Cooper Flagg and Duke basketball make their March Madness debut Friday afternoon (2:50 p.m., CBS) in the opening round of the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament.
The top-seeded Blue Devils (31-3) rolled through the ACC and swept the ACC championships, winning the ACC Tournament as Flagg recovered from an ankle injury. The projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is expected to be ready to go against No. 16 seed American or No. 16 seed Mount St. Mary’s at the Lenovo Center.
Kelly Flagg, Cooper Flagg’s mother, covered several topics with USA TODAY Sports host Mackenzie Salmon this week ahead of Duke’s journey in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Cooper Flagg’s mom discusses Duke basketball’s national championship chances
Despite being a No. 1 seed, Duke has dealt with non-believers because of its dominance in the ACC, which has four teams in the NCAA Tournament. That number ties the Mountain West Conference and is fifth among the major basketball leagues.
Still, Flagg and the Blue Devils enter March Madness as the top-ranked team in the nation and atop most metrics. Their non-conference wins include Auburn, Arizona and Illinois.“They’ve proved time and again through the season that they can beat the best in the country,” Kelly Flagg told Salmon.
“I think there’s been a lot of talk about, maybe, the ACC wasn’t as strong as other conferences. But we play who we play and they’ve been up for the challenge. I don’t think that the NCAA Tournament is going to be any different. It didn’t really matter to me what seed we got, because you gotta beat everybody.” Kelly Flagg talks Cooper Flagg’s relationship with Duke coach Jon Scheyer, Blue Devils
Duke coach Jon Scheyer has brought in top-ranked recruiting classes in each of his three seasons as leader of the Blue Devils, none better than the six-player group in 2024 headlined by Flagg.
So far, so good for Flagg and Scheyer. This season, Flagg won ACC Player of the Year and Scheyer became the first coach in ACC history to win the ACC Tournament in two of his first three seasons.
“It’s really been a great partnership between them. They’ve got a great player-coach relationship,” Kelly Flagg said. “We couldn’t have asked for a better situation. We love everything about Duke and what they’re about. Just what Jon is building with that program is really incredible.”Kelly Flagg, Cooper Flagg dealing with hostile fans on the road
Kelly Flagg went viral on the final weekend of the regular season. In the latter stages of Duke’s win at rival UNC, Cooper Flagg threw down a two-handed dunk that served as the final dagger for the Blue Devils in a regular-season sweep. After the play, ESPN’s cameras showed Kelly Flagg tapping her head while appearing to yell expletives in celebration of the play.“Every gym that he goes into, the other team, the opposing fans are going to obviously try to rattle him and get under his skin. It’s happened just about everywhere. That was nothing new (at UNC), I just was reacting as a sports mom, being excited in the moment for a really great play,” Kelly Flagg said. “There are unkind fans doing unkind things. People often go over the line and don’t recognize, in the moment, when they’re being unsportsmanlike, I guess. I’m sure I’ve been guilty of that, as well. Sometimes it happens in the moment and people regret it after.
“He doesn’t get bothered at all. Cooper actually enjoys it when people taunt him. He’s been dealing with it since eighth, ninth grade, where he goes into a gym and they’re chanting, ‘overrated’ or whatever it might be. He enjoys that and it actually makes him play harder, kind of turns up the juice.”
Cooper Flagg’s mom discusses Duke basketball national championship chances, NBA Draft
As the 2025 men’s NCAA Tournament approaches, all eyes are on Duke basketball and their star player, Cooper Flagg. The top-seeded Blue Devils are set to make their March Madness debut on Friday afternoon, and Flagg’s mom, Kelly Flagg, is confident in their abilities. In a recent interview with USA TODAY Sports host Mackenzie Salmon, Kelly Flagg discussed Duke’s national championship chances, Cooper’s relationship with coach Jon Scheyer, and how they handle hostile fans on the road.
Cooper Flagg’s mom discusses Duke basketball’s national championship chances
Despite being a No. 1 seed, Duke has faced skepticism due to their dominance in the ACC, which has four teams in the NCAA Tournament. However, Kelly Flagg believes that her son and the Blue Devils have proved themselves time and again. “They’ve proved time and again through the season that they can beat the best in the country,” she said. “I think there’s been a lot of talk about, maybe, the ACC wasn’t as strong as other conferences. But we play who we play, and they’ve been up for the challenge. I don’t think that the NCAA Tournament is going to be any different. It didn’t really matter to me what seed we got, because you gotta beat everybody.”
Kelly Flagg talks Cooper Flagg’s relationship with Duke coach Jon Scheyer
Duke coach Jon Scheyer has brought in top-ranked recruiting classes in each of his three seasons as leader of the Blue Devils, none better than the six-player group in 2024 headlined by Flagg. So far, so good for Flagg and Scheyer. This season, Flagg won ACC Player of the Year, and Scheyer became the first coach in ACC history to win the ACC Tournament in two of his first three seasons. Kelly Flagg praised the partnership between her son and Scheyer, saying, “It’s really been a great partnership between them. They’ve got a great player-coach relationship. We couldn’t have asked for a better situation. We love everything about Duke and what they’re about. Just what Jon is building with that program is really incredible.”
Kelly Flagg on dealing with hostile fans on the road
Kelly Flagg went viral on the final weekend of the regular season after reacting to a two-handed dunk by her son during Duke’s win at rival UNC. She appeared to yell expletives in celebration of the play, and the moment quickly spread on social media. Kelly Flagg addressed the incident, saying, “Every gym that he goes into, the other team, the opposing fans are going to obviously try to rattle him and get under his skin. It’s happened just about everywhere. That was nothing new at UNC, I just was reacting as a sports mom, being excited in the moment for a really great play.”
Cooper Flagg’s ability to handle hostile fans
Kelly Flagg revealed that her son actually enjoys the hostile environment and uses it as motivation. “He doesn’t get bothered at all,” she said. “Cooper actually enjoys it when people taunt him. He’s been dealing with it since eighth, ninth grade, where he goes into a gym and they’re chanting, ‘overrated’ or whatever it might be. He enjoys that, and it actually makes him play harder, kind of turns up the juice.”
The NBA Draft and Cooper Flagg’s future
As the projected No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, Cooper Flagg’s future is bright. Kelly Flagg discussed her son’s mindset, saying, “He’s just taking it one game at a time. He’s not really focused on the NBA right now. He’s focused on winning a national championship with Duke.” She also praised the support system around her son, saying, “We’ve got a great team around him, and they’re all working together to help him achieve his goals.”
Duke’s chances in the NCAA Tournament
With their top seeding and impressive regular season performance, Duke is a favorite to win the NCAA Tournament. Kelly Flagg believes that her son and the Blue Devils have what it takes to go all the way. “I think they’ve got a great chance,” she said. “They’ve worked hard all season, and they’re peaking at the right time. They’ve just got to stay focused and take it one game at a time.”
The pressure of being a No. 1 seed
As the top-seeded team in the NCAA Tournament, Duke will face immense pressure to perform. Kelly Flagg acknowledged the pressure but believes that her son and the Blue Devils are equipped to handle it. “There’s always pressure when you’re a No. 1 seed,” she said. “But Cooper and the team are used to it. They’ve been in big games all season, and they’ve come out on top. I think they’ll be just fine.”
