The Dallas Mavericks were gifted the first overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft when they won the Lottery on Monday, jumping up despite having just a 1.8% chance. That puts them essentially on the clock with more than a month to make an easy choice: take Duke star Cooper Flagg.
Flagg is a rare prospect in the mold of Anthony Davis and Victor Wembanyama as a can't-miss player. And for a team that seemingly had no long-term hope after trading away Luka Doncic in February, a talent like Flagg is a saving grace.
READ MORE: ESPN NBA analyst believes Mavericks should trade Cooper Flagg pick for superstar
Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg
Apr 4, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Cooper Flagg (2) during a practice session for the Final Four of the 2025 NCAA tournament at Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Duke Men's Basketball Coach Jon Scheyer shared his thoughts about Flagg possibly going to Dallas on SportsCenter from the ACC annual meetings.
"Well, for me, the first thing I thought of is that he gets to be with Dereck Lively," Scheyer started. "And Dereck, as a head coach, was the first guy to get drafted. So, to go from the first lottery pick that I've coached to who I think is gonna be the number one pick. That's a pretty special thing to think about those two guys together.
"Obviously Kyrie, the Duke connection as well. I think Cooper would be incredible there, and it's crazy, we never talked about Dallas, it's amazing how things work out. It would be an incredible spot for him."
"For me the first thing I thought of is he gets to be with Dereck Lively."
Duke HC Jon Scheyer on Cooper Flagg possibly joining the Mavs after they landed the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft lottery 💪 pic.twitter.com/g0AcLoxNbd
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 13, 2025
Flagg was the top prospect in the 2024 recruiting class even despite reclassifying, while Lively was the top prospect in the 2022 recruiting class on ESPN. Irving was the 2nd ranked prospect on 247 in the 2010 recruiting class, so the Mavericks could have a lot of high Duke pedigree on their roster moving forward.
READ MORE: NBA insider reveals chances Mavericks trade Cooper Flagg pick
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