ORONO, Maine — On the social media platform Instagram last week, Ace Flagg announced that he is committed to playing for the University of Maine next year, and the news is exciting on campus.
"I’m so excited to see him come play at UMaine. To be able to come here and watch that basketball, I can't wait," Faegan Gray said in front of Hilltop Dining on campus.
He is not the only one.
"He’s a hometown guy, it’ll be fun to see," Liam Selter said while standing on The Mall.
Yet for Liam Haley, the news means the opportunity for UMaine to reach higher heights.
"I’d just like to see him perform well and then Maine performing well off of him, then more recruits will come up after him and put Maine on the map," Haley said.
That same optimism doesn't exactly translate to UMaine's odds against Duke and Ace's brother Cooper Flagg to kick off the season on Monday.
"I’m excited to watch but I’m not sure how well it’s going to go," Selter said, adding that UMaine is "a 30-point underdog," making the game a tough watch.
Watching Cooper Flagg play his season opener is Matt MacKenzie, the Flagg brothers' sports performance coach. He said he could see the duo’s talent years prior.
"You could see even early on that their ability to process and read the game was on another level," MacKenzie said.
Looking ahead, he sees Ace doing well wearing a Black Bears jersey.
"I know the coaching staff at UMaine is excited to work with him and they plan to really turn him into a focal point of their offense and defense," MacKenzie said.
Ace will join UMaine’s team next year after finishing high school in North Carolina.
A collegiate Flagg brothers showdown on the court is unlikely, since Cooper is expected to be the number one pick for the NBA draft next year and go professional after this season.
Cooper Flagg and the Duke Blue Devils are tipping the season off at 7 p.m. against the UMaine Black Bears in Durham.