Cooper Flagg heads to Dallas Mavericks as No. 1 pick in NBA draft
Versatile teenage phenom
Cooper Flagg
was selected first overall in the NBA Draft on Wednesday night by the
Dallas Mavericks
, joining a roster already loaded with star power and playoff aspirations. Flagg, who shone as a freshman at
Duke University
, was widely regarded as the top college player in the country this past season.
The 6-foot-9 forward from Maine averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.4 blocks per game, leading the Blue Devils to the NCAA Final Four before falling to Houston.
The Mavericks defied the odds to win the draft lottery and wasted no time securing the dynamic two-way playmaker.
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by Taboola
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— NBA (@NBA)
Flagg is the second-youngest player ever taken with the No. 1 pick - only eight days older than LeBron James when he was drafted in 2003 by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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"I'm feeling amazing. It's a dream come true to be honest," Flagg said after his name was called at the Barclays Center arena. "I wouldn't want to share it with anybody else."
Known for his athleticism, defensive tenacity, and court vision, Flagg brings a relentless energy to both ends of the floor. His arrival offers a fresh chapter for Dallas fans still adjusting to the blockbuster February trade that sent
Luka Doncic
to the
Los Angeles Lakers
for
Anthony Davis
.
— NBA (@NBA)
Remarkably, Flagg becomes the third No. 1 overall pick on the Mavericks' current roster, alongside Davis and
Kyrie Irving
, who is currently rehabbing from knee surgery.
With Flagg's talent and upside, the Mavericks hope to turn a strong roster into a serious title contender - and perhaps usher in a new era in Dallas basketball.
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