Cooper Flagg hasn’t even stepped onto an NBA court, but the Dallas Mavericks are already reaping the rewards of selecting the Duke Blue Devils standout. Team CEO Rick Welts claimed that the rookie has more than made up for the departure of superstar Luka Doncic.
Fans and analysts had long anticipated that the Mavericks would choose Flagg with the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The college basketball phenom had been the clear favorite for over a year, and Dallas’s front office simply confirmed what everyone expected.
The NBA regular season is still four months away, yet the Mavericks are already beginning to see a return on their investment. Fans and sponsors are rushing back, filling the team’s coffers in the process.
The Cooper Flagg Effect
In a recent interview with Bloomberg News, Welts shared that by drafting Flagg, the Mavericks’ front office had won back the fanbase’s support after trading Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers midseason. “Almost 2,000 fans bought $125 Flagg jerseys from pop-up shops at the arena and online,” he noted.
Welts also stated that Flagg’s arrival is reigniting relationships with sponsors who had left following Doncic’s departure. The team “has now more than made up for the lost sponsors and has renewed between 75% and 80% of season tickets-thanks in large part to Flagg,” he said.
According to Welts, the team sold $8 million worth of tickets in the three days following the draft, underscoring the financial impact of Flagg’s arrival-even though he has yet to play a single professional game.
Flagg and the Mavs: A Match Made in Heaven
Expectations are sky-high for the Duke graduate, but both fans and the organization are confident he’s up for the challenge. “I think he’s made for Dallas,” Welts said. “I was struck by how many kids showed up last night,” he added, referring to the Mavericks’ draft party at the American Airlines Center.
“We also drafted a player who won’t turn 19 until next December, so I think there’s a real opportunity for a whole generation of Mavs fans to have their hero,” Welts said, emphasizing the team’s long-term vision for Flagg.
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