Cooper Flagg set the tone for draft night long before he steps onto the stage in Brooklyn. A few hours ago, he shared a picture of himself strolling down a hotel hallway, with a neon-green Uber Eats bag in one hand and a bright-red Dunkin’ cup in the other.
The Duke Blue Devil averaged 19.2 points, 4.2 assists, and 7.5 rebounds per game. His ascent to the projected No. 1 pick stems from a remarkable journey. From leading Nokomis High School in Maine to a state title as a freshman, he caught the national eye early. His transfer to Montverde Academy, where he helped secure an undefeated season and the 2023-2024 Chipotle High School Nationals title, cemented his elite status.
Flagg’s latest post on Instagram was captioned as:
“The only way to start off draft day.”
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Reclassifying to join Duke in 2024 further accelerated Cooper Flagg’s trajectory. He earned the Naismith National Player of the Year and Wooden Award. His Final Four performance, leading Duke in every primary stat despite a loss to Houston, tells more about his versatility.
Cooper Flagg’s Place in the 2025 NBA Draft and What It Means for His Future
Cooper Flagg fits the modern NBA mold at 6-foot-9 with a 7-foot wingspan. His defensive prowess evokes Scottie Pippen, while his three-level scoring and playmaking dazzle offensively. Shooting 38.5% from three at Duke, he’s a matchup nightmare.
Consensus mocks peg the Charlotte Hornets to select Flagg with the No. 1 pick, pairing his two-way versatility alongside LaMelo Ball in an immediate backcourt boost.
Behind the scenes, Dallas Mavericks executives are reportedly trading packages to acquire the pick, aiming to insert Flagg into a veteran core headlined by Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
In a recent interaction with reporters, Flagg opened up about him facing pressure at Mavericks after Luka Doncic’s departure. He said:
“I wouldn’t look at anything as pressure. I think me going into whatever situation I go into, I’m just going to try to be myself all the time and I’m going push myself to be better and better every single day and make the most out of every day. I’m not worried about living up to certain players’ expectations or things like that.”
If Charlotte keeps the selection, Flagg’s combination of perimeter scoring and defensive switch ability addresses both ends of the floor, filling a clear roster need. Conversely, a Mavericks trade would bank on Flagg’s ability to step into a championship contender, accelerating their title window while leveraging his rookie-scale contract.
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