Cooper Flagg taken by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft
It’s just what’s the differentiator between, uh, you know, good and great, right? And I think he’s definitely going to be very good. Fundamentally, I think the defensive mentality is kind of how he came up, right? Like he. I think the defense is kind of the first thing you you heard with him, and it was something that was at an early stage of his career was there. So, so you’ve got the defensive component, you know, he likes to guard, he has that mentality. And then you, you know, you start to stack these offensive skills on top of it, which he’s shown. Uh, you know, I think you start to put him in the conversation with some of these, uh, you know, top two-way wings in the league, right? Again, you have to remember he’s 18 years old, right? Uh, or was, you know, he’s an incredibly young prospect, which is rare. So, Um, being able to do what he did at that age is also *** very strong indicator, uh, so. Uh, you look at, you know, the all-round impact he’s already making at that age, uh, and I, I think he’ll be *** very impactful, um, two-way player in the NBA, you know, both supplying the defensive, uh, versatility and then Uh, being able to create shots for teammates and hopefully for himself, I think that’s, that’s just the biggest thing is, uh, you know, how much better can he get as *** scorer, and that would probably determine, uh, you know, what heights he reaches, but I have no doubt he’s gonna have *** great career.
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Cooper Flagg is headed to the Dallas Mavericks, who may have found their next franchise superstar less than five months after trading one away.The Mavericks took the Duke forward with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, selecting the 18-year-old from Maine who was the college player of the year in his lone season.Mavericks fans were furious when Dallas traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1, some immediately threatening to end their support of the team.But the ones who stuck around may quickly love Flagg, who averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds while leading Duke to the Final Four.He joined Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving — who now becomes his teammate — Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero as Duke players drafted No. 1 since 1999, and he returned the draft to its longtime start with a one-and-done college player.That’s the way the draft began every year from 2010 until Banchero’s selection in 2022, but the last two No. 1 picks, Victor Wembanyama and Zaccherie Risacher, are both from France.The Spurs have the No. 2 pick. Then it’s Philadelphia, Charlotte and Utah.
Cooper Flagg is headed to the Dallas Mavericks, who may have found their next franchise superstar less than five months after trading one away.
The Mavericks took the Duke forward with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft Wednesday night, selecting the 18-year-old from Maine who was the college player of the year in his lone season.
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Mavericks fans were furious when Dallas traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 1, some immediately threatening to end their support of the team.
But the ones who stuck around may quickly love Flagg, who averaged 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds while leading Duke to the Final Four.
He joined Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving — who now becomes his teammate — Zion Williamson and Paolo Banchero as Duke players drafted No. 1 since 1999, and he returned the draft to its longtime start with a one-and-done college player.
That’s the way the draft began every year from 2010 until Banchero’s selection in 2022, but the last two No. 1 picks, Victor Wembanyama and Zaccherie Risacher, are both from France.
The Spurs have the No. 2 pick. Then it’s Philadelphia, Charlotte and Utah.
