Cooper Flagg will be hoping his jersey number will go down in history by the end of his career as he moves closer to the NBA.
Flagg is the overwhelming top prospect heading into this year’s NBA Draft, but he will first showcase his incredible talent for Duke in March Madness.
All eyes will be on the projected first overall pick, and fans will be looking for the Blue Devils’ No.2 to lead them to NCAA glory.
He wears the number for a very special reason and there’s no doubt that his jersey could go down in history if he lives up to the hype.
Why does Cooper Flagg wear No.2?
Flagg wears No.2 to honour one of his older brother’s friends.
Donovan Kurt was a teammate of Hunter Flagg at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine.
Sadly, Kurt passed away in November 2022 of brain cancer at age 19.
Speaking last year on ‘The Brotherhood’ podcast, Flagg revealed Kurt wore No.2 when playing high school basketball before his death.
He said: “My older brother was teammates and close friends with this kid, Donovan Kurt, and he had gotten cancer and passed away just a little while ago.
“He really impacted my life in a big way. Being able to represent him really meant a lot to me.”
Flagg played at the same high school as his brother and Kurt, and he continues to honour him as he closes in on the NBA.
The 18-year-old has a history of heartwarming gestures with his jersey numbers, having dedicated his old number to his mother.
He used to wear No.32 at high school as his mom wore that in her playing days, while he also had an extra meaning behind it too.
The mother of Portland Trailblazer’s center Donovan Clingan also used to wear the number.
Stacey Clingan was a teammate of Flagg’s mother at college but she sadly passed away in 2018 after being diagnosed with breast cancer.
Speaking about his old No.32, Flagg said: “My mom had worn it in high school and then her teammate in college, Donovan Clingan’s mom, had also worn it, and she had passed away.
“So I think I started wearing it because my mom wore it originally. Then having learned that story and hearing that, it gave me more of a reason to want to wear it.
“Just having that reason of my mom’s teammate and wearing that number, it kind of just made me feel good about it. I just fell in love with the number.”
However, Flagg was forced into a change from that number when joining Duke.
The Blue Devils had already retired the No.32 in tribute to Christian Laettner whose college career is considered one of the best ever.
So, Flagg had to switch digits and he chose No.2 to continue his dedication to meaningful people in his and his family’s lives.
He will be aiming for success in this year’s NCAA men’s tournament before having to make a decision on whether to declare for the NBA Draft.
That decision is not so straightforward, and there is still a chance he returns for another year at Duke before heading to the league.
A championship might make the decision easier.
March Madness Key Dates
Selection Sunday – March 16
First Four – March 18-19 (men); March 19-20 (women)
First Round – March 20-21 (men); March 21-23 (women)
Second Round – March 22-23 (men); March 23-24 (women)
Sweet 16 – March 27-28 (men); March 28-29 (women)
Elite Eight – March 29-30 (men); March 30-31 (women)
Final Four – April 4 (women); April 5 (men);
Championship Games – April 6 (women); April 7 (men)
