Fresh Intel Reveals Mavericks’ Strong Stance on Cooper Flagg originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The 2025 NBA Draft is set to take place on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Although there are plenty of questions surrounding how the draft will unfold, there is plenty of certainty surrounding the Dallas Mavericks’ No. 1 pick.
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Former Duke Blue Devils freshman sensation and Naismith Men’s Player of the Year Cooper Flagg has been pegged as the top pick of the draft for over a year. While some joked that the Mavericks, who traded away Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers at the trade deadline, may part with the pick, the Mavs have done everything in their power to show that won’t be happening.
On Friday, fans learned of another example of this as Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson reported that the Mavs didn’t invite fellow projected top pick, Dylan Harper of Rutgers, for a visit. As explained by Robinson, this wasn’t done because Harper lacked talent, but because Dallas wanted to be loyal to Flagg.
Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) reacts.Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
“But according to multiple league sources familiar with the situation, there’s a calculated reason for the limited activity,” wrote Robinson. “Chief among them: the Dallas Mavericks, who hold the No. 1 overall pick, never invited Harper for a workout. And it wasn’t about talent or fit—it was about optics. The Mavericks didn’t want to offend Cooper Flagg.”
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While thoughts were floated before the draft order was revealed that Flagg had enough cache to pull an Eli Manning, there has been no indication since that he’d do so.
The Mavericks also seem to be well aware of how important it is to start this marriage off on a strong note after the disaster that was the Doncic trade saga.
Related: Heat Receive Crucial Kevin Durant Trade Update on Friday Amid Swirling Rumors
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 20, 2025, where it first appeared.