2025 NBA Draft Scouting Report for Dallas Mavericks No. 1 Pick Cooper Flagg

The Dallas Mavericks have officially selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, a decision that was effectively made when Dallas lucked into the top pick in last month's draft lottery.

While there’s undeniable pressure going first overall, Flagg’s resume says he’s built for the spotlight. 

Flagg looks the part of a perennial All-Star, if not a future league MVP. Everything about his game—from his physical tools to his composure—gives him a real shot at a long, lucrative career. 

For years, Flagg has been this draft class’ presumed top pick.

His stock shot up before playing a single game at Duke. At just 17 years old, stood out among the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Anthony Davis in a viral Team USA practice ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics.  

The hype train didn’t stop there. In his one-and-done season at Duke, Flagg checked just about every box. His defense was impactful. His effort nonstop. His playmaking, IQ, athleticism—all elite.

As a result, he was named both a consensus First-Team All-American and the 2025 National College Player of the Year. Flagg earned additional honors, including spots on the ACC All-Defense Team and All-ACC First Team. 

He was also the ACC Player of the Year, and he took home multiple awards, including the Julius Erving Award, given to the top collegiate men’s small forward, and the Lute Olson Award, which honors the most outstanding men’s Division-1 player.

Flagg safely projects to be a staple of the league for at least the next decade, but his ceiling is franchise-cornerstone from Day 1. 

He ranks No. 1 on B/R NBA draft expert Jonathan Wasserman's 2025 Prospect Big Board.

Essential Facts and Stats

College: Duke | Position: PF | Height: 6'8" | Weight: 221 lbs | Age: 18 | Vertical: 35½" | Wingspan: 7′0″ | PPG: 19.2 | RPG: 7.5 | APG: 4.2 | BPG: 1.4 | SPG: 1.4 | FG%: 48.1 | 3PT%: 38.5

Realistic Pro Comparison: Kawhi Leonard

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Flagg shares Leonard's mid-range scoring and defensive intensity. Like Leonard, Flagg is comfortable pulling up, turning around or rising from tough angles. Neither are considered expert isolation scorers, but both can score in volume from on and off the ball.

Defensively, Flagg mirrors Leonard’s relentless motor and instinctive positioning. He’s a menace in the passing lanes, he rotates early, and he contests without fouling.

Kawhi is a six-time All-Star at age 33, which feels more than doable for Flagg to match during his career. It's Kawhi's two Defensive Player of the Year Awards that separate him from other All-Stars, and if Flagg can do the same, he really could become a face of the league.

Strengths

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Athleticism/Tools: Flagg's size, athleticism and physicality translate to transition baskets, downhill driving and defensive playmaking. Plays like this show how he can leverage his physical tools to turn defense into offense:

Scoring Versatility: Since high school, Flagg has made gradual strides with his ball-handling, creation and pick-and-roll play. All of that has led to shotmaking versatility, with room to grow at just 18 years old. 

Passing: Flagg is a very good passer. He’ll operate as one of the main playmaking cogs in an NBA offense and perhaps take on a point-forward label in the pros.

Weaknesses

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Creation: Flagg isn't the sharpest isolation player in terms of creating high-percentage looks. Executing without turning the ball over in traffic could be a challenge early in his career.

Shooting: While Flagg’s shooting has improved, it's still not a strength. At least, not for a hyped-up No. 1 overall pick who otherwise gets buckets in a multitude of ways. 

Length: Unlike some of the star defensive forwards in the league, Flagg doesn't possess substantial length. A 7-foot wingspan isn't limiting, but it doesn't create advantages like it does for, say, Anthony Davis, whose 7-foot frame also features a 7’6” wingspan.