The Dallas Mavericks are looking to turn things around after selecting Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Flagg was the consensus first overall selection, and no one was surprised that Dallas drafted him.
From Duke University to Dallas, one former Dallas Cowboys player congratulated Flagg and welcomed him to the city.
Dez Bryant Comments on Flagg’s Post
Bryant stopped playing in the NFL after the 2020 season after spending his first eight seasons with the Cowboys. Debuting in 2010, Bryant was in Dallas until 2017 before he had short stints with the New Orleans Saints and Baltimore Ravens. Bryant is a Texas native, having been born in Galveston.
“Welcome to the triple D!” he said as he commented on Flagg’s Instagram post. The 2014 first-team All-Pro NFL receiver led the league in receiving touchdowns that year with 16. He was a Pro Bowler on three occasions in his career, with all three seasons during his time with the Cowboys.
The former Oklahoma State player attended the university from 2007 to 2009 but was ruled ineligible midway through his junior season and never graduated.
The Mavericks were under fire after shockingly trading Luka DonÄŤić to the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this offseason. It was a deal that no one saw coming, as Anthony Davis and Max Christie were sent to Dallas with a 2029 first-round pick. Who’s to say if Flagg will even be with the team in 2029, even though it’s clear they’re looking to build the franchise around him.
Cooper Flagg is one of the youngest to ever join the NBA 🙌 pic.twitter.com/5HQ2eAx1XF
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 26, 2025
While at Duke, Flagg excelled with 19.2 points per game during his freshman season. He averaged 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, with 1.4 blocks and 1.4 steals each. Flagg was yet another “one and done” player in college, as one year was all he needed to raise his draft stock, as it couldn’t have possibly gotten any higher.
Bryant was one of many individuals to congratulate Flagg, the latest No. 1 pick in the draft. He joins Zaccharie Risacher (2024), Victor Wembanyama (2023), Paolo Banchero (2022), Cade Cunningham (2021), and Anthony Edwards (2020) as No. 1 picks in the 2020s. Anthony Davis, the man included in the Doncic trade package, was the first pick in the 2012 draft.
The sky is the limit for Flagg, who looks to have an NBA career similar to LeBron James, who was drafted No. 1 in 2003. Other greats such as Dwight Howard (2004), Derrick Rose (2008), John Wall (2010), and Kyrie Irving (2011) were selected with the first pick after James. It’s not a guaranteed way to succeed in the league, but the selection has quite the track record that Flagg wants to keep intact.
