Mavericks shut down speculation for first overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft

Mar 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison (left) speaks with Phoenix Suns assistant coach David Fizdale (right) before the game at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Mavericks shut down speculation for first overall pick in 2025 NBA Draft

Originally posted on Dallas Mavericks on SI
By Austin Veazey | Last updated Jun 8, 2025 2:49 PM ET

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The Dallas Mavericks jumped up in the Draft Lottery for the first time in franchise history, and they jumped all the way up from 11th to 1st. If there was ever any year to get lucky like that, it's this year, with Duke star Cooper Flagg available as the consensus top prospect in the draft.

Flagg has his official pre-draft visit to Dallas set for June 17th, but that hasn't stopped people from speculating that the Mavericks could look to move the pick or select someone else. But that has officially ceased.

In Shams Charania's article for ESPN on Cooper Flagg's pre-draft visit to Dallas, he revealed that "The Mavericks have no plans to work out any other prospects for the No. 1 pick and have made clear publicly and privately that they plan on selecting Flagg when Adam Silver puts them on the clock to open the 2025 NBA Draft."

That should end any and all chatter about the Mavericks doing something crazy, Flagg is the perfect prospect to help them win now and can carry them into the 2030s once Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson start to age out.

Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd has said multiple times that he and the team are excited about the "kid from Duke" in reference to Flagg, and despite some speculation that the New York Knicks are taking a look at Kidd for their opening, it seems he'll stay in Dallas to coach Kidd. The team's assistant GM, Matt Riccardi, has echoed those statements.

The Mavericks will be able to officially take Flagg on June 25th.

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

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