Cooper Flagg shocked by ‘crazy draft lottery' as Mavs jump at opportunity for ‘a fresh start'
CHICAGO — Cooper Flagg may have been the most invested in learning who will pick first in next month's NBA Draft, but he was just as shocked as the rest of the country to learn that the Dallas Mavericks won the lottery Monday night.
He sat in a conference room at the McCormick Place West Convention Center and watched as the teams rattled off the board. When NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum announced that the Mavericks had won, well, he didn't seem to expect it either.
Advertisement
'I was surprised, like a lot of people,' Flagg said Wednesday. 'It was kind of a crazy draft lottery.'
That's an understatement. The Mavericks won the lottery despite coming into the night with a 1.8 percent chance of doing so — the second-longest of any lottery winner. It capped off a chaotic last four months.
The Mavs were only in position to do so because they traded Luka Dončić in February and then saw their season spiral out of control. Still, they nearly made the playoffs, and landed the 11th slot in the lottery because they lost a Play-In Tournament game to the Memphis Grizzlies and then won a coin flip with the Chicago Bulls for the lottery position.
Now, Flagg will likely join a team that won 39 games this season and fit in alongside Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and Kyrie Irving once Irving recovers from the torn ACL in his left knee. The Mavericks are expected to keep the No. 1 pick, according to team and league sources.
Flagg didn't offer much commentary on his possible place with the Mavericks but seemed optimistic about how he would fit in.
'They got a lot of really good pieces,' he said, adding, 'I think it'll be a really cool opportunity.'
Even Flagg's draft classmates understood the significance of how the lottery played out.
'It was crazy,' said Maryland center Derik Queen, a projected top-10 pick. 'Dallas getting No. 1 is crazy. If Dallas didn't have their injuries, they would probably still be in the playoffs right now. We all know Cooper is going to go No. 1. Adding Cooper to those pieces, it's going to be fun to watch.'
This year's draft has centered on Flagg since last summer, when he impressed on the Select Team during training camp for Team USA. Flagg, a dynamic two-way forward who won't turn 19 until December, is the consensus top player in this draft class.
He did not disappoint in his few months at Duke. Flagg was the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year as a freshman and helped the Blue Devils reach the Final Four. That performance only heightened his draft appeal.
That meant every team in the lottery understood the stakes before the drawing began, knowing that it was relying on four ping pong balls for the chance to draft Flagg. But Flagg said he put little thought into his NBA destination ahead of Monday night.
'I didn't really think about where I was gonna land beforehand at all,' he said. 'I knew it was out of my control. I went into the whole process with an open mind and knowing that I couldn't control it, so just went into it with a happy face and I'm just excited for this opportunity.'
Advertisement
It was a quick introduction to the unpredictable nature of the league. Flagg will now have to wait until June 25 for the Mavericks to make it official, but he is likely to face a unique landing spot for a No. 1 pick.
He will be seen as the franchise's new foundational player, a position held just a few months ago by Dončić. That is not different for most No. 1 picks, but he will also join a franchise that not only has playoff hopes next season but championship aspirations in the near future. General manager Nico Harrison said as much when he explained why he traded away Dončić. A title seems unlikely in Flagg's rookie season as Irving recovers, but the window in Dallas is immediate.
Flagg will receive the leeway of easing into the league without needing to take on the Mavericks' primary offensive burden. Davis can handle that. But he should help the Mavericks' defense, which is a priority for Harrison. Flagg measured in during the combine at 6-foot-7.75 without shoes and has a 7-foot wingspan and an 8-foot-10.5 standing reach.
But the meaning of the No. 1 pick and of Flagg's impending arrival is immense in Dallas. It buoys a city that saw a future Hall-of-Famer traded away unexpectedly and it helps a franchise that, because of its own decision, was suddenly thrown into shambles. The Mavericks saw boycotts and a constant drumbeat for Harrison to lose his job, even during games. Flagg represents a reprieve.
