Tattoo you? Duke basketball players’ moms planning to get inked if Blue Devils win title
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As close as Duke’s players have become during the Blue Devils’ championship season that’s landed them in the Final Four, their mothers have formed an unbreakable bond, as well.
Now, if things work out as they all hope in San Antonio, some of them are willing to memorialize that bond, personally, in ink.
The “motherhood,” as they call themselves — since Duke is the self-proclaimed “brotherhood” — is talking about getting matching tattoos if their Blue Devils win the NCAA Tournament title.
“There were only a couple of us who actually were like in the discussion, who know that it’s happening,” said Kelly Flagg, whose son, Cooper Flagg, was named the youngest winner of the Associated Press national player of the year award on Friday. “There are a few others that I know will jump on good train and get it if it happens.”
As Kelly Flagg spoke about the formative plan at the Alamodome on Friday, during Duke’s open practice session, Tammy McCall laughed while sitting behind her in the stands. McCall, Mason Gillis’ mother, played a major role in getting the tattoo plan off the ground.
Duke coach Jon Scheyer heard about the plan Friday, saying, “I love it,” when asked about it during his Final Four press conference. He said he’ll insist his wife, Marcelle, join them.
“I’m making my wife get a tattoo with them if that’s what’s going to happen,” Scheyer said. “I would even consider getting one if we win a national championship, alright?”
Smiling when he said that, he immediately had second thoughts.
“I shouldn’t have said that,” he said with a chuckle, “because that’s going to come back to me now.”
As their sons chase Duke’s sixth NCAA championship, Kelly Flagg has been adamant that Duke has the best parents’ group in college basketball.
“Our moms group, we are top tier moms like we are the best in the country,” she said last Saturday night in Newark, New Jersey as the Blue Devils celebrated their NCAA East Regional title. “I will stand on that. The greatest moms ever. This is the greatest group.”
Scheyer offered no argument on Friday, with the tattoo talk the latest example, he said.
“Our parents have been incredible this year,” Scheyer said. “I’m not watching during the games, but you see after games, you hear when parents are rooting for their own kids and for other kids like they’re their own. It’s had such an impact on our guys with how they cheer for each other, how they want each other’s success. I think it’s harder to find now. Our parents, moms especially, have popped.”
As for what the Duke tattoo would look like, if the Blue Devils win the title, that’s still in the works. But it just might include a four letter abbreviation for a chant popularized by the Cameron Crazies that includes a curse word.
“We have an idea,” Flagg said. “Nothing finalized, but it probably will have the letters DDMF.”
Cooper Flagg, currently with no tattoos, remained playfully coy when asked if he would join his mom or play any role in the design or placement.
“Very interesting,” he said, with a smile. “I’m going to have to carefully consider my options and really make a smart decision here on what I want to do, if I want to torture her or... I’m going to have to think about that one.”
This story was originally published April 4, 2025 at 6:01 PM with the headline "Tattoo you? Duke basketball players’ moms planning to get inked if Blue Devils win title."
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