The 2025 NBA Draft may already have its consensus No. 1 pick in Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, but that hasn’t stopped other franchises from doing their due diligence. Despite the Dallas Mavericks securing the top overall selection in the lottery and reports strongly indicating they plan to take Flagg, the Boston Celtics met with the projected top pick during the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago, according to NBA insider Kevin O’Connor.
“I have multiple sources telling me the Celtics also interviewed Cooper Flagg,” O’Connor said. “Now, this does not mean they are going to trade up into the Top 10, but I do think it’s interesting at least the way it works at the draft combine. Teams can interview up to 13 players, and they rank the players that they most want to interview.”
Flagg’s meteoric rise through the basketball ranks has made him one of the most anticipated American prospects in years.
From leading Nokomis Regional High School in Maine to its first-ever state championship as a freshman to winning a national title at Montverde Academy, Flagg has consistently delivered on the biggest stages.
His lone season at Duke only solidified his standing as a future star, earning Naismith Men’s Player of the Year and ACC Player of the Year honors.
Celtics connection adds intrigue amid offseason uncertainty
Boston’s interest in interviewing Flagg at the combine might raise eyebrows considering they currently hold no pick inside the top 10, let alone No. 1.
But several factors give the move added context. The Celtics are navigating a postseason clouded by uncertainty following the Achilles injury to Jayson Tatum, and offseason speculation suggests the franchise may consider shaking up its core.
Moreover, Flagg himself has a well-documented affinity for Boston. A report from July 2024 revealed that he used to binge-watch the 1986 Celtics, one of the franchise’s most iconic squads. That personal connection may not have immediate draft implications, but it highlights Flagg‘s deep basketball roots and admiration for Celtics history.
While it’s unlikely Boston could move up high enough to land the 6-foot-9 forward-especially with Dallas almost certainly locking him in-their decision to use one of their limited interview slots on him speaks volumes.
As for Flagg, his stock remains untouchable heading into the draft. With the Mavericks in possession of the No. 1 pick and a retooled roster headlined by Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, and Klay Thompson, the 18-year-old could be joining a contender immediately.
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