Cooper Flagg Makes Thoughts on NBA Conspiracy Theory Perfectly Clear

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Sean Deveney | Last updated Jun 25, 2025 11:28 PM ET

Last month, when the NBA draft lottery unfolded during the Chicago combine, most were stunned to see the Mavericks win the top overall pick, with the attending opportunity to draft star forward Cooper Fladd. Dallas had just a 1.8% chance of earning the pick.

Moreover, the Mavericks had spent the previous three months angering the team's fan base in the wake of teh Luka Doncic trade, sending off the face of the franchise and the guy who had taken the team to the NBA Finals just one year earlier. Doncic appeared to be one of the few untouchable players on any roster in the league, but team GM Nico Harrison chose to send him off to the Lakers anyway.

That set into motion severe backlash against Harrison and the team, which compounded the problem with heavy-handed handling of fans protesting the trade and clumsy statements from team governor Patrick Dumont. The Mavericks needed a game-changer.

Then came the lottery, and in a stunning flash the Flagg pick seemed to deliver that game-changer. That was closely followed by a conspiracy theory: Perhaps, the theory went, the Mavericks were ordered to trade Doncic to the Lakers to help the league's marquee franchise and given a promise that the NBA would rig the lottery and deliver Flagg thereafter.

It was a ridiculous notion, but the NBA has long been a hotbed of wacky conspiracies.

On Wednesday, after Flagg was chosen No. 1 overall by the Mavericks, the first question he got in his press conference was what he knew about the conspiracy that landed him in Dallas.

Really. That was Question 1.

Flagg was a bit taken aback: "I don't know what to say about that. I have no insider information, if that's what you're looking for. But I just feel blessed for the way it all worked out."

Flagg is also the rare top NBA prospect to reacht he league out of the mean streets of Maine. He commented on his appreciation fo teh support he gets from his home state.

"It means a lot to me to have the support of the whole state," he said. "I know how many people showed up today and supported me at some of the draft parties back home. It feels amazing knowing I can inspire younger kids. I was in their shoes really not that long ago, so just to know I can give those kids those feelings and have the whole state behind me, it means a lot."

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

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