The Dallas Mavericks have officially selected Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
The selection, announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, marks just the second time in franchise history that the Mavericks have selected the first player in the draft. Flagg now joins 1981’s first overall selection, Mark Aguirre.
As previouslyreported byThe Dallas Express, the Mavericks obtained this selection by jumping up in the draft for the first time in franchise history, entering the NBA Lottery with just a 1.8% chance to finish with the first pick.
This selection comes as no surprise following reports that Flagg joined the Mavericks for a visit in Dallas last week, proceeding toparticipate in a workout and dinner with both future teammates and franchise executives.
Notably, Flagg did not meet with any other NBA teams, and the Mavericks did not meet with a single other prospect, providing a clear indication that both sides knew who would be selected with the top pick.
Flagg has been heralded as one of the most elite NBA prospects in recent memory, with many ranking him above prospects such as Victor Wembanyama and Zion Williamson.
The 6-foot-9 forward put together one of the most impressive freshman seasons in collegiate basketball history,averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game while leading Duke to the Final Four.
These performances helped Flaggearn the title of first-team All-American, National Player of the Year, and National Freshman Player of the Year.
Although the newest member of the Mavericks has not signed a deal with the Mavericks at this point, the expectation is that he will sign a four-yearcontract worth roughly $62.7 million, according to Spotrac.
Flagg has now become one of the few first-round selections to join a franchise prepared to compete for a championship in his rookie season. The Mavericks are expected to be one of the most competitive teams in the NBA next season.
Dallas will enter the season with high expectations despite trading away superstar Luka Doncic during the 2024-25 season. At the beginning of the offseason, the team had very few roster holes.
While there may not be many holes, Dallas will still look to add an additional guard to the roster to account for Kyrie Irving’s recovery time. Irving will likely miss over half the season due to a torn ACL.
Recentreports indicate that the Mavericks could look to add future Hall of Fame point guard Chris Paul, but other options for the team could include players such as Dennis Schroder, Lonzo Ball, or Tyus Jones.