Cooper Flagg is expected by many to be one of the next great players in NBA's long history. But not everyone feels that way. After one year at Duke the 18-year-old phenom was drafted first overall by the Dallas Mavericks.

On paper, the Knicks appear closer to championship contention. But Dallas has something New York doesn’t: Cooper Flagg. While the Knicks won’t make a selection until the late second round, the Mavericks are adding a player who hasn’t drawn this much hype since Zion Williamson.

NBA analyst Chris Mannix tied Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd's potential departure to Cooper Flagg becoming the new face of the franchise.

"The Mavericks have no plans to work out any other prospects for the No. 1 pick and have made clear publicly and privately that they plan on selecting Flagg when Adam Silver puts

Stephen A. Smith explains what Cooper Flagg needs to do in the NBA to live up to the hype on Watch ESPN, first streamed on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.