The Dallas Mavericks selected Duke phenom Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday night.
The announcement ended a months-long buildup for the 18-year-old Flagg, who had long been projected as the top pick. The only question was which team would get a chance to take him, and the Mavericks earned that opportunity when they won the NBA Draft lottery last month despite 1.8 percent odds.
Flagg figures to quickly provide a new face of the franchise for the Mavericks, who drew ire from their fan base after trading Luke Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers last season.
The 6-foot-8, 221-pound Flagg helped guide Duke to an NCAA FInal Four appearance after averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks as a freshman. He won the Wooden Award as the nation’s best player along with taking home other honors including ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC All-Defensive Team.
The Mavericks had the No. 1 overall pick for the second time in franchise history. They also had the top selection in 1981, when they drafted Mark Aguirre out of DePaul.
Cooper Flagg selected first overall by Dallas Mavericks in 2025 NBA Draft
By NBA Premium News
Jun 26, 2025 | 4:19 AM