The Dallas Mavericks have made a historic move, selecting Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in Wednesday night’s NBA Draft. This marks only the second time in franchise history that the Mavericks have held the top pick the first being in 1981, when they chose Mark Aguirre.
Who is Cooper Flagg?
Flagg, an 18-year-old from Newport, Maine, arrives in Dallas with sky-high expectations after a standout freshman season at Duke. The 6-foot-8, 221-pound forward dominated college basketball, earning unanimous All-American honors and winning both the Wooden and Naismith Awards.
He averaged 19.4 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks, and 1.4 steals per game while leading the Blue Devils to a 35-4 record and a Final Four berth.
Dallas Maverics announce Flagg's jersey number
Dallas Mavericks announced that Flagg will wear jersey No 32, joining fellow Duke alumni Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II on the roster. Flagg is expected to be a key piece in a frontcourt rotation that includes 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis, centers Lively and Daniel Gafford, and forwards PJ Washington, Naji Marshall, and Caleb Martin.
His selection comes just months after the Mavericks stunned fans by trading superstar Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1 a move that sparked outrage among the Dallas faithful, some of whom threatened to abandon the team altogether.
Flagg’s potential was evident long before he stepped onto the court for Duke. He turned heads during the U.S. Olympic team’s training camp last summer, setting the stage for what many predicted would be a No. 1 selection.
Flagg joins prestigious list of NBA players
Flagg joins a prestigious list that includes Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson, and Paolo Banchero continuing Duke’s tradition of producing top NBA talent.
After back-to-back international top picks Victor Wembanyama in 2023 and Zaccharie Risacher in 2024 Flagg’s selection signals a return to the one-and-done college star era that defined the draft for much of the 2010s.
