There was no surprise on Wednesday when Cooper Flagg was drafted No. 1 overall by the Dallas Mavericks. This had been the expectation ever since he arrived at the college level. Flagg has been dominating the game of basketball for some time, and at just 18 years old, the Mavericks secured a generational talent. In fact, Dallas had been signaling their intention to draft Flagg for weeks.
“DLLS Mavericks reporter Kevin Gray posted on X a screenshot from Mavs’ official website that displayed Flagg in Dallas’ white home jersey – part of a premature ‘Welcome to Dallas’ graphic that was quickly removed from the team’s site,” Yahoo Sports’ Jeremy Beren wrote.
Flagg excels on both ends of the court. Some believe his two-way ability is truly rare.
“Flagg is considered a potentially generational type of two-way prospect. He’s been ticketed as a future No. 1 pick for several years due to the seeming likelihood that he becomes an elite player on both sides of the ball,” CBS Sports’ Jared Dubin wrote.
Flagg is also set to earn a significant rookie payday. If he meets all performance incentives, he could eventually surpass the career earnings of superstars like LeBron James, Shohei Ohtani, and others. While he wore No. 2 at Duke, he will switch to No. 32 in Dallas—a number that carries special meaning for him. He wore it in high school as a tribute to his mother.
“There’s a family tie to the number choice. No. 32 is the same number Flagg’s mother, Kelly, wore in high school. She wore it because Duke legend Christian Laettner was her favorite player,” CBS Sports’ Robby Kalland wrote.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Flagg is already a well-liked figure on the court and someone many young players look up to. This story only adds to his appeal. He could have continued building his brand with No. 2, but instead, he chose to honor his mom—something he’ll now carry with him throughout his career.
