Local boy does good.
Great, actually.
Cooper Flagg, born in Newport, Maine, took home the NBA’s 2025-26 Rookie of the Year Award Monday night.
“It’s surreal,” Flagg said. “Getting thrown in the fire right away helped me long term. I feel I grew in a lot of different areas throughout the year.”
Despite an injury scare in March, Flagg dominated in April, scoring 96 points in a two-game span, Yahoo reports.
On the season, the former Duke Blue Devil finished with averages of 21 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
Now with one year under his belt, Flagg will have his sights set on his first career all-star appearance in the 2026-27 season.
He plays for the Dallas Mavericks, having begun his now-storied career at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport.
The 6’9” Flagg became the first freshman to be named the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year after averaging 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 3.7 steals, and 3.7 blocks per game.
Nokomis won the Class A state championship with Flagg scoring 22 points and grabbing 16 rebounds in a 43–27 win against Falmouth High in the state final.
Flagg played college basketball for the Duke Blue Devils, earning both consensus first-team All-American and consensus national player of the year honors as a freshman.
He was selected with the first overall pick by the Mavericks in last year’s NBA draft, and won that season’s rookie of the year award.
