The surprising way Cooper Flagg celebrated being No. 1 draft pick
Cooper Flagg went somewhere very unique after being crowned the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
Flagg partied hard at the nationwide Sports Bar and Arcade chain, Dave & Busters, in Times Square.
He received a one-of-one special gold game card not too long after the Mavericks made him their newest star.
While it is unknown what perks that card affords Flagg, it appeared he spent most of his time playing “NBA Hoops” and “Super Bikes 3.”
The fun night at the arcade capped off what must have been a night full of emotions for the Duke superstar.
Flagg became the sixth Blue Devil to be drafted first overall and the first since the Magic selected risisng star Paolo Banchero in 2022.
When NBA Commissioner Adam Silver called his name, Flagg took extra time to hug his parents, who have been with him every step of the way.
Flagg averaged 19.2 ppg and 7.5 rebounds per game in his lone collegiate season.
He led Duke, loaded with top-10 draft talent including No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel and No. 10 selection Khaman Maluach, to a Final Final appearance.
Beyond extending Duke’s prestigious history, Flagg joined an even more exclusive group by becoming only the fourth player from the state of Maine to be drafted into the NBA.
Flagg joins the short list of Jeff Turner, who played 10 seasons, Joe Harrington and Thomas Chappelle.
However, none of those players had the same level of hype as Flagg.
Flagg is such a hometown hero that Maine Governor Janet Mills declared June 25 Cooper Flagg Day in the state.
“I have proclaimed today as Cooper Flagg Day,” Mills said earlier this year, “so all the people of Maine can celebrate his achievement, hard work, perseverance, and sportsmanship, which should inspire youth across our state to pursue their dreams with Cooper’s signature determination.”
Flagg has never lost his hometown roots.
He played his freshman high school season at Nokomis High School, where he won the state championship. Even when he moved to Montverde Academy in Florida, he never forgot his home state.
In turn, the entire state never forgot about Flagg and followed his every move.
During the draft, his high school hosted a draft party, as many from his local community watched their hometown hero’s big night.