The countdown is on to the NBA draft where Cooper Flagg is poised to make history.
The 18-year-old from Newport, Maine, is universally projected to be the first pick in Wednesday night’s NBA Draft.
The Dallas Mavericks will pick first.
He’s a kid who first started to “wow” Maine in middle school and his star has only risen to incredible heights from there.
Mainers from all over the state will be watching to see where Flagg will start his professional basketball career.
Hamlin’s Marina in Newport is holding a draft night watch party starting at 4 p.m.
There’s going to be a gigantic TV screen for fans who want to watch the draft up close. You can also expect food trucks, UMaine cheerleaders, activities for kids and more.
Flagg started playing for Duke at just 17 years old. He was one of the youngest college players in the country. He went on to lead Duke into the NCAA tournament as a number one seed.
Only two athletes born in Maine have been drafted in the NBA, but neither of them played high school ball in the Pine Tree State, making Flagg the first. Flagg helped lead Nokomis to its first ever Class A state championship before going to play for Montverde Academy, the top-ranked high school team in the country.
There are more watch parties happening across the state, including at Flagg’s former high school Nokomis Regional High.
Sports Director Dave Eid is in New York City. He will bring us complete coverage of the draft with a special broadcast on Wednesday at 7 p.m. on CBS13.