ESPN Insider Compares Mavericks Drafting Cooper Flagg to Spurs Getting Tim Duncan, Sings Former Duke Star’s Praises

June 26, 2025, will forever stay etched in the minds of thirty young hoopers and their families. Each player heard his name called on one of the biggest nights of his life — the 2025 NBA Draft. In a move that shocked absolutely no one, the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick.

NBA media has lauded the pick with a ton of praise, and ESPN insider Brian Windhorst led the charge. On the latest edition of The Stephen A. Smith Show, Windhorst compared Flagg’s arrival in Dallas to Tim Duncan’s landing in San Antonio.

With the Western Conference as brutal as a TSA line during All-Star Weekend, Stephen A. asked how the pick could reshape the Mavericks. Windhorst replied, “I feel like this was such an incredible turn of events.”

Flagg did not just join the franchise that once flipped Trae Young for Luka Doncic — he stepped into a team teetering between dynasty and collapse. The Mavericks’ “other” stars, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, limped to the end of the 2024–25 season. Davis suffered a non-contact injury during his Dallas debut. Kyrie followed up with a torn ACL.

Injuries pushed Dallas into soft-reset mode. Sound familiar? Ask the 1997 Spurs — a lottery trip after David Robinson’s injury paved the way for drafting Duncan No. 1.

Windhorst drew the parallel: “It’s very rare that we see a team this established to get a player this good in the draft. I don’t know if it’s quite Tim Duncan going to the Spurs, but it’s possible we could look back and compare it to that.”

The praise didn’t stop there. Windhorst gave Flagg the full modern-hooper blessing. “Not only is Cooper Flagg a tremendous talent, but he’s the perfect modern player,” he said. “He has great size and can play multiple positions.”

Fans love tossing around names like LeBron, Giannis, Magic, and KG when talking about positionless basketball. But Windhorst pointed to Draymond Green for redefining what bigs can do.

“Teams today want a big who can grab the rebound and initiate the offense,” Windhorst said. “Draymond Green redefined that role — now everyone wants that.” He also gave nods to Nikola Jokic and Alperen Sengun.

While offensive versatility grabs the headlines, Windhorst highlighted Flagg’s hunger on defense. “You’ve got a guy who fits the modern game and wants to defend,” he said. “And Stephen A., you know this — usually, the more talented young players are, the less they care about defense. This guy wants to defend.”

Windhorst first saw that intensity when Flagg was dominating high school opponents. “Even back then, I noticed how much he cared about defense,” he added.

The Mavericks aren’t rebuilding. They’re reloading with a generational talent who plays both ends. As Windhorst put it: “Look at this team. They’ve got Hall of Famers at center and point guard. Flagg slides in as a versatile wing forward — he fits what they’ve built.”

It’s not quite Duncan and Robinson — at least not yet. But Flagg landing in Dallas might go down as one of those draft moments we talk about for a long time to come.