Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has taken the basketball world by storm.
The Newport, Maine, native was the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after putting together a stellar season with the Duke Blue Devils.
Flagg’s rapid ascent is a product of hard work, dedication, and natural talent, but his family — particularly his parents — has played a significant role in shaping his game.
Who Are Cooper Flagg’s Parents?
Ralph and Kelly Flagg are the parents of three sons: Hunter, Ace, and Cooper.
Flagg’s mother, Kelly, played college basketball at the University of Maine, where she was instrumental in leading the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances. She was part of the squad that upset No. 7-seed Stanford in the 1999 NCAA Tournament’s first round.
His father, Ralph, also has a basketball background, having played at Eastern Maine Community College.
READ MORE: Who Is Cooper Flagg’s Twin Brother? Get To Know His Siblings
The Flaggs were a topic of conversation during Duke’s ACC tournament matchup against Georgia Tech when Cooper suffered an ankle injury. ESPN commentator Cory Alexander made an unusual remark about their reaction.
“You can see, of course, tremendous concern on the faces of Ralph and Kelly Flagg, Cooper’s parents,” Alexander said. “But I can tell you one thing, they are most concerned about the Blue Devils winning this game.”
Flagg was a standout at Montverde Academy, where he established himself as one of the nation’s top young talents.
He committed to Duke and dominated in his freshman season, averaging 18.9 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. Now, Flagg is set to make his NBA Summer League debut for the Mavericks against Bronny James and the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bronny James vs. Cooper Flagg Tickets Breaking Records?
The 2025 Las Vegas Summer League begins Thursday with a highly anticipated matchup between the Lakers and Mavericks. This isn’t just any Summer League game.
According to TickPick, ticket prices for the game start at $650 for lower bowl seats. Courtside seats? A whopping $2,500. To put that in perspective, the average cost for a Lakers game during the 2024-25 regular NBA season was $702, according to Barry Tickets.
Bronny James vs. Cooper Flagg is the hottest Summer League ticket of all-time, per @tickpick.
Lower bowl seats are going for $650. Courtside? $2,500. Insane. pic.twitter.com/zS4rvfjknc
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 8, 2025
The Bronny vs. Flagg matchup drives these sky-high prices. Flagg is arguably the most hyped-up American prospect out of the NBA Draft since Zion Williamson in 2019.
Despite not having a resume like Flagg’s, James draws attention as the son of the league’s biggest star, LeBron James. Plus, his father/teammate may attend the game to cheer for his son, adding extra excitement.
The Lakers vs. Mavericks matchup carries another intriguing storyline: the Luka Dončić-Flagg connection. Dallas traded Dončić, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Lakers during the 2024-25 season, receiving Anthony Davis and Max Christie in return.
The trade caught everyone off guard. Many analysts criticized the Mavericks, saying they lost their prospects of a great future. However, despite having just a 1.8% chance, Dallas got the first overall pick and selected Flagg, who many consider the franchise’s future.
Flagg seems excited to play in the Summer League, particularly with his new teammates.
“I think it’s just a great group of guys to have as teammates for Summer League,” Flagg said after the first day of Summer League practice.
“A lot of teams can get caught up just trying to figure themselves out or playing a lot of iso ball. But I think we have a really good group that wants to play the right way and showcase a strong, team-oriented brand of basketball,” Flagg added.
While Bronny vs. Flagg grabs casual fans’ attention, hardcore fans will also focus on Flagg vs. Dalton Knecht. Knecht was the 17th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Though Flagg holds the edge in almost all aspects, Knecht has one year of NBA experience on his side.
The Lakers had planned to trade Knecht to the Charlotte Hornets for Mark Williams in February, but the deal fell through. With a strong showing in the Summer League, Knecht will look to prove to the front office that he belongs in the Lakers’ long-term plans.
