Rich Paul makes telling claim about Cooper Flagg's future in NBA Draft

LeBron James’ friend and founder of Klutch Sports Group, Rich Paul, made a telling claim about Cooper Flagg’s future ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft. The Dallas Mavericks were extremely lucky to get their hands on the No.1 pick this year.

They had a 1.8% chance of winning the lottery and, now that they have, talk suggests that they could pass on Cooper Flagg and consider trading their pick. However, Rich Paul doesn’t see that happening, as he revealed during an appearance on Monday’s episode of the Pat McAfee Show.

“I think there will be no trade. I think the Mavs take him and I think it’s the right thing for the kid. Look, obviously there’s some teams there that would love to have him. But, I think if you look at Cooper Flagg, where he’s at today. He’s a good developed [guy], next to guys like AD and Lively.”

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Paul explained that since the Mavericks are playing to win, Flagg won’t be expected to average 25-30 points per night. This makes Dallas a great environment for the young star. Flagg finished his only season in college, making 37 appearances for the Duke Blue Devils. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game.

At 6-foot-9, Flagg can score at all three levels and is an incredible two-way player. A player with his skills could thrive in the Mavs’ defensively tuned system. Considering he’s one of the biggest American prospects since Zion Williamson, Dallas is unlikely to pass on Flagg.

Mavericks insider claims Cooper Flagg will be drafted with the first pick

Contrary to popular belief, the Dallas Mavericks will not be exploring trades for their No.1 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft. Mavericks insider Tim McMahon claimed on Tuesday that the team will draft Flagg with their lottery pick.

“The Dallas Mavericks will be picking Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick.” McMahon said.

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McMahon stated that after trading Doncic the previous season, the Mavericks are unlikely to explore any potential superstar trades. Many believed that Dallas could trade their pick to bring Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Mavs, but it seems like the team is betting on the future.

About the author

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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Edited by Nadim El Kak