The ‘Maine Event’ Cooper Flagg Makes NBA Debut Tonight: Here’s How to Watch

The wait is finally over. The 'Maine Event' takes center stage tonight in the NBA.

Newport native and basketball phenom Cooper Flagg officially makes his NBA debut with the Dallas Mavericks in a preseason game against the defending champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Fans from Maine, Duke University, and across the country will finally get to see Flagg in action against NBA superstars, even if it's technically just an exhibition.

Cooper Flagg Had One of the Best College Basketball Seasons Ever

Flagg was the first overall pick in this year's NBA Draft, following an outstanding season at Duke. He led a Blue Devils team that made it all the way to the Final Four. Impressively, he led the team in points (19.2 per game), rebounds (7.5), assists (4.2), steals (1.4), and blocks (1.4). That’s simply unheard of. It’s one thing to top a few major categories, but all of them? That’s serious baller status.

While a championship may have eluded Flagg, the accolades did not. He was recognized by the ACC, NCAA, coaches, media, and various organizations with a plethora of honors—including the Wooden Award, college basketball’s version of the Heisman Trophy.

Now, Flagg is expected to be a major asset to a team desperate for a new face of the franchise after trading away its best player, Luka Dončić, earlier this year.

How to Watch Cooper Flagg's Dallas Mavericks Debut

Tip-off is at 8:30 p.m. tonight and will be aired on NBA TV. FuboTV will also stream the game live. The service offers a free trial—so technically, you could watch the game for free there if you don't have NBA TV.

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Best of luck to Flagg as he takes the next step in his career. It’s equal parts incredible and surreal to watch a kid from Maine continue to climb the ladder of basketball stardom. He’s certainly making an entire state proud.