Expectations for Cooper Flagg's Rookie Year Reach Unprecedented Level

Will the Dallas Mavericks really be contenders next year?

Cooper Flagg is expected to go first overall to the Dallas Mavericks in Wednesday's NBA draft. / David Banks-Imagn Images

In a matter of hours the Dallas Mavericks are expected to select Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft. The Duke phenom's inclusion on next year's roster has sparked new life into the franchise, which is desperate to turn the page from dealing Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Nico Harrison has a real chance to emerge from all this looking pretty good if Flagg has the type of impact that is being forecasted.

Most of the discussion about his potential has been framed in the long-term but with the time creeping closer, some are allowing for the possibility that he'll transform the Mavericks into immediate contenders.

ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg seems optimistic that this could be the case, laying out all that Flagg can do on Wednesday's Get Up.

Will the Mavs be the biggest threat to the Thunder with Cooper Flagg? 👀

"When they're whole with Cooper Flagg, this team is really, really going to be fun to watch." —@SethOnHoops pic.twitter.com/580oUGWjSl

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 25, 2025

All of this is high praise. It's kind of remarkable how much a few ping pong balls bouncing the right way can change things. Just a few months ago Harrison could not get any peace no matter where he went thanks to jeering fans. Now one of the biggest sports shows on television is asking if Dallas is the biggest threat to the Thunder repeating.

Whether that happens or not remains to be seen but it's fair to say Flagg will have a tremendous amount of pressure to live up to expectations right away.

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