Cooper Flagg Makes 'Weird' Admission Before 2025 NBA Draft

Just hours before the 2025 NBA Draft, fans learned a not-so-fun fact about projected No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg.

The former Duke Blue Devils star, who racked up nearly every major award during his lone college basketball season, is considered a generational talent. The expectation for Flagg, who averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in Durham, is that he will end up being the best player in the NBA, and possibly the face of the league.

Although he has the pressure of being the next great Duke star in the NBA, the Maine native is also carrying the weight of an entire state on his shoulders. 

Flagg is from a small town in Maine called Newport, home to around 3,000 people. While it's unclear where this originated, fans have frequently referred to Flagg as the "Maine Event," paying homage to his home state.

While it seems like a great nickname, Flagg told NBA TV's Taylor Rooks that he isn't the biggest fan of being called that after she asked him how it can stick in the NBA.

"I don't know," Flagg said. "I mean I think it's kind of a weird name for someone to actually call me. But I think it's kind of cool for like social media stuff."