Inside the Flagg Family: Cooper's Journey from Duke to the NBA
Cooper Flagg, the 18-year-old basketball prodigy, stands on the brink of a new chapter as he prepares for the NBA Draft, with his family firmly in his corner. The former Duke standout is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick, expected to hear his name called by the Dallas Mavericks on June 25 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Flagg's decision to declare for the draft came after an impressive freshman season at Duke, where he earned the title of National Player of the Year. “Duke fans, my teammates, the brotherhood, everybody that was along for the journey, it was an incredible year,” he expressed in a heartfelt social media video. “I feel so blessed for all the opportunities that I was given. Duke has always been a dream for me, but I’m excited to announce that I’ll be entering my name into the 2025 NBA Draft.”
He continued, “Today is just the beginning, but I have the Brotherhood with me for life.” This sentiment reflects not only his connection to his teammates but also to his family—his father Ralph, mother Kelly, older brother Hunter, and twin brother Ace—who have been instrumental in his journey.
Tragedy struck the Flagg family when Ralph and Kelly lost their son Ryder, Hunter’s twin brother, born prematurely at just 24 weeks. Cooper shared with local media, “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.”
Ralph Flagg's basketball roots trace back to Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine, where he played before continuing at Eastern Maine Community College. “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],” Ralph noted in an interview. “But it really is.”
His path crossed with Kelly’s on a basketball court during a rec league game involving her father. Their shared passion for the sport blossomed into a relationship, with Ralph recalling how Kelly would often outmaneuver him with her skills. “She was pretty deadly with that,” he remarked.
When Cooper and Ace were 15, their burgeoning talent led them to Montverde Academy in Florida, prompting a significant family move. “It was a hard decision because we’re so close to the rest of our community,” Ralph explained. “But at the same time, this is where we needed to be: with our kids.”
During Cooper’s standout season at Duke, Kelly emerged as a notable presence in the stands, often vocal and fiercely supportive. Following a victory over North Carolina, she made headlines with a viral post criticizing Tar Heels fans. “I can tell you the Carolina fans are very upset and unhappy every time they see me on the screen,” she joked in an interview.
Kelly’s own athletic background includes a successful high school career at Nokomis and later at the University of Maine, where she also coached. “I’ve learned that people shouldn’t mess with Mama Bear,” she said about her protective nature regarding her children.
Hunter, now a junior at the University of Maine studying Sports Management, played basketball at Nokomis after years of competitive games with his brothers. “Someone was always bleeding,” Kelly recalled humorously about their driveway battles.
As for Ace, he is set to begin his collegiate career at the University of Maine this fall after committing to join the Black Bears—following in his mother’s footsteps. He recently celebrated winning his third consecutive high school state title across three different states: Maine, Florida, and North Carolina.
Ace has also been dating Lizzy Gruber, a player on the Maine women’s basketball team, since October 2022. The Flagg family continues to support each other as they navigate their individual journeys in basketball and beyond.
