Cooper Flagg’s mom reveals true feelings about his encounter with Michael Jordan at Ryder Cup

Cooper Flagg’s mom joined a plethora of basketball fans reacting to her son’s meeting with basketball legend Michael Jordan at the Ryder Cup on Saturday. The Chicago Bulls legend was photographed greeting the No. 1 pick of the 2025 draft, in a picture connecting many eras of basketball.

The Dallas Mavericks’ official Instagram account shared Flagg and Jordan’s picture, drawing reactions from many. Cooper Flagg’s mom, Kelly, who herself is a former professional basketball player, reposted her son’s picture and wrote:

“So jealous!”

Cooper Flagg’s mom reposts his picture with Michael Jordan

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These are the last few weeks for Cooper Flagg before he makes his official NBA debut for the Mavericks. Flagg’s only season at Duke University saw him become one of the highest-rated prospects in the country.

He played 37 games for the Blue Devils last season, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. Fans will finally get their first look at Flagg in an NBA game when the Mavericks face the OKC Thunder in their first preseason matchup, tipping off on Oct. 6.

“He's going to be amazing”: LeBron James’ glowing assessment of Cooper Flagg

Michael Jordan isn’t the only basketball great to acknowledge Flagg. The No. 1 pick also received a glowing assessment from Lakers legend LeBron James in June.

Speaking on his “Mind the Game” podcast, James expressed excitement for Flagg’s rookie season, noting how the abundance of talent around him will help him develop.

“He has the benefit, unlike myself, he gets to join a team that's established with Hall of Fame guys,” James said. "Hall of Fame coach, Jason Kidd. You know, these guys are like, they can give him the whole blueprint while he continues to learn what his blueprint will be."

James continued and said Flagg's situation in Dallas is "incredible," suggesting it will greatly benefit him.

“I think that will be an incredible thing to have that type of presence, that type of leadership, that type of just basketball IQ and knowledge around him every single day from those pieces. So, I think he's going to be amazing."

Flagg will spend a good chunk of his first years in the league playing next to some of the league’s best two-way players in Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Sameer Khan