Kelly Flagg, the mother of top NBA Draft prospect Cooper Flagg, issued a public apology for her behavior during a recent game. Flagg, who plays for the Duke Blue Devils, is widely regarded as one of the best players in the country and the favorite to go No. 1 overall in the upcoming NBA Draft.
During a recent Duke vs. North Carolina matchup, Flagg’s mother was caught on camera in a controversial moment, which sparked criticism from the media and led her to explain. Let’s take a closer look at what happened.
Kelly Flagg Apologizes for ‘Supporting’ Cooper Flagg
The atmosphere at college basketball games is often intense, sometimes even hostile, especially for players’ families in a rivalry setting.
During the game, after Cooper threw down a dunk, his mother was caught on camera tapping her head and saying, “On his f***ing head.”
She later issued a public apology but also defended her actions:
“I want to apologize to anyone who was offended by my language that was caught in a celebratory moment… I do realize that it wasn’t my best look,” Kelly said. “However, if you actually know me and are a real friend of mine, you weren’t shocked.”
Cooper Flagg’s mom, Kelly, responds to her viral moment 😳😂 pic.twitter.com/VzNJrsP6Ta
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 10, 2025
She continued, “It was a very intense situation we were put into, and we were taken aback by the crudeness of the UNC fans as we made our way into the arena. They continued to harass us, with much worse being spewed in our direction, as well as at our 18-year-old son and his teammates throughout the entirety of the game.
“The celebration was a moment of being so proud of our kid and also a big F-you to the entire Carolina fan base for being classless a-holes.”
While Flagg’s frustration over how her family was treated is understandable, she may want to avoid similar moments in the future. With her son on track to become an NBA star, public perception and reputation could become important factors down the road.
In any case, this one isolated incident is unlikely to cause any lasting issues, especially since Flagg has issued both an apology and an explanation.
With Flagg viewed as the No. 1 prospect heading into June’s NBA Draft, the Utah Jazz, New Orleans Pelicans, and several other teams are in prime position to potentially land the 6’9″ forward. However, he has not officially declared or confirmed his intentions for the draft.
Before sustaining an ankle injury during the ACC Tournament, Flagg was averaging 19.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.5 steals per game for the Blue Devils.