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New York Times
14-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
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.'
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mavericks Send Strong Message After Winning Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery took place on Monday evening in Chicago as teams across the league crossed their fingers for the top pick. While there are plenty of talented players like Rutgers' walking bucket Ace Bailey, Duke big man Khaman Maluach and Texas' sharpshooting Tre Johnson, the big prize in this year's class is Duke's Cooper Flagg. Advertisement Widely regarded as the next great American prospect, Flagg can do everything on the floor and is expected to be the league's next superstar after a season where he won Naismith Men's College Player of the Year. Although there were 10 teams with better odds for the No. 1 pick, it was the Dallas Mavericks—who had just a 1.8% chance—who secured the top pick in this year's class. It was a jaw-dropping turn of events for the team that traded away franchise cornerstone and five-time All-NBA guard Luka Doncic earlier in the season. Following the results of the NBA Draft Lottery, the Mavericks took to X to celebrate the results. "For the first time ever, we won the LOTTERY 💰," wrote the team. Duke Blue Devils star Cooper Flagg.© Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images While teams like the Washington Wizards, Charlotte Hornets and San Antonio Spurs are among those who are the most disappointed, it's likely no team feels as sick as the Miami Heat. Advertisement They would have had the No. 11 lottery slot before they ultimately made the NBA playoffs. A team that comes in a close second in terms of being disgusted by the results are the Chicago Bulls, who lost out on the No. 11 slot via coin flip. As for the Mavericks, they get a possible superstar that may be good enough to silence all of those who criticized them after they traded Doncic. While fans are already firing up the conspiracies, the Mavericks have to love how this unfolded. Related: Fans Are Making Major Accusation About Knicks-Celtics After NBA's Scott Foster Announcement
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Heat Are the Biggest Losers Of the Cooper Flagg Sweepstakes
The Miami Heat's relentless drive to compete may have cost them a generational talent. The Dallas Mavericks secured the No. 1 pick in Tuesday's NBA draft lottery using the 11th seed, a slot Miami vacated by clinching a playoff berth via the play-in tournament. That pick now delivers Duke Blue Devils phenom Cooper Flagg to Dallas, leaving the Heat to grapple with a brutal 'what-if' scenario. Had the Heat lost either of their play-in games — a road win against the Chicago Bulls and an overtime victory against the Atlanta Hawks — they would have retained the No. 11 seed and a 9.4% chance at the top-four picks, per Wes Goldberg of RealGM. Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) walks off the court after losing to the Houston Cougars.© Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images Instead, the Mavericks, who finished 39-43 and traded Luka Dončić midseason, defied 1.8% odds to land Flagg. The Heat, meanwhile, hold the No. 20 selection from the Golden State Warriors via the Jimmy Butler trade, a stark drop from potential franchise-altering stakes. Advertisement Flagg, the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year, is hailed as a two-way cornerstone. His defensive prowess and evolving offense could have paired with Bam Adebayo to form one of the league's most formidable frontcourts. Instead, Miami faces a future anchored by Adebayo and Tyler Herro, a duo yet to escape the Eastern Conference's middle tier. The Mavericks, rebuilding after dealing Dončić, accelerate their timeline with Flagg, while Miami's late-first-round options include Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr. or Georgetown center Thomas Sorber. History amplifies the sting. The Heat have never held the No. 1 pick in 37 seasons and dropped spots in 11 prior lottery trips. This year's outcome follows a 55-point playoff loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the worst in franchise history. But Miami's front office rarely dwells. The No. 20 pick could yield a rotational piece, yet Flagg's shadow looms. For a team built on calculated risks, this loss, born from its own refusal to tank, might linger the longest. Related: Heat Draft High School Teammate of Cooper Flagg in Latest NBA Mock Draft
USA Today
29-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Auburn's Johni Broome looked letal from tip vs. Michgan. Now, Tigers are on to Elite Eight
