Since 2013, the Barclays Center in New York City has been the stage where dreams turn into reality. And on June 25, 2025, it once again played host to the NBA’s future stars. As the 79th edition of the NBA Draft tipped off at 8 p.m. ET, all eyes were on one name! Cooper Flagg! The Maine native from Duke has been officially selected as the number 1 pick of the draft by the Dallas Mavericks, and his family couldn’t be happier!

In just one season at Duke, Cooper Flagg delivered a campaign most players only dream of. Averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, Cooper showed his dominance on both ends of the floor. He won every accolade there is to win. The Naismith Player of the Year? ACC Player of the Year? ACC Freshman of the Year? You name it! He won it. He also earned a spot on the ACC All-Defensive Team. While Duke’s run ended in the Final Four against Houston, Flagg’s impact was undeniable! And the Flagg family couldn’t have been more proud following his selection.

“I just hoped that he loved the game as much as we have, and I am just thrilled that he did love it, and he got to this moment, it’s incredible!” Those were the words of Cooper Flagg’s mother, Kelly, when asked what she envisioned the first time they placed a basketball in her son’s tiny hands. When asked if her son ever beat her the last time they played, Kelly set the record straight with a big smile on her face. “No, it’s not a loss, it was a timeout in the game! It’s just been an extended time out!”

For those who don’t know, Kelly Flagg has quite the basketball resume herself. A standout at Nokomis High School in Newport, she went on to play at the University of Maine, where she helped lead the Black Bears to three America East championships. Kelly scored 1,200 career points at Nokomis and went on to captain the Black Bears in her senior year. That season, she played a key role in helping the University of Maine pull off an upset over Stanford in the 1999 NCAA Tournament. Basketball runs deep in the Flagg family, so it’s no surprise to see Cooper reach these heights. With that kind of foundation, greatness was always in the making!

While Flagg celebrates going number 1 overall, he wasn’t the only Blue Devil to hear his name called on draft night!

Cooper Flagg is not the only Blue Devil to get drafted

Duke’s reputation as a pipeline for NBA talent is nothing new. With Cooper Flagg going No. 1 overall, the Blue Devils now boast five No. 1 overall picks in NBA Draft history– two more than Kentucky. But Flagg wasn’t the only one representing Duke on draft night. Two of his teammates also heard their names called.

Versatile wing and sharpshooter Kon Knueppel was selected 4th overall by the Charlotte Hornets, while dominant big man Khaman Maluach landed with the Houston Rockets at number 10. Maluach is expected to play for the Phoenix Suns after the Rockets recently traded that pick to land Kevin Durant.

Duke now has three players go top 10 for the second time in six years, proving why they are aptly known as a talent factory. Now, the spotlight shifts to how they’ll perform with their new teams. What do you think of these picks? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!