Presumptive No. 1 2025 NBA Draft decide Cooper Flagg’s camp seemingly thinks he’ll reinvigorate the Dallas Mavericks instantly, nevertheless it may very well be in for a actuality verify.
Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer has recommended the 6-foot-9, 205-pound ahead may turn out to be an instantaneous game-changer for the Mavericks, assuming they take him within the first spherical of the draft on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET.
“Dallas has been fortunate for therefore a few years,” Scheyer mentioned, per ESPN’s Baxter Holmes. “They have been in a position to watch [Dirk Nowitzki], [Luka Doncic] — so many profitable groups. Now, you have bought a man in Cooper, who I feel will carry that custom ahead.”
Carrying that custom, although, may turn out to be a burden for Flagg throughout his rookie season.
The Mavericks have star guard Kyrie Irving, however he tore the ACL in his left knee in March and will not return till January 2026.
Mavericks ahead Anthony Davis — who has performed in 75 regular-season video games or extra 3 times in 13 seasons — can also be injury-prone. After the Mavericks dealt star guard Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Davis in February, he performed in 9 regular-season video games for Dallas due to groin, thigh, adductor and stomach points.
If Davis and Irving miss important time, Flagg could have to hold the Mavericks, and a surging Western Convention would solely amplify that problem.
The Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder gained the 2024-25 championship and has a robust likelihood to repeat. As of Tuesday, FanDuel Sportsbook gives Oklahoma City the very best odds (+210) to win the 2025-26 title.
The Minnesota Timberwolves may very well be on the verge of one thing huge after consecutive Western Convention Finals appearances, and the Houston Rockets probably improved their championship probabilities after including ahead Kevin Durant in a blockbuster trade with the Phoenix Suns on Sunday.
Let’s not neglect about Doncic and the Lakers. The five-time All-Star continues to be most likely salty concerning the commerce from Dallas, which can gasoline him subsequent season.
Dallas, in the meantime, regressed final season after making the 2024 NBA Finals. It went 39-43 within the common season, and the Memphis Grizzlies eradicated it within the play-in match.
Flagg — who averaged 19.6 factors per sport in 37 video games in a single season at Duke — is broadly thought-about a uncommon prospect. Brian Scalabrine, who performed 11 seasons within the NBA and is Flagg’s coach, mentioned his basketball IQ is “on par” with Los Angeles Lakers ahead LeBron James, per NBC News’ Rohan Nadkarni and Olympia Sonnier.
James, nevertheless, did not lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to the playoffs after they chose him with the No. 1 decide within the 2003 draft. Flagg could not information the Mavericks to the postseason both, particularly together with his camp seeming unaware of the scenario he is coming into.
