Cooper Flagg talks to media ahead of NBA Draft
Cooper Flagg talks to media ahead of NBA Draft
Presumptive first overall pick Cooper Flagg answered questions about his thoughts on Dallas, when he found out about the Luka Doncic trade and his thoughts about the sky-high expectations.
DALLAS - The thought of the Dallas Mavericks selecting Duke superstar Cooper Flagg with the first pick in the NBA Draft is getting more and more real.
Dallas’ No. 1 Pick
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 24: Cooper Flagg speaks during a Media Availability session prior to the 2025 NBA Draft at Lotte New York Palace on June 24, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
What we know:
Wednesday night is set to be one of the biggest nights in the history of the Mavericks organization.
The fan base has been reeling over the loss of Luka Doncic in a trade to the Lakers back in February. But now the team’s fortune has come around with the chance to secure another player with generational talent who is only 18.
Duke’s Cooper Flagg is the projected No. 1 overall pick and the Mavs’ future.
The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in his freshman season at Duke. He was named the ACC Player of the Year and ACC Rookie of the Year, joining previous top NBA Draft picks Zion Williamson, Marvin Bagley III, and Jahlil Okafor as the only players in conference history to win both awards in the same season.
The Maine native was also named to the USA Select team to practice with the United States men's national team ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, where USA Basketball won a gold medal.
The consensus is that he is deserving of all the hoopla.
What they're saying:
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas called Flagg the best player to ever come through Duke and the most complete player in this year’s draft.
"You can put him in so many different places and he can guard multiple positions. And the fact that he's ultra-competitive, but still has the humility that you need, I think, to learn in the league, I don't think the Mavs could have found themselves in a better position to get flagged," he said.
Jay Bilas talks about future Mav Cooper Flagg
Bilas also said Flagg’s court awareness stands out when it comes to his defensive game.
"He's very athletic. And he can run. He can move his feet. And he could stay in front of quick wings. And even also, he's strong enough to deal with bigger players. So, he can guard multi. Talk about guys being a multi-positional defender, he's a really good second jump. He rebounds at a high level, especially on the defensive end. So, I don't have any illusions that he's not going to be an outstanding defender in the league. And so if your mantra is that defense wins championships. He fits that mold," he said.
Local Talent in the NBA Draft
Dig deeper:
The Dallas area has historically been a pipeline for NBA talent, and this year is no different.
Richardson native Liam McNeeley was a standout freshman at the University of Connecticut this past season.
Now the 19-year-old forward is a projected first-rounder. He, too, will see his dream of playing in the NBA come to fruition.
Interestingly, he and Flagg played together for two years at the prestigious Mount Verde Academy in Florida.
Flagg and McNeeley were McDonald’s All-Americans along with another local product – former Texas guard Trey Johnson.
The 19-year-old is a former Lake Highlands star who actually played with McNeeley when they were younger on the Nike ProSkills Dallas team.
NBA Draft Watch Party
What's next:
The Mavs are hosting an NBA Draft watch party on Wednesday evening at the American Airlines Center.
Tickets are $10 with proceeds benefiting the Mavs Foundation.
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. The event is set to start at 6 p.m.
The Source: FOX 4's Sam Gannon gathered details for this story while reporting on the NBA Draft in New York.
Dallas MavericksSports