Cooper Flagg was selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks after they secured the top pick thanks to a surprising lottery win. The Duke standout—hailed for his two-way versatility—instantly became the centerpiece of Dallas’ offseason.

The Dallas Mavericks introduce their #1 draft pick Cooper Flagg in an exciting press conference. What does Cooper Flagg bring to the Mavs?

ESPN's awkward exploration into race in sports featuring Cooper Flagg is framed by this statement: "Let's not act as if we don't live in America and we're not seeing what's happening with Caitlin Clark in the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark might only be in her second season, but Dallas Mavericks draft pick Cooper Flagg already has her on his WNBA Mount Rushmore.

One ESPN broadcaster went further. Peter Rosenberg, the co-host of the “Don, Hahn & Rosenberg” ESPN Radio show, essentially anointed the 2025 No. 1 overall draft pick the face of the league — ala Caitlin Clark in the WNBA — thanks to his skin color.

But just how large should those expectations be? Former NBA Champion Danny Green, who won titles with the San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, and Los Angeles Lakers, thinks a Western Conference Finals appearance has to be the standard.

Cooper Flagg Is Getting Praised After Handshake Moment With Fellow Mavericks No. 1 Pick originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Cooper Flagg era in Dallas has begun after the Dallas Mavericks, as expected, made the former Duke Blue Devils star the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft on Wednesday night.

While the NBA world was certainly excited to see Duke star Cooper Flagg have his name called by commissioner Adam Silver during the 2025 NBA Draft, the league certainly had a rough night after seeing a dip in television ratings.