Cooper Flagg is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks, widely regarded as the best NBA prospect since Zion Williamson. The 6-foot-8 forward gained public attention for his generational two-way talent, his historic rookie season in Dallas, and most recently for going public with his relationship with Duke women’s basketball star Arianna Roberson.
Quick Facts
Full Name: Cooper Flagg
Age: 19 (born December 21, 2006)
Nationality: American
Occupation: Professional Basketball Player (Forward)
Known For: 2025 NBA Draft No. 1 overall pick; 2026 NBA Rookie of the Year; youngest 50-point scorer in NBA history
Marital Status: In a relationship with Arianna Roberson (confirmed May 2026)
Children: None
Early Life and Background
Flagg was born in Newport, Maine, a small town 25 miles west of Bangor. He comes from a basketball family: his mother, Kelly Bowman Flagg, was a standout player at the University of Maine and later a high school coach. As a child, Flagg was more than 6 feet tall by the beginning of sixth grade and could dunk on a full-size hoop the following year. He has a fraternal twin brother, Ace, and an elder brother, Hunter.
Flagg led Nokomis Regional High School to a state title as a freshman before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida, where he was named a McDonald’s All-American and Naismith Player of the Year, leading the team to an undefeated 33-0 record.
Career and Achievements
Flagg played one season at Duke University (2024-25), averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game while sweeping the Naismith and Wooden awards as the nation’s top college player. He led the Blue Devils to the Final Four.
The Dallas Mavericks selected Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft at just 18 years old. In his rookie 2025-26 season, he averaged 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game, becoming the first rookie to lead his team in points, rebounds, steals, and assists since Michael Jordan in 1985.
Flagg shattered multiple scoring records: he became the youngest player in NBA history to score 50 points in a game (51 vs. Orlando), broke LeBron James’ record for most 40-point games by a teenager with four, and scored a career-high 51 points. He was named NBA Rookie of the Year on April 27, 2026.
Major Event or Controversy
No major controversies are associated with Cooper Flagg.
Why He Is In the News
Flagg is in the news after publicly confirming his relationship with Duke women’s basketball center Arianna Roberson on May 14, 2026. The couple made it “Instagram official” with a TikTok video captioned “Carry on…” and a kissing photo shared via Flagg’s Instagram Story from their vacation in Turks and Caicos. Roberson, a 6-foot-4 redshirt freshman center for Duke, is also a two-time USA Basketball gold medalist.
Conclusion
Cooper Flagg is a 19-year-old basketball phenomenon who lived up to the hype with one of the greatest rookie seasons in NBA history. Now, fresh off winning Rookie of the Year, he’s making headlines off the court by going public with fellow Duke basketball star Arianna Roberson a power-couple pairing that has captured the sports world’s attention.
