Stephen A. Smith Had a Wild Cooper Flagg Take at 2025 NBA Draft

Ryan Phillips | Jun 25, 2025

Cooper Flagg arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Stephen A. Smith came out firing with takes at the 2025 NBA draft, but one jumped the line as the hottest of them all.

While discussing the Dallas Mavericks’ plans to select Duke star Cooper Flagg, Smith said doing so would make the Mavs the No. 1 threat to the newly named champions.

"I think he could potentially make them the No. 1 threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder," Smith said.

He pointed out that the Mavericks have fared well against the Thunder in recent memory, with or without Luka Doncic. Smith pointed out Dallas has Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II and more on their roster. Adding Flagg gives them even more.

Stephen A. Smith: "I think [Cooper Flagg] potentially makes [the Dallas Mavericks] the No. 1 threat to the Oklahoma City Thunder." 🏀🎙️ #NBA #NBADraft pic.twitter.com/ynevXzg9y2

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 25, 2025

In theory, it's not a terrible take, but he's implying Dallas will be a threat right away. There's one problem with that though. Irving tore his Achilles tendon late during the 2024-25 season and is likely to miss most, if not all, of next season.

It's also worth noting that Flagg will need time to adjust to the NBA. Every rookie does. He has more leeway in that area because the Mavericks will have good veteran players around him, but expecting him to turn the tide for the team early is a big ask.

Meanwhile, the Houston Rockets just added Kevin Durant, the Los Angeles Lakers will have a full offseason to build around Doncic and LeBron James, and the Denver Nuggets still have the best player on the planet in Nikola Jokic.

Dallas may eventually be a threat to the Thunder, but that's unlikely to happen right away.

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