Cooper Flagg’s fit with the Dallas Mavericks, NBA comparisons, more

My first time watching Cooper Flagg in person came when he was a 17-year-old member of the USA Basketball Select Team, the only player under 21 on a roster of rising NBA stars sent to Las Vegas as scrimmage fodder for the USA squad that went on to win the gold medal at the Paris Olympics. Flagg joined a team with Brandin Podziemski (Warriors), Payton Pritchard (Celtics), Trey Murphy (Pelicans), Keegan Murray (Kings), Jalen Suggs (Magic) and Amen Thompson (Rockets).

From the first day, Flagg’s motor stood out, and he made some plays. By Day 3, what stood out was how much more comfortable he got and how quickly he learned — Flagg looked like the best player on the select roster by this point. In one standout sequence, he knocked down a 3-pointer over Anthony Davis, and one possession later, out-hustled everyone to get a putback over Bam Adebayo.

Flagg will be the No. 1 pick of the Dallas Mavericks Wednesday night in the 2025 NBA Draft. Let’s dive into his fit in Dallas, NBA comps and more.

Flagg’s fit in Dallas

Flagg may be the most NBA-ready No. 1 pick in recent memory (including Victor Wembanyama, although Wemby’s ceiling is higher). Flagg’s defense and his high motor will have him standing out from the opening game of the season.

Flagg would fit anywhere — he is the kind of player teams try to fit other guys around, rather than worrying about his fit. His defense and rim protection will have coach Jason Kidd playing him critical minutes Day 1, he is at his best in transition (which will fit great with Kyrie Irving and Dallas, once Irving recovers from a torn ACL), and his ability to create his own shot and get buckets means he can play the three or slide up to the four.

Flagg also provides a critical bridge to the future in Dallas. Part of the head-scratching nature of the Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade was Dallas getting six years older with its core players, both Davis and Irving are north of 30. While there could be some concern that Davis and Flagg are both natural fours, because both can step away from the basket and hit shots, Jason Kidd should have no problem playing
them together.

In Dallas, Flagg could elevate the Mavericks to become a top-four team and a playoff threat if everything goes right. By late next season, this could be the Mavericks’ starting lineup:

Guard: Kyrie Irving
Guard: Klay Thompson
Forward: Cooper Flagg
Forward: Anthony Davis
Center: Dereck Lively II
Sixth Man: P.J. Washington

“That’ll be a really good spot for him right away, at least to be able to come in and contribute in a big way,” fellow Duke star and projected top-five pick Kon Knueppel said, speaking to Clutch Points. “I think it’ll be on a good team where it’s not just like empty calories for a team that isn’t really, maybe not going anywhere. But I think that will fuel his fire, you know. He wants to win.”

“As far as Dallas goes, they’ve got a lot of really good pieces,” Flagg told Grant Afseth of the Dallas Hoops Journal. One of those is fellow Duke player Dereck Lively II. “To be able to learn from D-Live — that’s pretty cool. So I think it would be a really cool opportunity.”

Cooper Flagg’s NBA Comparison

Cooper Flagg is going to be the first Cooper Flagg in the NBA.

That said, player comparisons get made around the draft. Flagg is such a complete player that coming up with a good NBA comparison proves challenging — guys don’t enter the league this well-rounded. After speaking with some scouts and front office people asking for comps, here are three names that frequently come up.

1) Kevin Garnett. A high-energy player who had a massive impact on both ends of the court. Flagg does not have KG’s big personality and, while very competitive, is a more low-key about it. However, if you’re talking about the impact a player had on the court, you can see how Flagg matches up with the Hall of Famer who averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds through the peak of his career, while also being a defensive force and an NBA champion.

2) Jalen Johnson. Flagg could be a better version of the smooth 23-year-old Atlanta forward who can do everything well. Johnson is a plus defender who averaged 18.9 points and 10 rebounds per game last season — Flagg has a similar well-rounded game, but with better defense and a higher ceiling. Johnson has struggled to stay healthy (a labrum tear ended last season for him after 36 games) but Flagg doesn’t project to have any expected health issues.

3) Andrei Kirilenko. This comp may be for the older generation, but it’s one I like. AK-47 (that was his nickname) was a defensive force as a 6’9″ forward — he led the league in blocked shots in 2005 and was a three-time All-Defensive team player who could handle the ball and create shots — his offensive game would fit the modern NBA better than his era. Flagg, with his 3-point shooting and handles, would be a better version of Kirilenko, but the style of play strikes me as similar.

Where did Flagg go to high school and college?

Flagg started his high school career in Maine, where he led Nokomis Regional High School to the state title as a freshman. By his sophomore year he transferred to basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida, where he played on a loaded team that included fellow expected 2025 NBA Draft first-round picks Liam McNeeley, Derik Queen and Asa Newell.

Flagg committed to Duke for college and last season, where he led the team to a 35-4 record during the regular season and the Final Four of the NCAA tournament.

How much NIL money did Flagg make?

How much NIL money Flagg made at Duke kind of depends on who you ask and how you want to break it down — but most of what he earned are sponsorship deals that will follow him to the NBA, not disappear because he went pro.

Flagg made $4.8 million in NIL money last season, according to On3. That was by far the most of any college basketball player and was the second most of a college athlete in any sport (Texas quarterback Arch Manning made more at $6.5 million).

However, journalist Howard Bryant stated in an interview that Flagg earned $28 million last season, thanks to sponsorship deals with New Balance, Gatorade, Fanatics, and more, all of which will carry over to the NBA. That means saying Flagg made more in college than he will in the NBA is not accurate, the vast majority of the NIL money he made at Duke will not follow him to the Dallas Mavericks.

Flagg’s rookie NBA contract is estimated to pay him $13.8 million next season and be worth $62.7 million over four years. The critical part of his leaving college and getting to the NBA is to start the clock on Flagg getting to his second NBA contract — if he is anywhere near the player he is expected to be, that will be a five-year deal worth well in excess of $350 million.