Cooper Flagg was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The Duke standout-known for his ice-cold composure, shooting precision, physical toughness, and, most importantly, mental fortitude-has completely shifted the aspirations of the Dallas Mavericks.
His arrival, which seemed highly unlikely given that the Mavericks had just a 1.8% chance of securing the first pick, is now set to catapult the team back into the elite circles of the NBA, where they once stood as a powerhouse to be reckoned with.
Nico Harrison’s redemption arc
After the controversial trade that sent Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, general manager Nico Harrison found himself under intense scrutiny from the team’s fan base. The backlash was fierce, and many feared a similar outcome could happen with Cooper Flagg.
However, the doubts began to subside when Harrison outlined the team’s vision: everything moving forward will revolve around their new gem, former Duke phenom Cooper Flagg.
It’s worth recalling that Flagg posted eye-popping numbers during his lone season with the Blue Devils: 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game-leading Duke all the way to the Final Four.
But that’s only part of the story for the 18-year-old rising star. During his brief collegiate career, he also won the Wooden Award, was named ACC Rookie of the Year, and earned a spot on the ACC All-Defensive Team. Not a bad résumé for the Mavericks’ top pick-who is now expected to become the franchise cornerstone.
When asked about Flagg’s arrival and whether he fits the franchise’s identity and values, Nico Harrison didn’t hold back:
I think the biggest thing is he’s a two-way player. When you watch him play, he plays hard; when you have a guy that does that, it makes basketball plays.
When you talk about the stuff that people talk about him, they don’t talk about basketball with him. They talk about all the intangibles. When you have a player that’s that good and people talk about the intangibles, they don’t talk about basketball. Then that’s a guy who’s gonna add to your culture.
The Mavericks’ front office made it clear that there’s no room for players with poor conditioning, questionable diets, or declining discipline in their organization.
With the door now fully closed on the Luka Doncic era, Dallas has entered a full-scale rebuild-this time with Cooper Flagg at its core, and Kyrie Irving playing a pivotal role.
When asked by a reporter whether more player additions were on the horizon, especially in light of Kyrie Irving’s injury and projected return in January, Harrison responded:
That’s gonna be part of free agency. We’ll have to try to-first of all, you can’t replace Kyrie. But our goal will be to try to get a piece that helps us bridge the gap while he’s out. That will be what we focus on next.
The Mavericks’ renaissance is set to begin immediately this season. With the stars aligning for them to land the best talent in the draft, Dallas is ready to rebuild around Flagg-complemented by elite veteran presence.
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