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Cooper Flagg’s Mom Refuses To Participate in March Madness Tradition

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Parker Johnson | Last updated Mar 20, 2025 7:40 AM ET

The Duke Blue Devils dominated the 2024-2025 regular season in college basketball, and Kelly Flagg has not been shy about letting people know.

Her son, Cooper Flagg, led Duke to a 31-3 record, ACC regular season and conference tournament titles and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. The Blue Devils had the largest scoring margin in the country, beating opponents by more than 20 points per game on average.

Named ACC Player of the Year and a consensus All-American, Flagg paced Duke in every major statistical category, solidifying his status as the No. 1 prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft class.

Having watched along all season, his mom is so confident she knows the best team in the country that she is refusing to fill out a March Madness bracket this year.

“We’re bowing out,” she told Front Office Sports, revealing that she and her husband, Ralph, were not participating in the March Madness tradition for the first time in over a decade.

“It doesn’t feel right," she said. "We know who’s going to win and I don’t want to take everyone’s money that easily.”

She did not name drop Duke, but given her unquestioned allegiance to the dark shade of blue on Tobacco Road, it is not a stretch to assume that is the team she was referencing.

“If you are a UNC fan and didn’t like it…tough ! Better luck next time!”

Hang Kelly Flagg’s jeresy in the rafters pic.twitter.com/k8CkORSJFh
— JonPow (@JonScheyerMuse) March 10, 2025

Flagg's health is a concern entering March Madness after suffering an ankle injury in the ACC Tournament, but Duke's goal is for him to play Friday against No. 16 Mount St. Mary's.

Even with the uncertainty surrounding the freshman phenom's ankle, Jon Scheyer's deep and talented squad — which won the ACC tournament semifinals and championship without Flagg — is tabbed by ESPN's Basketball Power Index as the clear favorite to win the NCAA Tournament this year.

Last year, ESPN Men's Tournament Challenge collected 22.4 million brackets, but do not expect the Flagg family to add to the total this year.

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

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