NEWARK, NEW JERSEY – MARCH 26: Cooper Flagg #2 of the Duke Blue Devils looks on during a practice session ahead of the Sweet 16 in the East Regional of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Prudential Center on March 26, 2025 in Newark, New Jersey. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Cooper Flagg Not Celebrating: The Dallas Mavericks used the top pick in the NBA Draft Thursday night to take Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Experts say Flagg is a once in a lifetime player. Upon his selection one of his sponsors, Gatorade, released a new commercial where someone asked Flagg how we should celebrate being the top pick. He answered, "Don't. I will let you know when there's something to celebrate." Instant classic.
Getting Flagg is a nice rebound for the Mavericks and GM Nico Harrison after he botched the Luka Doncic trade to the Lakers. This pick should quiet cranky Mavs fans for a while. And the ability to select him was a gift since the Mavs only had a 1.8 percent chance of landing the first choice as a result of the NBA's shaky Draft Lottery process.
The most amazing thing about Flagg and his abilities is he should just be graduating high school. He reclassified so he could go to college a year early. He does not turn 19 until December. What is even more amazing is despite his youth his is a pretty complete player in all areas of his game. In his lone season at Duke he averaged 19 points per game, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals and led the Blue Devils to the Final Four with a 35-4 record. Not bad!
COOPER FLAGG NOT CELEBRATING
Flagg not celebrating, yet! Flagg arrives on a Dallas team that has more talent than most teams picking number one. Kyrie Irving is coming off an injury but just signed a three year extension. They acquired 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis in the Luka deal. And they have Dereck Lively II around some young talent and Jason Kidd is a pretty solid coach.
Kidd could have landed the New York Knicks job that opened up but probably stayed in Dallas in order to coach Flagg. While, "Flagg not celebrating yet," is the headline we eagerly await his performance at the next level in the NBA. For more NBA talk and analysis tune in each weekday to Craig Shemon and Company from 2-6pm on ESPN Southwest Florida.
