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Cooper Flagg ‘Thrilled’ At Prospect Of Being Drafted By Mavericks
Vivek Jacob is a freelance sports writer with over seven years experience. During this time, he has written for outlets including The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Sportsnet, CBC, and Complex. Primarily covering the NBA, Vivek also covers tennis, soccer, and cricket.
All posts by Vivek JacobUpdated3 hours ago on May 14, 2025
Consensus No. 1 draft prospect Cooper Flagg is “thrilled” by the opportunity to be drafted by the Dallas Mavericks. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony reported the news.
Flagg is said to have been initially shocked by how the draft lottery played out. Dallas entered the lottery with just a 1.8 percent chance and won it. The Washington Wizards and Utah Jazz were among the three teams with the best shot at No. 1 but instead fell outside the top four.
Having the chance to play on a postseason-caliber roster with a strong veteran presence is very appealing to Flagg. With Kyrie Irving expected to miss most of the season, Flagg will also have plenty of opportunity to showcase and grow his individual game.
It’s been a dramatic turn of emotions for Mavs fans, receiving this gift of a pick-me-up after wallowing in the pain of the Luka Doncic trade for months.
Earlier reports also indicated Dallas fully intends on keeping the pick instead of trading it in another “win-now” move.
Flagg is currently impressing scouts and executives alike in Chicago at the NBA Draft Combine.
How Does Flagg Figure Into Mavs’ Rotation?
Flagg would immediately enter the starting lineup alongside Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson. Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford have had a bit of a timeshare at center, so how that early chemistry plays out with Flagg could factor into who starts.
The Mavs also won’t want to task Flagg with too much of the ball-handling responsibilities early in his career. With that being the case, it’s quite possible Spencer Dinwiddie operates as the starting point guard.
With Max Christie, P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall and Caleb Martin, among others off the bench, this could certainly be a competitive team out West even before Irving returns.
Dallas only played nine games with Davis this season, going 6-3. It finished 39-43 on the year and lost in the Play-In Tournament.
The Memphis Grizzlies finished as the eighth seed with 48 wins, setting a benchmark for the Mavs to chase next season.
