While Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg has the usual pressure of being the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, the former Duke star is in a situation that sets up his rookie season to be tougher than even LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama's first NBA campaigns.
There has been a lot of hype surrounding No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg . He was the best high school player in the nation two years ago. He committed to one of the most famous college basketball programs ever, Duke, and one of the 2024-25 College Player of the Year Award. Then was able to lead the Blue Devils to within one win of winning a National Championship in the spring.
While he showed in college that he is a gifted scorer, what makes him such a special prospect is his ability to affect the game on multiple levels. He is also an elite young talent who has proven time and again to have that winning "it" factor.
Related: NBA Rookie of the Year 2025-26 – Cooper Flagg becomes early frontrunner
Flagg was the first player taken off the draft board in June, and it was a selection people knew was coming months ago. Unsurprisingly, there are high expectations for a top overall pick. That player is expected to be the centerpiece of a rebuild and help bring a struggling franchise back to prominence. It is the same scenario former first overall picks like LeBron James and Victor Wembanyama went through.
However, while both of those generational prospects dealt with a huge amount of rookie season pressure, Flagg is dealing with a much tougher situation.
Credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images
Every No. 1 overall selection ends up with a terrible team from the previous season. While a No. 1 pick is expected to make them better, becoming a winning team doesn't happen overnight. Often, there aren't even expectations to make the playoffs. As long as there are positive signs of progress and hope, a team and its top pick can't ask for much more.
When James entered the league in 2003, the Cleveland Cavaliers had not had a winning season since 1997-98. And were coming off a putrid 17-65 campaign. When the San Antonio Spurs made French phenom Victor Wembanyama the top pick in 2023, they had just endured four straight losing years and a 22-win showing the season before.
Cooper Flagg stats (Duke): 19.2 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG, 39% 3PT
Yet, Flagg enters a completely different situation in Dallas. The Mavs won 39 games last season and nearly made the playoffs. They stunned the basketball world in the NBA Draft Lottery by landing the top pick despite a 1.8% chance of winning the selection.
Furthermore, they are just two seasons removed from reaching the NBA Finals. This is a team that has won and made the playoffs often over the last decade. The expectations to be competitive are much higher than it was for the Cavs in 2003 or the Spurs two years ago. Yet, there is another massive element at play that makes the pressure even worse for Flagg.
Related: Cooper Flagg reportedly raked in staggering NIL money in lone season at Duke
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Dallas stunned the sports world earlier this year when they decided a 26-year-old superstar who led them to the NBA Finals the year before was no longer a good fit for them. In the deal, the Mavericks acquired 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis . A player general manager, Nico Harrison, felt would be a better fit with future Hall of Famer Kyrie Irving .
While Irving will miss the first half to rehab a torn ACL, the organization is still expecting a good season in 2025-26. Especially since they believe they lucked into the next generational talent to come out of the amateur ranks. There won't be the same leeway to go through the ups and mostly downs of a rookie season. They will want Flagg to help them win games at just 19 years old. And plan to throw him right into the fire as a primary ball handler.
However, because they moved on from Luka Doncic before he even hit his prime, there will be an unspoken expectation for Flagg to quickly evolve into the current face of the franchise. Flagg has been hyped up as much as James and Wembanyama, and both those players put up rookie campaigns worthy of All-Star consideration. So did Doncic, who posted 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 steals in his debut season.
The Lakers and Mavericks' first meeting won't be advertised as Doncic vs. Davis. For many, it will be the first faceoff of Doncic vs. Flagg. It is a lot to ask of any rookie, especially a teenager. It is more than James or Wembanyama had to deal with. The youngster deserves a lot of grace from fans and analysts as the world watches him handle one of the toughest positions in the NBA next season.
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