Kelly Flagg, the mother of Duke freshman phenom Cooper Flagg, isn’t particularly interested in what you think about her.
“I can tell you the Carolina fans are very upset and unhappy every time they see me on the screen,” Kelly exclusively told Us Weekly via her partnership with Dr. Scholl’s, noting that she is embracing her role as a sort of March Madness disrupter.
Cooper has emerged as one of the most celebrated college basketball players in recent memory and Kelly hasn’t been shy about ruffling some feathers along the way. After Duke defeated bitter rival North Carolina on the road earlier this month, Kelly called Tar Heels fans “classless a-holes” in a heated Facebook post.
Kelly, a former basketball player at the University of Maine, and her husband, Ralph, share three sons: Hunter, 20, and 18-year-old twins Cooper and Ace, who is committed to play basketball at his mother’s alma mater next season. Cooper reclassified into the 2024 recruiting class so he could play for the Blue Devils this season.
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“I’ve learned that people shouldn’t mess with Mama Bear,” Kelly said of her intensity. “Mama Bear definitely can come out, even when I don’t want it to. Sometimes I can’t help it.”
Kelly is a notoriously intense member of the Duke cheering section — which is a job she takes very seriously.
“If a team is warming up and they’re just kind of going through the motions, a lot of times they come out flat to start the game,” she explained. “I feel like it is my personal responsibility to make sure that our parent section brings the energy. In fact, I think we coached them to that win against UNC by really getting the crowd going.”
Duke defeated North Carolina for the third time this season in the semifinals of the ACC Tournament on March 14, eventually winning the tournament title with a win over Louisville on March 15. Cooper, who is unanimously expected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he declares, sat out both games due to an ankle injury he sustained in Duke’s tournament opener against Georgia Tech on March 13.
After the ACC tournament final, Duke head coach Jon Scheyer said it was “trending in a great way” for Cooper to be available when the Blue Devils open the NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 2.
Duke, the No. 1 seed in the East region, will face either American or Mount St. Mary’s, who play in the First Four on Wednesday, March 19.
Kelly, of course, will be front and center with the years of dedication it took for her son to get to this moment.
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“I’m just so passionate about these boys and what they’re doing,” Kelly told Us. “I know how much they want it and I know how hard they’ve worked for it. I know the hours that have gone into it.”
She added, “Cooper used to go with me to school before it started when I was teaching and he would shoot. He wanted to be in the gym at 6 a.m. and shoot an hour before school when he was in 6th, 7th, 8th grade. He’s always put so much into it that people don’t see.”
With Kelly optimistically hoping to spend plenty of time on her feet in the next few weeks as Duke begins its national championship quest, she’s got the support of Dr. Scholl’s insoles to keep her comfy.
“Moms historically have always kind of been in the background as a quiet supporter, or some of us not so quiet,” Kelly joked. “But it really is neat to be recognized. Dr. Scholl’s is a silent supporter for athletes and now they’re supporting moms. We’re doing the work behind the scenes — running through airports, traveling to get to games or getting our kids where they need to be.”
