Cooper Flagg Shares Thoughts on Dallas Mavericks Winning NBA Draft Lottery

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Dible | Last updated May 12, 2025 8:40 PM ET

The Dallas Mavericks will make the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft after trading away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February.

The decision the Mavericks made to move on from the five-time All-NBA superstar at the age of 26 and on the cusp of his prime rocked the league and potentially shifted the balance of power in the Western Conference for years to come.

However, Dallas will now have first right of refusal on a potential replacement for Doncic -- 18-year-old Duke star Cooper Flagg. Flagg is essentially the consensus No. 1 pick in a stacked 2025 draft class and was in attendance at the draft lottery in Chicago on Monday night, May 12.

Flagg joined the hosts of ESPN's coverage of the event immediately after the results went final. Both former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins and ex-Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers -- who were on ESPN's panel -- asked Flagg questions about the Mavericks as though the franchise had already made the pick official when, in fact, that won't happen until June 25.

Flagg was clearly prepared for the moment, as he avoided answering the questions as though his status as the No. 1 pick and future as a Mavericks player had already been decided.

"It's just an incredible experience to be here," Flagg said. "This is what I dreamed of since I was a little kid."

"I didn't try and think about it too much," Flagg said in terms of which team would win the first pick and where he might end up to start his NBA career. "It's kinda out of my control."

Should the Mavericks select Flagg first overall, which is highly likely, he will join a roster that includes two All NBA-caliber players in center Anthony Davis and point guard Kyrie Irving -- both of whom are former NBA champions.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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