The Lone Star State will soon plant a new ‘Flagg’ in the soil as the Dallas Mavericks secured the No. 1 overall draft pick.
All signs point to Duke University standout Cooper Flagg being chosen as the first pick in this year’s NBA Draft.
The lottery determined the order for the first 14 picks, with the San Antonio Spurs landing the second pick, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 3 and the Charlotte Hornets at No. 4.
The Utah Jazz, Washington Wizards, New Orleans Pelicans, Brooklyn Nets, Toronto Raptors and Houston Rockets rounded out the top 10.
Picks 15 through 30 in the first and second rounds (Nos. 31-59) were assigned based on the reverse order of regular-season records.
Notable later first-round selections include the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 15 (via Miami and the LA Clippers), the Brooklyn Nets at No. 19, acquired through a multi-team trade involving Milwaukee, and the Indiana Pacers at No. 23.
The Mavericks, who last held the top pick in 1993, are expected to prioritize Flagg. His two-way versatility and athleticism have drawn comparisons and sparked conversations.
The draft order accounts for potential pick swaps, exercised only if beneficial to teams. The New York Knicks forfeited their 2025 second-round pick (No. 55) due to NBA sanctions, while the LA Clippers hold the final first-round selection at No. 30 via Oklahoma City.
In the second round, the Minnesota Timberwolves hold the first pick (No. 31), acquired from Utah, followed by the Boston Celtics at No. 32.
Indiana also has the No. 54 selection in the second round. The draft will conclude with the Houston Rockets at No. 59.
With the lottery over, the 2025 NBA Draft is scheduled for June 26-27.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or via email at noralp@indyrecorder.com. Follow him on TikTok @HorsemenSportsMedia. For more NBA draft lottery and sports news, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
