DALLAS, TX — On Wednesday, Cooper Flagg was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the 2025 NBA Draft. Dallas was in the position to select Flagg as a result of winning the NBA Draft Lottery. General manager Nico Harrison spoke to reporters on Wednesday night following the conclusion of the first round of the draft and made an intriguing comment about the lottery victory.

“Things happen, fortune favors the bold,” Harrison told reporters. “Exciting things fell our way.”

The “bold” comment stands out, as the Mavericks won the lottery because of luck. They entered the draft with a 1.8 percent chance of earning the No. 1 pick. Nevertheless, Harrison was certainly content with the result.

Of course, Harrison has been the subject of fan frustration ever since Luka Doncic was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Does the Mavs GM believe that drafting Flagg will heal the relationship with the fans?

“I’m hoping so. I’m assuming so a little bit, maybe,” Harrison said.

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Either way, the fact is that Flagg is now part of the Dallas Mavericks' organization.

Cooper Flagg ready to join Mavericks

Flagg features the ceiling of an NBA superstar. He offers a balanced approach as a scorer, play-maker and defender. Flagg still has room to improve overall, but there is no question that he deserved to be a No. 1 overall pick despite still being just 18 years old.

Flagg, who spent one season at Duke before declaring for the NBA Draft, averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks per outing while also shooting 48.1 percent from the field and 38.5 percent from three-point land.

The Mavericks' fanbase has dealt with a whirlwind of emotions in recent seasons. In 2022-23, the Mavs acquired Kyrie Irving in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets but ultimately missed the postseason. Dallas' Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic-led roster reached the NBA Finals in 2023-24, however. They were defeated in five games by the Boston Celtics, but the future appeared bright.

In February of the 2024-25 season, though, Doncic was traded to the Lakers in a shocking move. A few months later — after the Mavericks missed the playoffs — Dallas won the NBA Draft Lottery as mentioned.

Now, Cooper Flagg is on the roster. Excitement is back in Dallas. The Mavericks should have a realistic opportunity to compete at a high level during the 2025-26 campaign.