"He's always gotten down and done the dirty work": Cooper Flagg's father gets real while mother reveals "kind" side of Duke star

Cooper Flagg’s freshman season at Duke has been nothing short of spectacular. The standout forward has helped the Blue Devils reach the Final Four as the East Region’s No. 1 seed, taking down Alabama, Arizona, Baylor and Mount St. Mary’s along the way.

Already a household name, Flagg is expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. His father, Ralph, and mother, Kelly, shared their perspectives on his journey.

“He represents Maine,” Ralph told WMTW-TV on Tuesday. “That’s his roots. He's always gotten down and done the dirty work and done what it needs to be done to win. And that's what Maine's about.”

Ralph played NJCAA basketball at Eastern Maine Community College, while Kelly was a team captain at Maine during her senior year.

“Everybody asks me how I describe him,” Kelly added. “I always say, ‘he’s kind.’ He’s a very kind individual, just happens to be a really good basketball player.”

The 18-year-old will now look to lead Duke past Houston in Saturday’s Final Four showdown in San Antonio.

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Former Blue Devils star has high praise for Cooper Flagg

Cooper Flagg made history on Wednesday, becoming the first player to win both the Lute Olson and Kyle Macy awards in the same season. CollegeInsider.com announced Flagg as the National Player and Freshman of the Year on Wednesday.

Before Duke’s showdown with Houston, former Blue Devils star and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas had high praise for Flagg. On The Ryen Russillo podcast, Bilas called him “the best, most complete freshman Duke’s ever had.”

"Nobody has done what he's done as a freshman at Duke… He hasn’t been outplayed. Which is pretty impressive," Bilas said (via The Ringer).

With his dominant season, Flagg is now a near-lock to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Duke freshman hasn’t declared for the draft yet, but many see him as a generational talent. Cooper Flagg’s jump to the NBA seems inevitable.

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