Cooper Flagg News: Headed to Dallas as No. 1 pick

Flagg was selected by the Mavericks with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Flagg's selection with the top pick comes as little surprise, as he has sat atop almost every mock for the 2025 draft since he opted to reclassify and graduate high school a year early last spring. He's regarded as one of the best draft prospects in recent history, possessing elite defensive traits and a basketball IQ well beyond his years. Comparatively speaking, the 18-year-old Flagg's offense has been a weak point. However, he quieted any doubts about the well-roundedness of his skill set by averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists while shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point range during his lone season at Duke. The Maine native surpassed expectations as an off-the-dribble shot creator, getting to his spots and knocking down contested looks all over the floor. Given the presence of Anthony Davis at power forward and Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively at center, Flagg is likely to slot in as the starting small forward during his first season with the Mavericks. While he likely profiles as a tertiary offensive option when Dallas is fully healthy, the long-term absence of Kyrie Irving (knee) to begin the season should boost Flagg's usage early on. Regardless, Flagg should rack up defensive statistics and be a solid contributor across the board as a rookie, with the upside of becoming one of the NBA's premier two-way players.