Could Cooper Flagg Actually Be the First Mainer to Make the NCAA Men’s Final Four?

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Final Four.

That's where Maine's own Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils find themselves right now—just two games away from basketball immortality.

Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils Have Reached the Final Four

The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament has been a banger so far, especially if you're following Cooper and the Blue Devils. Duke has handled everything thrown its way, including a pesky effort from Alabama in the Elite Eight.

Cooper and the rest of his squad stared adversity right in the face and have succeeded at every turn. The Devils have now won 15 straight games, including the four in the NCAA Tournament.

Cooper Flagg Continues to Have One of the Most Successful Freshman Seasons in College Basketball History

A lot of that has to do with Flagg, who has been quite the leader on the floor for Duke. At the time of publishing this article, the Newport native leads the team in points (18.9 per game), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4), and is tied for blocks (1.3). That is simply unheard of. It's one thing to lead in a few of the major categories, but in all of them? That's some serious baller status.

On top of that, Flagg's incredible play was recently recognized by the ACC with a plethora of awards and accolades. Let's take a closer look.

ACC Player of the Year
ACC Rookie of the Year
ACC All First Team 
ACC All Defensive Team
ACC Player of the Week - Nine Time Winner

However, it’s truly been a total team effort, especially lately, for Duke. The rest of the Blue Devils have played exceptionally well, winning the ACC Tournament and reaching yet another Final Four—the 17th time in school history.

While that's one impressive number, what might be even more impressive is the fact that Cooper could be the first-ever Mainer to reach college basketball's coveted final weekend.

Is Cooper Flagg the First Mainer to Reach the Final Four?

I say "could" because it all depends on how one truly determines who a Mainer is. Let me explain.

Cooper was born in Maine, grew up in Maine, and played his first year of high school ball in Maine. He is, hands down, a true Mainer.

But what about someone who was born in Maine but didn’t grow up here?

Duncan Robinson was a member of the 2018 Michigan Wolverines, who were runners-up in that year’s tournament. Robinson, who grew up in New Hampshire, was born in York, so one could say he’s technically a player from Maine who reached the Final Four.

However, I would imagine most (including Duncan himself) would consider him a New Hampshirite. And I get this argument, considering he really grew up and spent the majority of his maturation process across the border, while living free and dying. He even attended high school in Massachusetts. Maine? Nah.

If we eliminate Robinson, that leaves us with Cooper, at least as far as our exhaustive research has gone. Some have come close, including South Portland alum J.P. Estrella, who nearly reached the Final Four this year with Tennessee. However, the Vols' run ended in the Elite Eight with a loss to Houston.

Another close call was Falmouth's Bryant Barr and the Davidson Wildcats. Thanks to some kid named Stephen Curry, who was also Barr's roommate, Davidson reached the Elite Eight in 2008 before bowing out to Kansas.

Deering grad Nik Caner-Medley, who played at Maryland, also had a run at it. The Terps reached the Sweet 16 in his freshman year, but that was the closest he ever got.

READ MORE: Maine’s Portland Hearts of Pine Wins Historic First Game

There are likely other close calls, but as far as we can tell, Cooper can claim to be the first Mainer to reach college basketball's pinnacle.

It's just another step in the incredible career of a rising basketball star.

Cooper and Duke square off against Houston on Saturday, April 5, at approximately 8:49 p.m. The winner will play for the National Championship on Monday, April 7.