Mavericks Bet Big on Cooper Flagg with 2025 No.1 NBA Draft Pick
Time to decode: Cooper Flagg just slid into Dallas as the No.1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and, surprise, nobody’s really surprised. The Duke phenom’s name was basically etched on the Mavericks’ draft board months ago, but tonight at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made it official—Dallas is banking its future on an 18-year-old rookie rocking a fresh franchise jersey.
Flagg arrives in Big D under a spotlight that could blind lesser mortals. He’s slated to help fill the Luka Doncic–sized void left by the franchise icon, who got shipped to the Lakers back in February as part of that blockbuster Anthony Davis swap according to NBA.com. No pressure, right? But at least Flagg won’t be going solo: Kyrie Irving re-upped his deal in Dallas, so expect some pick-and-roll highlight reels heading into next season.
Before this draft night headline, Flagg’s resume was pretty stacked. During his freshman year at Duke, he averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game—numbers that earned him AP Player of the Year honors, the Naismith Award, and the John R. Wooden Award all in one go. The Blue Devils ultimately fell to Houston in the Final Four, but Cooper’s all-around game still had scouts buzzing. He was a unanimous pick to the All-American first team and dominated every All-ACC lineup on sight, as reported by both TMZ and college hoops outlets.
From pick-and-pop three-pointers to rim-rattling dunks and unexpected defensive stops, fans got a preview of Flagg’s toolkit all season long. Now, he’ll be putting that skill set to the test alongside veteran big man Davis and ball-handler Irving in a Western Conference that’s never felt more wide open. Dallas’s front office hopes this rookie injection sparks a new era, one where they can keep pace with juggernauts like Denver and Phoenix.
Expect the Mavericks’ social feeds to explode once Flagg posts his first game highlights in the royal blue. Between summer workouts at the team facility and preseason scrimmages, there’s no shortage of content coming for the Dallas faithful. And yes, NBA Twitter will have plenty to say about how the kid from Duke will stack up against established stars on the big stage.
Anyway, that’s the play. You do you.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and TMZ, NBA.com
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
