• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, Yesterday

New Balance is kicking off its Cooper Flagg branding effort with a launch as humble as the young star’s roots: a draft-day watch party in a tiny Maine school gymnasium. The 18-year-old phenom, widely anticipated to be the No. 1 NBA draft pick by the Dallas Mavericks, will celebrate in Newport, Maine (population 3,100), where he first played competitive basketball.

The sneaker company is hosting the event at Nokomis Regional High School, where the 6’9” forward got his start. The Bangor Daily News reports that the invite-only party, geared toward students, staff and families, will fill the 1,700-capacity gym, with 300 more in overflow seating.

New Balance signed Flagg last August, showcasing him in an ad that highlighted his hometown roots — including driveway hoops. At that time, Flagg explained that he chose New Balance, at least partly for the privately-held company’s New England base. New Balance is headquartered in Boston and manufactures some of its shoes in a factory in Skowhegan, Maine, less than 30 miles from Flagg’s home.

The company says the campaign is about grit over glitz.

“Flagg Day is about putting in the work; it’s the culmination of years and years of early mornings and late nights,” New Balance says in its announcement. “No glitz, no glamour, just the ball, the court, and the enjoyment of the experience.”

New Balance, with annual sales of $8 billion, compared to Nike’s $47.8 billion, punches above its weight in athlete endorsements. The company’s athlete roster includes the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, Cameron Brink, who plays for the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, and Coco Gauff, currently ranked No. 2 in women’s World Tennis Association. The addition of Flagg underscores a marketing playbook built on authenticity.

The company’s approach stands in contrast to the Dallas Mavericks’ more traditional draft party at the American Airlines Center, where tickets benefit the Mavs Foundation and the first 5,000 fans will snag giveaways.

Flagg, who reportedly earned $28 million through NIL deals before turning pro, including $13 million from New Balance, represents the brand’s bid to fuse local pride with national ambitions.