Cooper Flagg Says It's 'Blessing' to Not Be Mavs' Centerpiece After Being No. 1 Pick

Cooper Flagg called it a “blessing” to not be the focal point of a franchise as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, instead landing with a competitive Dallas Mavericks squad.

Surrounded by established NBA veterans and future Hall of Famers like Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, the former Duke star may have found himself in one of the most favorable No. 1 pick situations in league history.

"A lot of people in this position or this situation aren't granted this opportunity, so I just feel really blessed and grateful for the situation I've been given," Flagg said Friday at his introductory press conference. "I'm just looking forward to being a sponge. Just getting down here, I'm excited to just learn, soak it all in and learn from the guys that are older and have been through it all before."

The Mavericks were extraordinarily lucky to land the No. 1 pick after finishing 39-43 and falling in the Western Conference play-in game. With just a 1.8 percent chance, they secured Flagg at the top of the draft — all while already boasting a trio that’s combined for 24 All-Star appearances and six NBA championships.

"Those guys have so much knowledge. They've been through so much, and they have so much experience that it's just going to be an incredible opportunity for me to learn and grow under them," Flagg said.

After one season at Duke, the 18-year-old joins an NBA team with the 14th-best odds to win the 2025-26 championship at +3300, according to FanDuel Sportsbook — all while sharing the court with some of the league’s biggest stars.

"I'm coming in just trying to learn and trying to get better every single day," Flagg said. "If I can do that to the best of my ability, I think expectations and pressures that other people will put on me and our team, that will kind of work itself out. So I'm just trying to come in and be the best that I can be and just win at the highest level."