Alongside Davis, Flagg should help the Mavericks boast an elite defense, and while the offense could be a work in progress, the foundation should be there for Dallas to have an exciting team next season. While Flagg won’t be able to heal all wounds in Dallas in his first season, he could be the reason for a resurgence of the Mavericks in 2026.

And while Flagg to Dallas is the worst-kept secret in the NBA right now, the Mavericks seemingly jumped the gun in announcing the news on their official team website 12 days before they can officially confirm they're picking the Duke phenom, according to Front Office Sports.

Even before he committed to the Duke Blue Devils, Cooper Flagg had been touted as a possible first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Nothing Flagg did at Duke – picking up ACC Player of the Year, leading the Blue Devils to the Final Four, or earning consensus All-American honors – dissuaded fans, analysts or scouts of that opinion.