Kyrie Irving Said To Be ‘Remarkably Excited’ About Playing With Cooper Flagg After Mavs Win Lottery

Despite just a 1.8 percent chance, Dallas walked away with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft — and with it, the presumed rights to Cooper Flagg, the highly touted forward from Duke.

And while star guard Kyrie Irving is expected to miss a significant portion — if not all — of next season due to a torn Achilles suffered shortly after the All-Star break, he’s still very much engaged behind the scenes.

In fact, a source familiar with the situation told Hoops Wire that Irving is “remarkably excited” about the possibility of teaming up with Flagg, calling it a “rare chance to help shape the future with someone who shares his Duke lineage and sky-high potential.”

“He sees this as a way to mentor while he heals,” the source added.

Of course, Flagg isn’t walking into a bare cupboard. With Anthony Davis now in the fold following the blockbuster Luka Dončić trade, the Mavericks still have an All-NBA presence anchoring the paint. Davis will be instrumental in easing Flagg’s transition into the league, providing both protection on the court and a blueprint off it.

Still, it’s Flagg who instantly becomes the face of the Mavs’ long-term vision — and possibly the entire NBA’s next marquee star. At 6-foot-9 with a motor that rarely shuts off, Flagg is widely expected to go No. 1 overall and has drawn comparisons ranging from young Kevin Garnett to a bouncier Shane Battier with better scoring chops.

Whether it all fits together — Davis, a healthy Kyrie, and a maturing Flagg — is a question for next spring. But for now, a franchise that had been limping ever since Dončić was dealt finally caught a break. And as unlikely as it was, they may have just found their new cornerstone.

The next era in Dallas could be arriving a lot sooner than anyone expected.