Who is Cooper Flagg? Meet the projected No. 1 pick the Mavs could take in the 2025 NBA Draft

CHICAGO — The ping pong balls bounced in the Dallas Mavericks’ favor on Monday evening.

For the first time in franchise history, the Mavs secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — and with that pick likely comes a name you’ll be hearing a lot in the coming weeks: Cooper Flagg.

The 6-foot-9 forward out of Duke University is widely projected to be the top overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and has long been seen as a franchise-altering talent.

So, who is Cooper Flagg? And why is he the name most linked to the Mavericks at No. 1?

Flagg made headlines well before he arrived at Duke, starring in the high school ranks and becoming the first-ever sophomore to win the Naismith Boys High School Player of the Year. Known for his defensive motor, athleticism and feel for the game, the Maine native was considered one of the most college-ready freshmen in years when he began his college career this past fall.

• Position: SF/PF
• Height/Weight: 6’9″, 205 lbs
• Points per game: 19.2
• Rebounds per game: 7.5
• Assists per game: 4.2
• Blocks per game: 1.4
• 3-point FG%: 38.5%

For the Mavs, adding Flagg would be about more than just drafting the best player available — it could mark the start of a new chapter. 

With Luka Dončić now in Los Angeles and Dallas is reshaping its identity, Flagg offers the franchise a chance to build around a young star while still competing with established veterans like Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Flagg’s elite defense, size and high basketball IQ could make him a seamless fit on both ends of the floor with this current Mavericks roster.

He doesn’t need the ball to be effective, and his defensive presence could immediately lift the Mavericks’ versatility on that side of the court. 

Longterm, he has the tools to be the face of an NBA franchise. Will he get there? Only time will tell.