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The Dallas Mavericks used the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to select former Duke superstar Cooper Flagg.
Flagg is now the first White American to be drafted with the first overall pick since Kent Benson in 1977, according to Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated.
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Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cooper Flagg arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)
Flagg was the consensus top pick going into this year’s draft process after having one of the most electric freshman years in college basketball history this past season. Flagg was the top-ranked recruit in the nation when he committed to Duke in October 2023, and led the Blue Devils all the way to the Final Four.
He earned consensus First Team All-America honors, becoming the first Duke player to do so since Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett in 2019. Flagg also secured both ACC Player and Rookie of the Year awards, a feat achieved by only one other Duke player previously (Williamson).
His freshman season also included breaking the Duke and ACC single-game freshman scoring record with 42 points in a January win against Notre Dame.
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FILE – Duke forward Cooper Flagg celebrates after scoring against the Houston during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)
Meanwhile, the Mavericks ended up with the rights to pick Flagg after a controversial and questionable draft lottery that took place on May 12. Dallas ended up winning the first overall pick in the draft despite having just a 1.8% chance to get the top pick after finishing the season with a 39-43 record.
The team had the 11th-best odds to win the lottery, but mysteriously wound up with the No. 1 pick. The lottery came months after the Mavericks made a questionable trade to send superstar Luka Doncic to LeBron James’ Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, which many experts considered well-below value for Doncic.
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Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts after a three point basket against the Houston Cougars during the first half in the semifinals of the men’s Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. (Bob Donnan-Imagn Images)
James hyped up Flagg’s future in the latest edition of the “Mind the Game” podcast, which is hosted by James and Hall of Famer Steve Nash.
“I personally think that he wants to be great. He had a hell of a year at Duke. A guy that can do so many different things out on the floor. Can play with the ball, can play without the ball. His jump shot is going to continue to get better,” James said.
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