June 17, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) reacts during the second half against the Golden State Valkyries at College Park Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Paige Bueckers gives advice to future Maverick Cooper Flagg

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Keenan Womack | Last updated Jun 18, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Like their NBA counterpart, Dallas' WNBA franchise won the top pick in the 2025 Draft, where they took UConn superstar Paige Bueckers, a generational talent that finished off her legendary collegiate career by winning a National Championship with the Huskies. Already, she is becoming one of the WNBA's biggest names, averaging 17.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game in her rookie season, and helping to develop the brand of women's sports in the DFW metroplex.

If anyone understands the gravity of expectations of being selected first overall, it's Paige Bueckers. Given this fact, it makes sense that she would be the person to talk to about pressures at the professional level after a dominant career in college.

She did just that when she gave advice to potential (likely) top-overall pick Cooper Flagg recently, discussing the importance of dealing with the intensity of the spotlight: "Just take it in stride," she said to local affiliate WFAA when asked about how she would advise the Duke phenom.

"Don't try to appease people or try to live up the expectations that other people set...Just be who you are. He's a winner, and he's a competitor. He just wnats to contribute to winning, and that's all he cares about...[He should] stay true to who he is and what has gotten him to be the number-one pick."

Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks this past season with the Blue Devils, helping lead them to the Final Four and becoming just the fourth-ever freshman to win the Naismith Award. He is one of the most clear-cut top-picks of the last decade, up there with players like Victor Wembanyama for surefire positioning at the top of his class.

Despite the sins of the past for this Mavericks organization, it will without a doubt be exciting for fanbases of both teams to watch the development of the two first-overall picks as their careers unfold.

This article first appeared on Dallas Mavericks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: