Cooper Flagg was selected first overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 Draft earlier today and is expected to make a massive impact on the franchise. With Luka Doncic having been traded midway through last season, the Duke sensation now has the opportunity to step in and become the new face of the team. Stephen A. Smith even believes Flagg could lead the Mavs into championship contention if everything falls into place.
Advertisement
Flagg was the biggest story of college basketball this past season. From the jump, he proved that he was head and shoulders above everyone else. Because of his contributions, Duke ended with a 35-4 record and a trip to the Final Four. Along the way, Flagg all but cemented his status as the number one overall pick with stellar performances, leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
Now, with the Mavs selecting Flagg with the number one overall pick, Smith insists they might be favorites to win the West. Maybe even the title, provided the whole roster is healthy.
“Kyrie Irving’s got to get back. Anthony Davis has to stay healthy. You gotta remember the Dallas Mavericks last year only had about three players that played 60 games or more,” Smith professed on ESPN. It’s a shockingly true revelation. Spencer Dinwiddie, Klay Thompson, and Naji Marshall were the only Mavericks to log more than 60 games played. Throughout the season, 24 different players saw minutes in regular-season action. Clearly, the injury bug made its way through the entire organization.
Even if Irving and Davis can’t stay healthy, Smith still believes Flagg will be a difference-maker. “But Cooper Flagg is the real deal, make no mistake about it,” Smith said. “He’s built like a small forward; he’s a legit 6-8, 6-9 player. With an inside game, an outside game, an open court game, a perimeter game.”
“He’s got the whole package. Led Duke in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. He is something special to behold,” he added. It sounds insane, but it’s true. This was largely because of his combination of size, ball-handling, and shooting, which is nearly impossible to match up with. He even gave Team USA, a roster full of NBA legends, trouble in a head-to-head scrimmage when he was just 17. So, he should fit right in once he arrives.
Smith also believes Flagg will make an impact off the court. The fanbase’s morale was at an all-time low after Doncic, their biggest star since Dirk Nowitzki, joined the Lakers. But with his talent and presence, Cooper has the potential to lift the city’s spirits and give Dallas someone new to rally behind.
“When you think about what he brings to the equation, the fact that you sent away Luka Doncic, and this is now the face of this franchise. That motor that’s on him, the marketability of this guy, it’s going to get everybody up on their toes because all eyes are going to be on the Dallas Mavericks,” Smith opined.
Almost every NBA fan has already heard of Flagg. As a result, the Mavericks shouldn’t just expect more wins with him on the roster; they’re also likely in line for more nationally televised games. A Christmas Day matchup, once thought to have disappeared with Luka’s departure, might now be back on the table.
Furthermore, Smith believes the Mavericks could even give the defending champs some trouble with Flagg in the mix. “And I think, when healthy, if you look at the Oklahoma City Thunder, the one team that gave them trouble a couple of years ago when they were the number one seed, and this past season when they were the number one seed, was the Dallas Mavericks. With or without Luka Doncic in the lineup.”
“I think about that, and I say if the Dallas Mavericks are healthy, they could easily ascend to being the favorites in the Western Conference,” Smith declared.
It very well could be true. While Doncic was a huge reason the Mavs managed to upset the Thunder in last season’s playoffs, key role players like Derrick Jones Jr. and Derrick Lively II also played essential roles. But now, DJJ is gone, and Lively has looked like a shell of himself without Luka.
All in all, Dallas has every reason to be excited about Flagg. He’s a special talent, and respected analysts like Smith believe he could give the team a real shot in the West. He just might. Now, let’s see if he can live up to the hype.
