While the focus remains on the NBA Finals—which will officially conclude Sunday night when the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder face off in Game 7—attention is already beginning to shift toward the 2025 NBA draft, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday.
The first round will take place on Wednesday, with the second round unfolding the following day. The biggest name in this year’s draft remains Duke Blue Devils superstar Cooper Flagg, who is widely expected to go No. 1 overall to the Dallas Mavericks.
On Saturday, Flagg arrived in Brooklyn, New York ahead of the big night. With several pre-draft festivities on the schedule, he sent a strong and heartfelt message, sharing that many people from his home state of Maine will be making the trip to the Barclays Center to support him.
“I'm excited—should be a fun week, filled with a bunch of events," Flagg said. "I feel blessed to be here. It means a lot. A bunch of my family and friends are making the trip up from Maine to celebrate. Hopefully I’ll hear my name called. It’s just a really cool and special experience.”
Flagg capped off a private meeting and workout with the Mavericks earlier this week, and all signs continue to point toward him being the first player to hear his name called on Wednesday night. Several of his Duke teammates—including Kon Knueppel and Khaman Maluach—are also expected to be selected shortly after.
During his standout freshman season, Flagg helped lead the Blue Devils to both the ACC regular season and conference tournament titles, as well as a Final Four appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
Former Duke forward Cooper Flagg at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
Former Duke forward Cooper Flagg at the 2025 NBA Draft Combine.
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He led the team in nearly every major statistical category, averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game. His dominant year earned him the Wooden Award, Naismith College Player of the Year, and both ACC Player and Rookie of the Year honors.