Maine
Who was that raining 3-pointers and crossing over NBA stars at US Olympic practice? It’s Maine’s Cooper Flagg. – The Boston Globe
Cooper Flagg is 17 years old. He held his own against them all.
The story of practice for the US Olympic basketball team on Monday was Flagg, who hasn’t even played his first college game yet. The Duke freshman — part of the select team that was invited to work out against the Olympic squad during their training camp and widely believed to be in the mix as the No. 1 pick in next year’s draft — looked totally at ease going against some of the NBA’s biggest names.
“The opportunity, it was great,” Flagg said. “It was a blessing to be here. I think just the physicality, and just the level of where I want to get to, there’s a lot to get better at, a lot where I need to keep improving. This showed just how big the details are.”
Maine’s Cooper Flagg is dominating this USA scrimmage:
Turnaround jumper over Jrue, 3 in AD’s face, and soaring and-1 putback as he’s knocked to ground.
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) July 8, 2024
He will surely get better. That might be a scary concept.
“He kicked butt here,” US select team coach Jamahl Mosley of the Orlando Magic said. “There’s a respect factor for what he’s done. People who have not seen him play, as he gets himself going within the game, they quickly see what he can do.”
The select team is typically made up of young NBA players, brought in to scrimmage the national team and help them prepare for either World Cup or Olympic competition. Flagg was the first college player asked to be part of the select team since Doug McDermott and Marcus Smart were asked to join a mini-camp in 2013.
But those situations weren’t anywhere near the same as Flagg being part of this camp. McDermott had played 110 college games for Creighton at that point and was a two-time consensus All-American. Smart was coming off a freshman season when he won Big 12 Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors at Oklahoma State. They were already proven.
Flagg has zero college points. He still proved plenty in this camp.
“He wants it,” US guard Devin Booker said. “I know this experience, he’s going to take with him and move forward.”
In Monday’s scrimmage — the Olympic team beat the select team 74-73 — Flagg was in the middle of everything down the stretch and looked perfectly comfortable. And when it was over, there were plenty of pictures with everyone; the select team’s final day in camp was Monday, though some may be invited to stick around to continue assisting the Olympic squad.
“To be able to do what he did, not even playing a college game, let alone an NBA game, there’s no fear,” select team forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. of the Miami Heat said. “It’s relentless. And the thing that you can tell about him is that he just has a knack and the will to win. He doesn’t need the ball. He just finds a way to it. And the ball finds its way to him. That’s something that you can’t teach. He’s just got a great feel for the game.”
Flagg is a 6-foot-9-inch forward from Newport, Maine, but played his last three years of high school basketball at Montverde Academy in Florida. He chose Duke over UConn, was USA Basketball’s male athlete of the year in 2022 after leading the Americans to gold at the U17 World Cup, and was the Gatorade National Player of the Year, Naismith Player of the Year and a McDonald’s All-American in his final high school season.
“I was shocked, I was surprised, and I was really excited for this opportunity,” Flagg said. “And I’m just really blessed that I was able to come out and capitalize on it and show what I have. I was really grateful to come out and learn. That was the biggest thing for me, just being able to learn and grow, to share a gym with all of these great, great names. Legends. So, I’m just truly blessed.”
Maine
Rage Room in Portland, Maine, Developing ‘Scream Room’ Addition
For a lot of people throughout Maine, there’s some built up frustration that they’ve just been keeping inside.
That frustration can come in a lot of different forms. From finances to relationships to the world around you.
So it makes plenty of sense that a rage room opened in Portland, Maine, where people can let some of that frustration out.
It’s called Mayhem and people have been piling in to smash, crush and do dastardly things to inanimate objects that had no idea what was coming.
But Mayhem has realized not everyone is down with swinging a sledgehammer. So they’ve decided to cook up something new.
Mayhem Creating ‘Scream Room’ at Their Space in Portland, Maine
Perhaps the thought of swinging a baseball bat and destroying a glass vase brings you joy. The thought of how sore your body will be after that moment makes you less excited.
Mayhem Portland has heard you loud and clear and is developing a new way to get the rage out. By just screaming.
Mayhem is working on opening their very first scream room. It’s exactly what you think it is, a safe place to spend some time just screaming all of the frustration out.
There isn’t an official opening date set yet but it’s coming soon along with pricing.
