Duke’s Cooper Flagg learns his likely NBA team after draft lottery

Before this week, there was one certainty and one uncertainty about the 2025 NBA Draft.

The near-certainty: Duke’s Cooper Flagg will be the No. 1 overall pick. The uncertainty: Who would get Flagg?

But after Monday night’s NBA Draft Lottery, the second is now locked in, too, assuming no shocking trades.

The Dallas Mavericks shockingly won the No. 1 pick in the lottery and will almost certainly select Flagg.

He’s been the presumed No. 1 pick since he arrived on campus as a Duke freshman. 

Flagg didn’t turn 18 until late December and is the youngest player in his entire draft class.

He’s also the best player in the draft by pretty much every metric.

MORE: Cooper Flagg's official measurements have improved significantly since Duke

Flagg led Duke in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. He’s the first freshman to ever do that while getting his team to the NCAA Tournament.

The Blue Devils would’ve played for the national title if not for a nightmare collapse in the Final Four against Houston.

The tough ending didn’t change Flagg’s mind about returning to school, though, despite persistent wonderings.

Flagg has the potential to be an instant star.

He showed he belonged last summer, when he played for the U.S. Select Team in scrimmages against Team USA heading into the Olympics.

Now, he’ll share the court in the NBA with the league’s largest superstars.

Flagg has the chance to one day shine as bright as they do, and now he knows where he’ll be doing it.

MORE: Cooper Flagg can still make a wild choice