Who Is Cooper Flagg, New England Native On NBA Track?

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- When assessing the next wave of talent in basketball, one of the sport's emerging stars, Montverde Academy's Cooper Flagg has his roots set in New England.

The Newport, Maine native is highly regarded as one of the best prospects on the rise in the nation. High-level basketball is nothing new in the Flagg family, where Cooper's mother Kelly played college ball at the University of Maine while his father Ralph took the junior college route to play at Eastern Maine.

Originally set to graduate in 2025, Flagg reclassed to the class of 2024, where ESPN ranked him as the top recruit. The basketball world has certainly latched on to his journey, with Flagg totaling nearly 560,000 total followers on Instagram and X, formerly known as Twitter.

Playing at Montverde Academy in Florida, Flagg could become the latest future star to emerge from the school. Current NBA stars Joel Embiid, D'Angelo Russell, Ben Simmons R.J. Barrett all developed at Montverde on their way to producing as professionals.

Throughout his high school career, Flagg has caught plenty of attention for his capable 6-foot-9, 200-pound frame that allows him to dominate at both ends of the floor. After a series of high-caliber Division 1 offers, the 17-year-old committed to play his college ball at Duke University back in October 2023.

So, what will the Blue Devils be getting in Flagg?

In his final high school season, Flagg has excelled as a center point of the game, averaging just shy of 17 points per game while making his presence felt on defense with 38 blocks and 21 steals. Flagg continues to elevate his team as the undefeated Montverde squad continues the season back in New England at the HoopHall Classic.

The hype around the forward continues to grow, particularly with legitimate professional expectations. Bleacher Report already ranked Flagg as the top prospect for the 2025 NBA Draft, projecting another year of growth on the court to spark his potential at Duke.

Flagg has kept in touch with his New England roots during his rise to fame, drawing major crowds in his return to play in Maine and delaying his college announcement out of respect for the victims of the deadly shooting in Lewiston, Maine, in October.

As Flagg makes his way back to the region to showcase his talents once again, the basketball world has a new name to watch for years to come.