The Dallas Mavericks made the inevitable a reality on Wednesday by selecting Duke star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Flagg is 18 years and 186 days old, making him the second-youngest No. 1 pick in NBA draft history, behind LeBron James (18 years, 178 days old) in 2003, according to ESPN Research. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks in one season with the Blue Devils.
The Mavericks are the fourth team in the modern draft era (since 1966) to select the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft within a year of reaching the NBA Finals — they had a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery and jumped 10 spots to secure the top pick.
Flagg joins a Dallas team that includes NBA champions Kyrie Irving, who suffered a torn ACL in March, and Anthony Davis alongside Klay Thompson, P.J. Washington and Dereck Lively II.
He received a warm welcome to the Lone Star state as local teams praised the Mavericks’ youngest star.
Real recognize real 🤝#FlaggCaptured // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/5NzRrMRgeZ
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) June 26, 2025
FLAGG CAPTURED!
WELCOME TO DALLAS, COOPER! @Academy // #FlaggCaptured #MFFL pic.twitter.com/NJ4RnsR6Lt
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) June 26, 2025
Welcome to Dallas, @Cooper_Flagg! #DallasCowboys x @dallasmavs pic.twitter.com/COhqFEhZAl
— Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) June 26, 2025
New era of Dallas basketball ⭐️
Welcome to Dallas, Cooper! pic.twitter.com/r9tOiWDRPB
— Dallas Wings (@DallasWings) June 26, 2025
COOP can HOOP 🏀⚽️
Welcome to Dallas, Cooper 🫡 pic.twitter.com/uhRlIQ4n3j
— FC Dallas (@FCDallas) June 26, 2025
Cooper Flagg is coming to Dallas!🔥 pic.twitter.com/Rsfo4XyJf7
— Dallas Trinity FC (@dallastrinityfc) June 26, 2025
FLAGG DAY 👿🐴@Cooper_Flagg ➡️ @dallasmavs pic.twitter.com/mFGg7jwLjK
— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) June 26, 2025