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To no one’s surprise, the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick of the 2025 NBA draft. As per Marc Stein, Flagg is set to wear No. 32 during his time with the Mavericks. He wore the same number in high school, as it holds special significance to him.
His mother, Kelly Flagg, also wore No.32 during her time in high school to honor Duke legend Christian Laettner. When Flagg joined the Blue Devils, he had to change his jersey number as Laettner’s #32 was already hanging in the rafters at Duke.
The Mavericks say Cooper Flagg — just the second No. 1 overall pick in franchise history alongside Mark Aguirre — will wear No. 32 in Dallas.
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Cooper Flagg then opted to wear No. 2 in college to pay tribute to Donovan Kurt. His older brother’s friend, who passed away with cancer shortly before Flagg arrived at Duke.
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Speaking after being picked first in this year’s draft, the No.1 pick made sure to thank all the people back home.
“I wouldn't be here without these people right here," Flagg said. “And all my people back home in Maine. They're here for me, and I wouldn't be here without them."Flagg opting for No. 32 works out best for everyone, as No. 2 is already occupied by Dallas’ center, Dereck Lively II.
Cooper Flagg is only the second No. 1 pick in the Dallas Mavericks’ history
The Dallas Mavericks only had one other top pick in franchise history. The Mavs selected Mark Aguirre with the No. 1 pick of the 1981 draft. Aguirre spent eight seasons in Dallas before joining the Detroit Pistons in 1989.
He spent five seasons in Detroit, winning back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990. Aguirre made 923 appearances, averaging 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.1 assists for his career. Despite being one of the Mavericks’ best players, Aguirre never had his #24 jersey retired.
As the highest-rated prospect in the country, Cooper Flagg arrives in Dallas with some lofty expectations. Right from the start, he will share the court with stars like Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis.
Depending on how Cooper Flagg's game translates to the league, the new-look Dallas Mavericks could make a lot of noise in the 2025-26 season.
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Edited by Dipayan Moitra
English (US)