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Cooper Flagg has become the talk of the town after the Dallas Mavericks drafted him as the first pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on Wednesday. The former Duke Blue Devils player attended a post-draft press conference for the Mavs, where he named Caitlin Clark on his WNBA Mount Rushmore list.
During one segment of the Mavs' press conference on Friday, a reporter asked the rookie to name his Mount Rushmore of players in the NBA and the WNBA. While Flagg named Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant in the NBA section, he surprised many with his picks for the WNBA.
Cooper Flagg named three-time WNBA champion Candace Parker and three-time MVP A'ja Wilson, but shocked many by adding Brittney Griner and Caitlin Clark in the mix.
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"I might put Caitlin Clark on there just because she's changed the game so much and is headed in the right direction and I just love what she is doing," Flagg said.
While Cooper Flagg explained his decision to choose the Indiana Fever superstar, he did not provide any explanation for including Griner's name on his list.
Cooper Flagg snubs fellow No. 1 Dallas pick in his WNBA Mount Rushmore list
Cooper Flagg's WNBA Mount Rushmore list lacked many legends from the women's league. However, considering that the Mavs' rookie named players who are from the same generation or a few generations apart from him, he missed a big name, which might have upset many Dallas fans.
Flagg snubbed Paige Bueckers, the fellow No. 1 pick from the 2025 WNBA Draft and currently the Dallas Wings' star rookie. While Bueckers may not have accomplished the status of a legend yet, she is equal to Caitlin Clark in terms of their college basketball achievements and WNBA careers.
While Caitlin Clark has the NCAA scoring leader title to her name, Bueckers has a national championship in her trophy cabinet. The Indiana Fever guard is in her second WNBA season and is the reigning Rookie of the Year. However, with the Wings rookie's recent performances, it is most likely that she will succeed Clark as the next ROTY.
There is no denying that Caitlin Clark has played a major role in bringing the WNBA to the mainstream sports world. However, Paige Bueckers has also become one of the biggest attractions in the league and is carrying the mantle alongside the Fever star.
Bueckers' Dallas Wings are set to face Clark's Indiana Fever in a regular-season matchup on Friday.
