Flagg would feel no 'pressure' succeeding Doncic in Dallas

Cooper Flagg says he isn't worried about the expectations that could come with being the face of the Dallas Mavericks after Luka Doncic's departure.

"I wouldn't look at anything as pressure," Flagg told reporters ahead of the NBA draft, according to Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.

"I'm not worried about living up to certain players’ expectations or things like that. I'm just going to be myself and really try to get better every single day that I can."

The Mavericks own the top selection Wednesday night, and Flagg is projected to be taken No. 1 overall. Dallas shocked the sporting world in February when they traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers in a stunning three-team deal.

Doncic, 26, had been with the Mavericks since being selected third overall in the 2018 draft. He earned five first-team All-NBA nominations during his Dallas tenure and is considered one of the best players in the league.

The Mavericks secured the No. 1 overall selection in the NBA draft lottery after a 39-43 season. Flagg, who is only 18 years old, would become the second-youngest player taken with the first pick, behind LeBron James.

The Duke forward reclassified to the 2024 recruiting class after his sophomore season in high school and graduated after only three years.

"A quote my mom likes to say a lot: 'If you're the best player in the gym, then you need to find a new gym,'" Flagg said on why he decided to leave high school early.

Flagg secured the 2025 National Player of the Year award at Duke last season. He averaged 19.2 points per game on 48% shooting with 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists.