On Wednesday night, Cooper Flagg made Maine history after becoming the No. 1 NBA draft pick.
The Newport native was selected by the Dallas Mavericks. The 18-year-old was considered the favorite to be this year’s first pick since he reclassified from the 2025 class to 2024 two years ago.
In a press conference following Wednesday night’s first round of draft picks, Flagg said that his Maine roots mean a lot to him and that he is appreciative of all of the support he has received.
He was also asked about the fan conspiracy that the NBA gave the Mavericks the No. 1 pick in exchange for the controversial move to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
In his hometown hundreds of fans gathered in the gymnasium of Flagg’s former high school to watch the draft, erupting in cheers when the No. 1 pick was announced.