During the prime of his career, Mavericks great Dirk Nowitzki often was unfairly compared to Larry Bird. Potentially, eventually, Flagg might be the much better Bird comp because of his two-way abilities; he’s more athletic than Bird and Nowitzki.

The projected No. 1 overall draft pick may have grown a bit in his one-and-done Duke basketball campaign.

The Dallas Mavericks had a very slim chance of winning the 2025 NBA Draft lottery on Monday night. However, that slim chance paid off and the Mavericks won the No. 1 overall pick and the right to select Duke Blue Devils standout Cooper Flagg.

Monday was a big day for Duke star Cooper Flagg as he learned of his (likely) future home for the foreseeable future. To start the day at the NBA Draft Combine he measured nearly an inch taller than he did before his one-and-done Blue Devils season.

The talent speaks for itself,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “But I love coaching the person. He’s all about the right stuff.”

Cooper Flagg is the most hyped prospect since LeBron James back in 2003. Last summer, Flagg took the basketball world by storm when he was giving NBA legends buckets as a member of the Team USA Scout Team,

NBA fans on X chimed in with their reactions to the Flagg-Pippen comparison as it grabbed attention on social media. One user commented that Flagg's ability to take over a game is more reminiscent of LeBron James than Scottie Pippen, while another questioned whether Flagg is the same type of "quick-twitch" athlete Pippen was in his prime.

Dallas Mavericks fans have spent the last few months in something akin to open rebellion against the team’s front office after franchise icon Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.