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Cooper Flagg's Mom Appears to Clear the Air on Viral Rumor

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Spencer Ostrow | Last updated Jun 28, 2025 11:10 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks made things official on Wednesday, selecting former Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.

Heading into the night, he was the consensus top choice after winning National Player of the Year and averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game at Duke.

Flagg has since traveled to his new city, where the team hosted his introductory press conference on Friday.

While speaking to the media, the 6-foot-9 forward was asked about the responsibility of becoming the future face of the franchise after Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers this past season.

Shortly after Doncic was mentioned and before the reporter even finished his question, Flagg gave a side-eye to someone in front of him to his right. The clip quickly went viral, sparking a rumor on social media that side-eye was directed at Harrison.

Flagg's mom, Kelly Flagg, took to social media on Saturday to clear the air by reposting something saying he was looking at his brother.

Harrison faced plenty of backlash after the Doncic trade in February, as the move came as a major surprise. Many had expected the now-Laker star to remain a lifelong Maverick after earning five All-NBA first-team selections in just six seasons before the trade.

That said, social media is always quick to start rumors. Flagg has two brothers, and while ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said the viral side-eye was directed at one of them, it’s unclear which one.

His older brother, Hunter, is studying sports management at the University of Maine. His twin, Ace, is set to join him on campus and play for the basketball team next season.

Ace is a 6-foot-7 forward who is ranked as a three-star recruit (247Sports) in the class of 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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