg family story and has shaped how the family relates to causes like Ronald McDonald House, which Kelly stayed in for 109 days while Hunter recovered in the NICU.
Why did Cooper Flagg’s family donate to Ronald McDonald House? The family donated $10,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Triangle in Durham in December 2024. The connection goes back to 2004, when Kelly lived in Portland’s Ronald McDonald House for 109 days while Hunter recovered in the NICU after being born prematurely at 24 weeks. That experience made the Ronald McDonald House personally meaningful to the Flagg family in a way that went far beyond a publicity gesture.
Is Ace Flagg going to the NBA? Ace is currently a freshman at the University of Maine, averaging 4.6 points and 3.9 rebounds per game. He is not considered an NBA prospect at this stage, but he is still in his first college season. He won three state basketball championships at three different high schools in three different states during his prep career, which shows his competitive character. He has time and the family genes. Whether his career develops toward the NBA remains to be seen.
Where did Cooper Flagg go to high school? He started his freshman year at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine — his mother’s alma mater, where she also coached. He and Ace transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida after that, living with the Bedard family. Cooper reclassified a year early and went to Duke. Ace later transferred to Greensboro Day School in North Carolina for his senior year before committing to the University of Maine.
Did Cooper Flagg win Rookie of the Year? Yes. Cooper Flagg won the 2025-26 NBA Rookie of the Year award, averaging 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game across 70 starts. He became the second-youngest Rookie of the Year winner in NBA history, behind LeBron James. He also became only the second player since Michael Jordan in 1984-85 to lead his team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals in a rookie season.
What award did Cooper Flagg win in college? He won the 2025 John R. Wooden Award, given to the best college basketball player in the country. He was a freshman at Duke University when he won it. He averaged 19.2 points, 8.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists for the Blue Devils and led the team to the Final Four.
Is Cooper Flagg in a relationship? As of May 2026, no. He has not publicly confirmed any girlfriend or romantic relationship. His social media and public interviews focus on basketball, family and his hometown of Newport, Maine.
What did Cooper Flagg say about growing up in Maine? He told The Ringer ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft: “The place I grew up in taught me to work for everything, to value fundamentals, and to never back down just because someone thinks they come from a bigger programme or place.” That quote captures something genuine. Newport, Maine did not produce an NBA player because of its resources. It produced one because of its values.
Last updated: May 2026. Sources include Bangor Daily News, The Ringer, The Athletic, ESPN, NBA.com, CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, Union Leader, EssentiallySports, and biography.com.
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