Dallas Mavericks Select Cooper Flagg with No. 1 Overall Pick

The Dallas Mavericks secured the top spot in the 2025 NBA Draft after winning the lottery, selecting Duke star forward Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick. The announcement was made at Barclays Center in New York.

Flagg joins a Mavericks team that will be without Kyrie Irving for much of the season due to a torn ACL. Despite the delayed debut, Flagg is considered a strong contender for the NBA Rookie of the Year award, with the highest preseason odds at -225. This makes him only the third player since 2006 to enter the season as the odds-on favorite for most of the award’s history.

Previous preseason favorites to win Rookie of the Year include Kevin Durant in 2007-08 and Victor Wembanyama in 2023-24, both of whom went on to claim the award.

Other notable prospects include Tre Johnson of the Washington Wizards (+700), Ace Bailey of the Utah Jazz (+800), and Dylan Harper (13-1, San Antonio Spurs). Harper has attracted the most bets and money, making him the current liability at betting sites.

Nikola Topić, a first-round pick from 2024, missed his entire rookie season due to injury but is expected to compete this year, which could shift his odds from 100-1. Similarly, Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr., who won an NCAA championship, was selected by the Utah Jazz at pick No. 18 and faces a crowded backcourt, with his odds also at 100-1.

Fans eager to see new talent can catch some of the rookies at the NBA Summer League taking place in Las Vegas from July 10-20.