Dallas Basketball

NBA analyst breaks down why Cooper Flagg is a special prospect

The hype is real for the Mavericks no. 1 pick.
Keenan Womack|
Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) dribbles the ball against Houston Cougars forward Ja'Vier Francis (5) during the second half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Apr 5, 2025; San Antonio, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cooper Flagg (2) dribbles the ball against Houston Cougars forward Ja'Vier Francis (5) during the second half in the semifinals of the men's Final Four of the 2025 NCAA Tournament at the Alamodome. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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When the Mavericks won the draft lottery on May 12, it was obvious who was going to be the top overall pick – it would have been the same for any team, as Duke's Cooper Flagg was the bona fide top player in the 2025 class. The consensus No. 1 recruit in his high school class, Flagg lived up to the hype with the Blue Devils, winning National Player of the Year as a true freshman and leading his team to an ACC Title and an appearance in the Final Four.

But just how good can Cooper Flagg be? Maxwell Baumbach, an NBA analyst with No Ceilings NBA, says that the expectations match the talent. He uses a number of metrics to outline just how productive Flagg was as a freshman at Duke, including BPM, or box plus-minus, which measures "a player's contribution in points above league average per 100 possessions played."

READ MORE: Warriors star Draymond Green calls Cooper Flagg 'lucky'

Dallas Mavericks first overall pick Cooper Flagg
Jun 27, 2025; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks first overall pick Cooper Flagg speaks to the media during a press conference at the Dallas Mavericks Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

He notes that this stat means even more when talking about younger players who don't necessarily have the physical maturity that older players do. Flagg had the 10th-best box plus-minus since 2008, and the third-highest for a freshman in that time period, trailing only Zion Williamson and Anthony Davis.

"This is all the more impressive when you consider that Flagg was only 17 years old at the start of the season. He should’ve been in high school, not putting together one of the most productive seasons in the history of college basketball," he said of the young phenom.

READ MORE: Steph Curry's 6-word message to Cooper Flagg after 2025 NBA Draft

Baumbach also says that Flagg is a "legitimately good shooting prospect" on top of being a "versatile, impactful on-ball defender" who is great defensively "up and down the positional spectrum." Throw in his ability as a playmaker, where he is "far ahead of the pack" with an "ability to make advanced reads," and you have an extremely productive prospect.

"It's hard to picture a more well-rounded, productive forward prospect than Cooper Flagg. Accounting for his age, it's all the more impressive," he concludes. "He put together one of the greatest individual seasons in college basketball this century, and he did it as a kid who walked onto campus as a 17-year-old. Even better, his game is all tailor-made to the modern association."

You can read Baumbach's article here.

READ MORE: Mavericks 'regarded' as favorites to sign former NBA All-Star

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Keenan Womack
KEENAN WOMACK

Keenan Womack is a sportswriter native to Dallas, Texas, who has spent the last 12 years in Austin, the home of his alma mater, the University of Texas. Keenan has covered sports for SB Nation, Bleacher Report, Rivals/Orangebloods, a host of his own sites and now, Fan Nation. Focusing on basketball, Keenan was on the beat for the Longhorns hoops team for the last two-and-a-half years before moving on to pursue other opportunities. He is married and lives with his wife close to the Moody Center, so they can continue to catch games together.

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