From Maine to the Main Stage: Cooper Flagg Goes First in NBA Draft

It’s official — the Maine Event is heading to the Metroplex.

It may not have been a surprise, but it was still surreal to see: just a kid from Maine being taken No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft. What an incredible night for Cooper Flagg, his family, Dallas Mavericks fans, and the entire state of Maine.

Cooper Flagg is Drafted First Overall by the Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks didn’t overthink it and wisely selected Flagg with the first pick. The Newport native was the clear choice after completely dominating his lone season of college basketball at Duke.

Flagg led a Blue Devils team that would make it all the way to the Final Four. He even led the team in points (19.2 per game), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4), and blocks (1.4). That is simply unheard of. It's one thing to lead in a few of the major categories, but in all of them? That's some serious baller status.

Cooper Flagg Had an Incredibly Successful Year at Duke University

While a championship may have eluded Flagg, the awards did not. Cooper has been recognized by the ACC, NCAA, coaches, media, and various organizations with a plethora of honors and accolades—including the Wooden Award, college basketball’s version of the Heisman Trophy.

Now, Flagg is heading to a team desperate for a new face of the franchise after inexplicably trading away its best player, Luka Dončić, earlier this year. It was one of the most head-scratching trades in NBA history.

However, the Mavs lucked out by winning the chance to draft Flagg, who will be joining a squad that could be competitive right away, with stars Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving awaiting him in Dallas.

It’s been a whirlwind few years for Flagg and his family. It feels like just yesterday that he and his twin brother, Ace, were winning a championship at Nokomis. And now, he’s the first pick in the draft, and Ace is headed to Orono to help the University of Maine continue its rise.

READ MORE: Maine’s Hearts of Pine Drawing Largest Crowds in the League

Congratulations to the entire Flagg family. I can’t even imagine what these last few years have been like. Still, it must be pretty cool knowing an entire state has your back. I bet we’ll be seeing more Dallas Mavericks jerseys in Maine than Celtics jerseys soon.

The 2025-2026 NBA season can't come soon enough.