Auburn's Johni Broome looked letal from tip vs. Michgan. Now, Tigers are on to Elite Eight Show Caption Hide Caption Sunday's Elite 8 slate features Michigan St. vs. Auburn, Tennessee vs. Houston Mackenzie Salmon breaks down Sunday's Elite Eight matchups. Sports Seriously ATLANTA — The potential Naismith Men's College Player of the Year went on a tear Friday night. Johni Broome led top-seeded Auburn to a 78-65 win over fifth-seeded Michigan in the Sweet 16. And from the tip, he looked lethal. Broome nailed a contested 3-pointer off the jump and followed soon after with a tough inside finish over Michigan 7-foot center Danny Wolf. How many points did Johni Broome score against Michigan? Broome had a double-double by the end of the first half, and finished the night with in 22 points and 16 rebounds. Auburn men's basketball coach Bruce Pearl joked that Broom had a triple-double, saying he also missed 12 shots. Broom was 9-of-21 from the field. 'Coach has confidence in us — we're a player-led team sometimes,' Broome said. 'A couple guys said what we wanted to say, and you've got to listen to what your teammate has to say. After that, you shake it off and go out there and play hard for the coach, for Coach Pearl.' How Johni Broome powered Auburn in second half vs. Michigan Even with his dominant showing, the Tigers still struggled early — committing 10 turnovers and shooting 32.4% from the field in the first half. The Wolverines headed into the locker room down just a single point to arguably the nation's most well-rounded team. Broome, however, had other plans for the second half. 'They had two great frontcourt guys in Vlad (Goldin) and Danny Wolf, so we knew we were gonna have to go out there and just play physical and our brand of basketball,' Auburn's Chris Moore said. The 6-foot-10 center buried a contested left-handed layup to get Auburn on the board before picking up a steal and converting a missed layup just minutes later. Even while occupying much of the Wolverines' attention, Broome was more than dominant in the paint — converting an 'and-one' and his free throw to pull Auburn within three points with about 14 minutes left. Later, the Tigers then rattled off a 20-2 run to surge into the lead and never looked back. With the crowd screaming 'AU' every chance they got and Michigan faltering every minute, Auburn had no trouble down the stretch securing its place in the Elite 8 against Michigan State on Sunday. 'We're not going to do too much celebrating tonight,' Broome said. 'We've got another game. We've got to prep. We've got to take care of our bodies. We've got to rest. Let's try to get to San Antonio to the Final Four.' Andy Mathis is a student in the University of Georgia's Sports Media Certificate program.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Wisconsin Badgers star named semifinalist for major college basketball award
Wisconsin star wing John Tonje was named a Naismith Men's College Player of the Year semifinalist on Friday. After landing on the award's initial 30-player midseason list on Feb. 14, Tonje was included alongside nine other athletes for the prestigious honor. Johni Broome (Auburn), Walter Clayton Jr. (Florida), Cooper Flagg (Duke), Kam Jones (Marquette), Ryan Kalkbrenner (Creighton), R.J. Luis Jr. (St. John's), Mark Sears (Alabama), Braden Smith (Purdue) and J.T. Toppin (Texas Tech) are the other semifinalists along with the Wisconsin star. The news arrives just a few days after Tonje earned a unanimous spot on the 2024-25 All-Big Ten First Team along with Nebraska's Brice Williams, Maryland's Derik Queen, Michigan's Vladislav Goldin, Purdue's Trey Kauffman-Renn and Braden Smith. Given Wisconsin performance this season, Tonje's inclusion with the best players in the country isn't a surprise. Wisconsin was overlooked by virtually everyone prior to the 2024-25 slate. The team then went 23-8 during the regular season, plus 13-7 in a tough Big Ten Conference. It is currently in line for a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament, pending the result of the conference tournament. Individually, Tonje delivered as impressive a statistical season as any player in the sport. In 31 regular season starts, the North Omaha, Nebraska, native averaged 18.9 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 31 minutes per contest. His efficiency -- 46.0% shooting from the floor, 37.8% from outside and 91.6% from the free throw line -- provided Greg Gard with a reliable closing option on the offensive end of the court. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲 𝗯𝗮𝘀𝗸𝗲𝘁𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗹 ⭐️ Introducing our 2025 Jersey Mike's Naismith Men's College Player of the Year Semifinalists 🏀 @jerseymikes | #JerseyMikesNaismith2025 — Naismith Awards (@NaismithTrophy) March 14, 2025 Tonje's legend within the program could blossom even further with a deep run in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Thanks to his play, the Badgers have as good a chance as ever to snap a Sweet Sixteen drought that extends back to 2016-17. Before then, Tonje will captain the Badgers through the 2025 Big Ten Tournament. Wisconsin earned a seven-point win over Northwestern on March 13, a contest during which Tonje dropped 18 points. It is currently facing UCLA in the tournament quarterfinal. Contact/Follow on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin Badgers news, notes and opinion This article originally appeared on Badgers Wire: Wisconsin basketball John Tonje Naismith Award semifinalist
