Cooper Flagg is poised to enter the NBA in 2025-26 as the top overall pick of the Dallas Mavericks. After the Mavericks stunned the NBA by winning the league's draft lottery on Monday, Flagg is expected to tip off a new era of Dallas basketball following the franchise's controversial trade of superstar Luka Doncic in February.
However, fans do not seem too excited yet about Flagg's imminent arrival in the NBA. Per Sports Media Watch, ESPN's coverage of the Draft Lottery drew just under two million viewers, sparking fears that the "Flagg effect" is not as pronounced as some expected.
Flagg had already been tipped for NBA stardom by the time he transferred to Montverde Academy in Florida after his freshman year of high school. The Maine native was the consensus top prospect in the 2024 class, ranked first by ESPN, Rivals and 247 Sports before he committed to Duke for his sole season of college basketball.
Flagg led Duke to a Final Four appearance in 2024-25, on his way to garnering All-American and national player of the year honors from several organizations. The 6'9'' power forward averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, showcasing his mature, well-rounded game that is expected to translate seamlessly to the NBA.
While NBA fans may not have been too keen to watch the conclusion of the Flagg sweepstakes on Monday, they are tuning in to this season's playoffs at a higher rate than a season ago.
Through Monday, playoff games broadcast on ABC, ESPN, TNT and NBA TV have seen a five percent increase in viewership relative to 2024, showing that the league Flagg will enter is drawing healthier numbers than it was earlier this season.