Dallas Basketball

Mavericks' Cooper Flagg Gets Co-Star in Latest NBA Mock Draft

The Dallas Mavericks will pair Cooper Flagg with a top prospect in this year's NBA Draft.
Jeremy Brener|
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg looks on in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs.
Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg looks on in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs. | Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

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The Dallas Mavericks are expected to nab one of the top prospects in the 2026 NBA Draft, which will give Cooper Flagg his co-star of the future.

The Mavericks should be looking at the best player available for whenever they are on the clock. NBA Draft On SI writer Derek Parker thinks that could be North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson if the team has the No. 4 overall pick.

"The new-look Mavericks jump up three spots, nabbing North Carolina’s Caleb Wilson with the No. 4 overall pick. Dallas' desperate need of a future point guard begs the question if anyone but Wilson can go fourth overall, but fresh off his performance against Boozer and Duke, it feels an uphill battle," Parker wrote.

"Given the Mavericks don’t own their picks in the years following, they’re fine to swing for the fences here, grabbing a uniquely athletic 6-foot-10 forward in Wilson who should contribute immediately and offer sky-high upside.

"Wilson just posted 23 points on 67% shooting in a win over the Blue Devils, playing some solid defense against Boozer and showcasing his growing mid-range game in the process. He feels closer to tier one than tier three at this point, and any organizations valuing athleticism and upside could look to him in the top-tier."

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Caleb Wilson Could Make Sense For Mavericks

The only players selected before Wilson in Parker's mock draft are Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, Duke big man Cameron Boozer and BYU forward AJ Dybantsa.

Wilson is definitely someone that can become a strong piece next to Flagg in the frontcourt. The Mavericks don't have the luxury of getting too picky about which player they draft. They are still a young roster and adding the right player is going to be important for the future.

Wilson is averaging 19.8 points and 9.4 rebounds per game, and at 6-10, 215 pounds, he is a tall, lanky forward that is going to need to put on some weight as he enters the NBA to compete with the other big power forwards. For context, Flagg is 6-9 and weighs 205 pounts, but the best part about Flagg and Wilson is that they can still grow their bodies. If they each put on about 20-25 pounds, they could form one of the elite forward duos in the NBA.

The NBA Draft is scheduled to take place in June of this year.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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