Cooper Flagg has become the newest Maine native to join the Dallas Mavericks. The team selected the Duke forward with the first overall pick in Wednesday night’s NBA draft, hoping he can become their next franchise star less than five months after trading away Luka Doncic.
Mavericks fans were upset when Dallas traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers on February 1, with some threatening to stop supporting the team. However, those who remained may soon embrace Flagg, who was named college player of the year after averaging 19.2 points and 7.5 rebounds and leading Duke to the Final Four. The Mavericks announced Flagg will wear number 32, joining fellow Duke alumni Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II on the roster.
“I’m really excited. I keep saying I’m excited to be a sponge — to get down there and learn, be around Hall of Fame-caliber players, and soak it all in,” Flagg said. “It’s going to be an incredible experience.”
Flagg’s selection had been anticipated since last summer, after he impressed at the U.S. Olympic team’s training camp. The 18-year-old Newport, Maine native celebrated his draft day with fans back home, expressing gratitude for the statewide support.
“It means a lot to have the whole state behind me. I know how many people came to the draft parties and supported me,” he said. “It feels amazing to inspire younger kids — I was in their shoes not long ago, so to give them hope means a lot.”
Flagg joins a prestigious group of Duke players taken first overall since 1999, including Elton Brand, Kyrie Irving, Zion Williamson, and Paolo Banchero. His selection also marks a return to the one-and-done trend in the NBA draft, which had shifted to more international players like Victor Wembanyama and Zaccherie Risacher in recent years.
At No. 2, the San Antonio Spurs selected Rutgers freshman Dylan Harper, who aims to continue the team’s recent streak of NBA Rookie of the Year winners following Wembanyama and Stephon Castle.
“It’s definitely a goal of mine to make it three in a row,” Harper said. “The coaching staff and players will help me showcase my talent.”
The Philadelphia 76ers took Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe with the third pick, drawing loud cheers from Philadelphia fans attending the draft at Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
Duke had a strong presence early in the draft, with Kon Knueppel going to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 4, and Khaman Maluach selected at No. 10 by the Houston Rockets (a pick to be traded to Phoenix). This brings Duke’s total to three top-10 picks this year and 50 first-rounders since 1989 — the most of any school, surpassing Kentucky.
“It was emotional seeing my teammates and fellow freshmen getting drafted,” Maluach said. “They worked hard for this moment.”
Ace Bailey, a Rutgers teammate of Harper’s who was once considered a potential third pick but didn’t work out for the 76ers, was taken at No. 5 by Utah. Bailey acknowledged some criticism over how his draft process was handled but said he’s ready to play.
Other notable picks included Tre Johnson of Texas to Washington at No. 6, Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears to New Orleans at No. 7, and BYU’s Egor Demin to Brooklyn at No. 8 — marking the Nets’ first of up to five first-round picks.
Toronto chose South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles at No. 9. Later, the Nets added several players in the first round, including French guard Nolan Traore (No. 19), North Carolina’s Drake Powell (No. 22, pending a trade), Israeli player Ben Saraf (No. 26), and Michigan’s Danny Wolf (No. 27).
The Oklahoma City Thunder picked Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber at No. 15 and traded their No. 24 pick to Sacramento for a future first-round pick.
Mid-round trades also shuffled some top college talents. New Orleans acquired Maryland forward Derik Queen (No. 13) from Atlanta in exchange for Georgia’s Asa Newell (No. 23) and a future first-round pick. Washington drafted Florida’s Final Four Most Outstanding Player Walter Clayton Jr. at No. 18, then traded his rights to Utah for Illinois’ Will Riley, who went at No. 21.
The draft continues Thursday night at Barclays Center. All players invited to the green room were selected in the first round, with UConn’s Liam McNeeley taken last at No. 19 before Phoenix sent his rights to Charlotte.
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