In a stunning display of talent and poise, Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg put on a show for the ages in front of his adoring Maine fans on Saturday night. The 6’8″ forward from Newport, Maine dropped 28 points, grabbed 5 rebounds, dished out 4 assists and racked up 2 steals and 2 blocks to lead the No. 3 Blue Devils to a dominant 88-63 victory over Boston College.
Flagg, the presumptive No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, had Conte Forum rocking from the opening tip. Fans decked out in Duke blue – many making the 215+ mile journey from Flagg’s home state of Maine – helped pack the arena for the first sellout of the Eagles’ season. The Vacationland faithful stuck around until the final buzzer to give their hometown hero one last roaring ovation as he exited the court.
Living Out a Lifelong Dream
For Cooper Flagg, this magical night at Boston College was the culmination of a childhood fantasy finally coming to fruition. The wunderkind from the small town of Newport always dreamed of playing on the biggest stage in college hoops.
“This was my dream growing up, my entire life. To be in that position I’m in right now,” an elated Flagg told reporters after the game. “So I’m just trying to enjoy it and just stay in the moment.”
– Cooper Flagg
Flagg’s journey from Maine to Cameron Indoor Stadium is nothing short of remarkable. Hailing from a state not exactly known as a basketball hotbed, the versatile forward had to work twice as hard to get noticed by premier college programs. But his jaw-dropping highlight reels and sterling play for his grassroots club Team New England soon became impossible to ignore.
Motivating the Next Generation
Now that he’s burst onto the national scene and established himself as the most scintillating pro prospect in America, Flagg is determined to inspire the next wave of young ballers in his home state to chase their dreams.
“Being from Maine … when I was growing up, it’s easy to just not believe in yourself or just think you can’t do that. I just want to keep proving that it doesn’t really matter where you’re from. As long as you stick to it and keep working, you can make anything happen.”
– Cooper Flagg
Appreciating the Local Love
The adoration from the Maine contingent on Saturday night clearly meant the world to Flagg. Fans made the long trek from all corners of the state, even from the remote Aroostook County on the Canadian border, just to watch their local legend in action.
“It’s huge, the level of support, just to get to see them show up and support me means a lot to me. Just gives me a lot of confidence.”
– Cooper Flagg
The feeling was clearly mutual, as Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer gushed about the incredible environment inside Conte Forum and attributed it to Flagg’s star power.
“What a special turnout. Look, this is as close as we’re going to get to Maine. We’ve been here a lot. The representation of Duke fans has always been great. This was, I think, the best I’ve ever seen it.
And I think a lot of it has to do with Maine. So that was a pretty special thing to see. And obviously he backed it up with his play.”
– Jon Scheyer
A New England Hoops Pilgrimage
With Duke having no scheduled games in Maine this season, Saturday’s tilt in Chestnut Hill represented the closest Cooper Flagg’s traveling fans will get to a true homecoming. Aside from a March Madness regional final in Providence and a road game at Syracuse, opportunities to see the freshman sensation in the Northeast will be few and far between.
But if Flagg continues to dazzle like he did against Boston College, expect droves of Mainers to make the hoops hajj whenever he’s within driving distance. The chance to witness a generational talent like Flagg in his element is simply too electrifying to pass up for his ever-growing legion of supporters from the Pine Tree State.
One thing’s for sure: Cooper Flagg gave his fans a memory to last a lifetime on Saturday. A native son dazzling on the parquet, dropping jaws and racking up buckets. It’s the stuff hardwood dreams are made of, especially in a state as basketball-crazed as Maine.