Mayhem in Portland, Maine, Will Still Offer Rage Rooms and Paint Splatter
While a scream room is on the way, you can still experience a good time at Mayhem with one of their rage rooms or a paint splatter room.
Both can be experienced in either 20-minute or 30-minute sessions.
All the details including some age and attire requirements can be found here.
TripAdvisor’s Top 10 Things to do in Portland, Maine
Looking for fun things to do in Portland, ME? Here is what the reviewers on TripAdvisor say are the 10 best attractions.
This list was updated in March of 2026
Gallery Credit: Chris Sedenka
Top 15 of The Most Powerful People in Maine
Ever wonder who the most powerful players are in Maine? I’ve got a list!
Gallery Credit: Getty Images
Maine
Maine competition gives creative entrepreneurs the chance to win money
BANGOR, Maine (WABI) – If you’ve ever wondered what goes into pitching a good business idea, you might want to stop by a Big Gig event.
The Big Gig Entrepreneurship Pitch Off brings professionals from across the state together to network and pitch their early-stage business ideas for a chance to win $500.
Tuesday’s competition was held at the Salty Brick Market in Bangor, and it drew a lot of spectators.
“The winners of each semifinal event get $500 and the opportunity to compete for $5,000, so that can make a huge impact on a business that’s just getting off the ground,” said Renee Kelly, a Big Gig organizer.
The winner of the competition, Colin McGuire, was also grateful for the opportunity to showcase his idea “Art on Tap,” which would connect local artists with local venues trying to put on events.
“The support tonight is huge, and it’s just giving me more enthusiasm for running with the idea,” he said.
The season finale of the competition will be held May 19th.
The location is yet to be determined.
If you’d like to apply to compete in the contest, you can go to biggig.org.
Copyright 2026 WABI. All rights reserved.
Maine
This Monster Burrito Challenge in Waterville, Maine, Is Not for the Weak
Are you up for a Maine food challenge, or are your eyes bigger than your stomach?
A Waterville staple, Buen Apetito has a monster burrito just waiting for someone to eat it down to the very last bite.
This thing is a beast, literally called La Bestia, and it’s definitely a mighty task for a fearless foodie.
Take on the Buen Apetito La Bestia Food Challenge in Waterville, Maine
According to Buen Apetito, if you can finish a super-sized burrito in 30 minutes or less, you’ll get the $60 meal for free, a La Bestia champion shirt, and a picture on the wall of fame. That’s not to mention the bragging rights of dominating a task few will be able to conquer.
Wondering what’s in the burrito?
The Mexican restaurant shared in a Facebook comment on a post that the burrito is filled with “grilled chicken, chorizo, and tender shredded beef or pork. Built on a layer of seasoned rice, refried beans, and French fries, it’s melted together with a shredded Mexican cheese blend and a drizzle of creamy cheese sauce, sautéed peppers and onions, green salsa, pico de gallo, sour cream, creamy guacamole, and a bed of shredded lettuce all wrapped in three extra-large tortillas fused into one epic wrap.”
Let’s just say that this thing is packed full.
The first La Bestia contender took up his fork and knife in December 2025, but despite coming close, he couldn’t come out with the win.
As of March 2026, the challenge has remained undefeated. But you never know, someone is bound to come out victorious.
Just note that you can only try your hand at this food challenge on Wednesday and Thursday.
Buen Apetito Has Been a Longstanding Waterville, Maine, Restaurant
First opened in 1999, Buen Apeitito has been around for nearly 30 years.
Centralmaine.com reported that the Mexican restaurant was originally located at the Railroad Square complex off Chaplin Street before moving to 99 West River Road in 2023.
A little over a year later, in 2024, Buen Apetito shared on Facebook that it was passing on the torch to new owners, including Dalia, “the heart and soul of [the] kitchen for twenty years,” her daughter, Norma, and Norma’s husband, Shawn.
READ MORE: Famous Maine Restaurant Buen Apetito Adds Powerhouse New Owner to Crew
And it seems like not only are things still going strong, but new additions like La Bestia food challenge are only enhancing the spirit of big flavor and delicious Mexican food at the Waterville staple.
So, you think you’re up for the task of taking down a beast of a burrito at Buen Apetito? Good luck.
You Know You’re From Maine If You’ve Tried All 19 of These Foods
Here’s a number of foods associated with Maine. How many of them have you had?
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
The New York Time’s Best Restaurant Lists Feature These 7 Maine Spots
Gallery Credit: Sean McKenna
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