The Athletic: Cooper Flagg and Donovan Clingan aren’t teammates. But their moms were

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PORTLAND, Ore. — At the end of an exhausting three-game road trip that required the Dallas Mavericks to spend Christmas on the West Coast, Cooper Flagg had one last thing he wanted to do before trekking back to Texas.

As the final buzzer sounded in the Mavericks’ 125-122 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday, Flagg sought out Donovan Clingan. The two of them embraced, exchanged jerseys and posed for a photo.

The connection between Flagg and Clingan is multigenerational. Their mothers were college teammates at the University of Maine.

“We go back since we were kids,” Clingan, the Blazers’ second-year center, told The Athletic. “Our families know each other.”

Stacey Porinni Clingan was a standout center at Maine who started 117 games and led the Black Bears to three NCAA Tournament appearances in her four-year career. She was two years older than Kelly Bowman Flagg, Cooper’s mother. As a freshman, Kelly watched Stacey average 12.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game.

In 1999 — by the time Stacey had graduated — Kelly was a co-captain on the only Maine women’s basketball team to ever win an NCAA Tournament game.

Clingan was a top-rated high school player when his mother died in March 2018 of breast cancer. Flagg’s mom, Clingan remembered, was one of the people who attended the funeral.

“He’s just from (a) good family,” Clingan said. “He’s a great kid. That connection goes back pretty far.”

Clingan played at Connecticut, helping the Huskies win two NCAA titles. He tried to convince Flagg to come aboard. When Flagg took his official visit to Storrs, Conn., in September 2023, Clingan was one of his hosts.

“It was really the first time I got to know him pretty well,” Flagg said. “Showed me a good time.”

Flagg’s final decision came down to UConn or Duke. He went with the latter.

“I guess I didn’t persuade him enough,” Clingan said. “It worked out for him.”

Clingan and Flagg were both high lottery picks in back-to-back years.

Portland chose Clingan at No. 7 in 2024. The 21-year-old recorded his 10th double-double of the season Monday, finishing with 18 points and 10 rebounds as the Blazers sent Dallas to its seventh straight road loss.

The Mavericks took Flagg with the No. 1 pick in June. He’s been, by far, the biggest bright spot in a disappointing season for Dallas. Among all rookies, Flagg ranks first in scoring, third in rebounding and fourth in assists.

Flagg wears No. 32, which is the number his mother wore in high school. It’s also the number Clingan’s mother, Stacey, wore in college.

Once Monday’s game was over, Flagg peeled his uniform off and gave it to Clingan as part of their swap.

“It’s a small world,” Clingan said. “Both our moms were high-level hoopers. And both of us are now in the NBA. It’s pretty special. It’s a nice connection. He’s a really special player.”

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