The Dallas Mavericks have officially selected former Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Flagg was immediately linked to the Mavericks after Dallas won the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. The 18-year-old enjoyed an outstanding freshman season at Duke and ultimately declared for the draft as a result. Although there was some trade speculation immediately after they won the lottery, the Mavericks were always expected to select Flagg first overall.

Sure enough, Dallas drafted the versatile forward. Flagg is set to join superstars Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving in Dallas, with Irving agreeing to a new $119 million contract despite a torn ACL The Mavs feature enough talent to emerge as a true contender as soon as the 2025-26 campaign. With Flagg on the roster, though, Dallas could contend for years to come.

Flagg was born in Maine. He spent the first portion of his high school basketball career at Nokomis Regional High School in Newport, Maine, before later transferring to Montverde Academy in Montverde, Florida. In 2024, Flagg took home the Gatorade National Player of the Year Award.

Throughout his high school career it became clear that Flagg featured the talent of a future college basketball star. The only question was which program he would attend. He received plenty of interest but ended up committing to Duke.

Flagg was a highly recruited prospect but did not let the pressure negatively impact his performance at Duke. Flagg, who did not turn 18 years old until Dec. 21, 2024, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals per outing. He displayed his all-around basketball prowess with the Blue Devils, establishing himself as the clear front-runner to be selected first in the NBA Draft.

Although Duke fell short of its national championship goa by losing in heartbreaking fashion in the Final Four, Flagg was clearly ready for the next level. After declaring for the draft, the Duke phenom saw the Mavericks land the No. 1 overall pick in a lottery stunner. He answered questions about it with humility, making it clear he knew nothing was guaranteed. However, the NBA world all expected Dallas to select Flagg first overall.

With that now becoming official, Mavs fans are excited for the future with Cooper Flagg on the roster.