There was no surprise when Cooper Flagg was taken at No 1, but there were some interesting decisions – good and bad – at other points on Wednesday night
Cooper Flagg and Nico Harrison
The biggest winners of the 2025 NBA draft are Cooper Flagg and Dallas general manager Nico Harrison. Beyond the prestige and financial rewards of being the top pick, Flagg won draft night because he avoided going to a rebuilding team, where it could have taken years to gain playoff experience.
By landing with the Mavericks, Flagg joins All-NBA veterans Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and Klay Thompson, whose mentorship should make his learning curve less treacherous. Instead of enduring the tribulations of leading a bottom-feeding team, Flagg will play a key role in helping the Mavs contend for a title in his rookie season – albeit in a packed Western Conference that includes the champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Nikola Jokić’s Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers, featuring the Mavericks’ former crown jewel, Luka Dončić. Expect Flagg to fit right in as a wing who can play multiple positions and contribute defensively.
In turn, Harrison’s redemption story begins with the selection of Flagg. After months of enduring intense backlash for trading away a generational talent in Dončić, Harrison gets an unexpected opportunity to rewrite his legacy if Flagg reaches his full potential.