'This is just such a moment of exhilaration, a breath of fresh air for the franchise,' Mavericks president Rick Welts said Monday. 'You really feel like we get a fresh start.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
San Francisco Chronicle
20 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Can schools like St. Bonaventure and FIU thrive in college athletics without the big bucks?
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — As schools prepare to begin sharing millions with their athletes, there is no avoiding the reality that if you're not a Power Four school, you're at a disadvantage. With major conferences running the show, St. Bonaventure and Florida International don't even have a seat at the table. FIU and St. Bonaventure aren't necessarily worried about a head-to-head fight over top players with deeper-pocketed schools. The priority has become survival and finding a balance between athletics ambition and financial sustainability. Adrian Wojnarowski spoke candidly about the challenges he faced during his inaugural season as the general manager of the St. Bonaventure men's basketball team. Solidifying a recruiting class that would improve the team and embrace the school culture was not easy. After July 1, when lucrative paychecks will pretty much become mandatory for blue-chip prospects, it's not going to get any easier. With some 2,000 undergraduate students, the Bonnies are outnumbered in resources and revenue when competing even against other Atlantic 10 teams like VCU, Dayton, and Saint Louis. Wojnarowski, ESPN's former lead NBA reporter, thinks he has identified a formula for locating the ideal prospect. To him, St. Bonaventure is a landing spot for international players adjusting to a new culture and college life, transfers who may have fallen short at a high major and need development, or those looking to move up to a mid-major. He admits the school upstate New York could be a pit stop on a player's journey. 'I want them to see that our environment, our coaching staff, our small school, especially for international players coming over, what I really try to sell is your adjustment to American college life," he said at the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and Affiliates Convention this week. 'I think for a lot of kids, it's easier in a school with 1,900 students than a school with 19,000. And you'll come to have two great years with us, and then you'll probably end up at schools with 19,000 or 29,000,' he said. "And so you're selling, for us, we're your first step on the way to somewhere else, or the other one to me is we're the place to come when you've got to get the basketball right.' If the plan goes awry and a recruit slips away, one thing the former NBA insider refuses to do is blame the money. 'Fundraising is hard, creating new revenue streams is hard, but the one thing that I try to stay away from with us is not saying, 'Oh, we didn't get him because they offered more money,' and using that as a crutch all the time. I really examine when we lost a player,' Wojnarowski said. 'Are we being honest with ourselves in saying that we did everything outside the economics to make our case to this person?' FIU has more than 40,000 undergraduates, but the athletic department is using a similar philosophy, pinpointing advantages and opportunities to come from the settlement instead of the negatives. Similar to St. Bonaventure, FIU doesn't expect to come close to the $20.5 million revenue-sharing cap available over the next year. For a competitive edge, unlocking new revenue streams is fundamental. 'To compete, from a revenue standpoint, you have to think outside the box of your conventional fundraising and targeting donors,' senior associate athletic director Joseph Corey said. 'That's why you're looking at concerts being held at different venues, different festivals to generate extra revenue to bring in, different revenue streams, and not just fundraising going after the same donors. You've got to go beyond that in order to be able to compete.' Being based in Miami has its perks. Proximity to celebrities is one of them. In August, FIU secured a 10-year partnership with Pitbull, the singer and rapper who coins himself 'Mr. 305.' 'We did the partnership with Pitbull – Pitbull Stadium. He's on tour, but part of the deal was that he would be collaborating with us and doing events for us from a fundraising standpoint," Corey said. "You've got to think outside the box. Especially in a city like Miami, it's about the experience too.' Schools unlocking creative revenue streams is something that can be expected. FIU competes in Conference USA alongside teams like Liberty, Louisiana Tech, UTEP, Kennesaw State and Jacksonville State. The football team went 3-5 in 2024, finishing sixth in the conference. The men's basketball team finished last with a 3-15 conference record. It's hard to sell donors on losing teams. 'Let's call it what it is, FIU's not going to be able to keep up with the Alabama's of the world, the Georgia's, Michigan, or Texas, but what can we do? We can be the best in our conference. That is our goal,' Corey said. 'Let's be the best in our conference and really compete there because once you're at the top of your conference, that means more revenue in other areas. Everyone wants to donate to a winner.'
