Cooper Flagg Makes History in NBA Debut

After being selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, former Duke standout Cooper Flagg made his NBA debut Wednesday evening against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.

Flagg, 18, has the weight of the world on his shoulders as although he is facing one of the best young players in the NBA, he has been carrying the mantle of being the next great American prospect. The 6-foot-9 forward who can play all five positions shined at the college level winning the 2025 Naismith Men's College Player of the Year award, ACC Player of the Year and being named a consensus All-American.

However, now he has to prove that the hype surrounding him was warranted. Although just one game into his NBA career, it didn't take long for him to be a part of history.

While Flagg and Wembanyama will make the most headlines, Flagg's classmate and this year's No. 2 overall pick, Dylan Harper, is also on the Spurs. As announced by the NBA earlier in the day, Flagg and Harper suiting up against one another marks just the second time that the top two picks will face one another in their regular season debut.

"Tonight's matchup between Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper will mark the second time since 1966 that the top two picks in the same NBA Draft will face each other in the first career regular-season game for both players," read the statement.