For the second time in three seasons, Duke has completed a regular-season sweep of UNC- not exactly what you’d expect from a fierce Tobacco Road rivalry. But the game won’t be remembered for Cooper Flagg’s emphatic dunk with two minutes left, which sealed the win for the Blue Devils. Instead, it’s the emotional reaction from Mama Flagg afterward that steals the spotlight.  But it’s safe to say that her antics didn’t sit well with everyone.

Kelly Flagg was caught on camera yelling, “On his f—ing head!” towards UNC fans after her son’s dunk. But she made things worse when she took to Facebook, calling UNC fans “classless a-holes.” This provoked a major uproar among UNC fans, and Tar Heel alum Raymond Felton didn’t mince words in his response.

On the To The Baha podcast, Raymond Felton, who led the Tar Heels to the 2005 NCAA title, weighed in on the situation. “When you put yourself out there like this on social media, you gotta understand what may come back to you,” Felton said. He continued, “I’ve played in Cameron (Indoor) Stadium. I’ve heard some nasty words. I’ve heard some racial slurs, let’s be real. Your son’s gonna get that. He’s gonna hear a lot of nasty things about him, and about you too. You can’t protect him from that. That’s the world he’s in. He’s a high-level basketball player that everybody’s watching all the time. For you to come at Carolina fans like that,it ain’t gonna end well for you, ma’am.”

Felton is right that Flagg will face more hostile environments as his career progresses. There’s probably no reason for Mama Flagg to react the way she did. But at the end of the day, she’s a mother. And mothers will always protect their children, no matter what others say.

With the regular season behind them, Flagg and company will now turn their focus to the ACC Tournament. Let’s see what’s in store for the Blue Devils.

Cooper Flagg and co patiently wait to know their fate in the ACC

After securing the top seed, Duke earned a double bye in the ACC Tournament. They’ll play their first game on March 13th at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte. Jon Scheyer’s squad will be aiming to win the tournament this year after last season’s loss to NC State- the Cinderella story of the big dance last year.

Duke will face the winner of tonight’s game between Georgia Tech and Virginia. They’re expected to win comfortably and advance to the semifinals, where they could play Notre Dame, Wake Forest, or their arch-rival, North Carolina.

While Mama Flagg’s protective instincts towards her son ignited controversy, Raymond Felton’s response highlights the tough realities of high-level basketball. As Cooper Flagg prepares for the ACC Tournament, the drama surrounding his family adds fuel to the intense rivalry between Duke and UNC. Fans are eagerly hoping for a semifinal clash between these two arch-rivals, but only time will tell if it happens. Stay tuned for more updates!