USA Today
37 minutes ago
- USA Today
The Boston Celtics could look to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft
The Boston Celtics could look to trade up in the 2025 NBA Draft The Boston Celtics hold the 28th and 32nd picks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Brad Stevens and the front office have already begun holding pre-draft workouts with players that could potentially fall within that range. Since taking the President of Basketball Operations role, Stevens has leaned toward long-tenured collegiate players, as they're often more polished and capable of contributing at the NBA level. Given the Celtics' precarious cap space situation and the potential for multiple roster changes this summer, the upcoming draft could be an important one for Boston. While not a usual Celtics source, Grant Afseth of RG has reported that Boston is exploring moving up in the draft, as they look for a long-term solution at the point guard position. "The Boston Celtics are quietly conducting due diligence on point guard prospects and evaluating trade-up scenarios ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft, league sources told RG," Afseth reported on June 11. "Boston's interest in the position comes as veteran guard Jrue Holiday remains the subject of trade interest around the league. The Celtics have not shut down trade talks centered around Holiday as the team prepares to potentially reconfigure its long-term cap table. The possibility of adding a point guard prospect to begin developing should not be overlooked." It remains to be seen what type of guard the Celtics could be interested in. Trying to replace Jrue Holiday is a tall order. The veteran guard is a genuine three-level scorer and one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA. However, if the opportunity to add a high-potential guard to the rotation becomes available, the Celtics would be wise to explore it. Should the Celtics acquire another guard via the draft, it will be interesting to see how that impacts JD Davison, who finally got his first full-time NBA contract late last season. The 2025 G League MVP could quickly find himself glued to the bench if Joe Mazzulla is given a remit to develop a draft talent ahead of Jayson Tatum's return in 2026. The Celtics are expected to make multiple roster moves in the coming months. The rotation will likely look very different by the start of the new season. If that means there's a new rookie to cheer for, the fanbase will likely get behind their development. For now, though, all eyes will be on what happens in the trade market, along with what could happen on draft night. Watch the "Taylor Talks Celtics" podcast on: YouTube: Website:
Fox Sports
41 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
DeMarcus Cousins suspended for season after physical altercations with fans
Former NBA All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins was suspended for the rest of the season in Puerto Rico's basketball league after a near-brawl with fans during a game on Monday. His team, the Guaynabo Mets, terminated his contract as well. The 34-year-old Cousins, who played for seven teams during his NBA career, made an obscene gesture, exchanged words and repeatedly grabbed the arm of a fan sitting courtside Monday night before being taken away by his teammates. Cousins received a second technical foul for his actions and was ejected. In the tunnel heading to the locker room, he argued with another fan whom he grabbed at, as well, while people in the stands threw liquids toward him. Cousins attempted to come back out and engage with the fans again after this, but was held back and escorted out. Cousins received a $4,250 fine and could face an additional one of $5,750, the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league announced late Tuesday. "As an organization, we strongly condemn any form of violence or provocation, whether on or off the field. Safety, respect, and sportsmanship are non-negotiable values for this franchise," the Mets said in a news release. It was Cousins' second season playing in Puerto Rico. He was averaging 18.2 points per game with nine rebounds for a team that has a 9-18 record. In his previous stint with the Mets in the 2023 season, Cousins helped the team reach the semifinals. In the NBA, Cousins averaged 19.6 points and 10.2 rebounds over 11 seasons. The four-time All-Star's best season came with Sacramento in 2016-17, when he averaged 27.8 points. After the NBA, besides his stop in Puerto Rico, Cousins also played in the Taiwan and Mongolia basketball leagues in 2024 and 2025, respectively, before returning to the Mets in May. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account , and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from National Basketball Association Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
