During the prime of his career, Mavericks great Dirk Nowitzki often was unfairly compared to Larry Bird. Potentially, eventually, Flagg might be the much better Bird comp because of his two-way abilities; he’s more athletic than Bird and Nowitzki.

Monday was a big day for Duke star Cooper Flagg as he learned of his (likely) future home for the foreseeable future. To start the day at the NBA Draft Combine he measured nearly an inch taller than he did before his one-and-done Blue Devils season.

Every so often, the unpredictable happens in sports, and that's exactly what unfolded for the Mavericks during the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery. With a slim 1.8% chance to snag the top pick, Dallas came out of nowhere to pull off an unprecedented miracle.

The projected No. 1 overall draft pick may have grown a bit in his one-and-done Duke basketball campaign.

The talent speaks for itself,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said. “But I love coaching the person. He’s all about the right stuff.”

NBA fans on X chimed in with their reactions to the Flagg-Pippen comparison as it grabbed attention on social media. One user commented that Flagg's ability to take over a game is more reminiscent of LeBron James than Scottie Pippen, while another questioned whether Flagg is the same type of "quick-twitch" athlete Pippen was in his prime.

Dallas Mavericks fans have spent the last few months in something akin to open rebellion against the team’s front office after franchise icon Luka Dončić was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers.