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Jason Kidd’s Immediate Message To Cooper Flagg Revealed

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Robert Marvi | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 11:53 PM ET

It is official: Duke phenom Cooper Flagg is a member of the Dallas Mavericks after he was selected with the No. 1 pick in Wednesday's NBA draft.

For months, people have been enthralled by Flagg's potential. At 6-foot-9, he can do just about anything on the basketball court at a high level—score, handle the ball, pass, rebound and defend—and scouts have raved about his competitiveness.

Right after the Mavs took Flagg, head coach Jason Kidd called him and welcomed him to the organization.

"You can breathe now," Kidd said. "Welcome to the Mavs family. We're excited."

Jason Kidd calling Cooper Flagg after the Mavericks drafted him.#MFFL

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— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) June 26, 2025

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks a game and shot 48.1% from the field and 38.5% from 3-point range this past season. Duke lost in the Final Four round of the men's NCAA Tournament to Houston despite possessing plenty of talent, including other players who also went in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

Some have compared the 18-year-old to Scottie Pippen, the Hall of Famer who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Pippen could push the ball in transition and was essentially the Bulls' point forward. Pippen consistently scored about 20 points a game and was one of the greatest defenders in basketball history.

After the Mavs traded Luka Doncic in early February, they suffered plenty of bad fortune, including injuries to key players such as Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. But now, their immediate and medium-term future is bright, owning one of the NBA's best frontcourts with Flagg helping to anchor things.

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

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