Cooper Flagg was a sight for sore eyes amongst Dallas Mavericks fans when the team picked him with the first overall draft pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
The drafting came just a handful of months after the blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers and brought Anthony Davis to Dallas, a trade that shocked many fans across the league, and even alienated some Mavs fans from the organization.
And now the pressure is on for Flagg to live up to his potential after just a year in college basketball, looking to avoid the career path that Greg Oden had with the Portland Trail Blazers when he was picked first in the 2007 draft.
Could Desperate Fans in Dallas Overwhelm the Rookie?
Due to the shambles that the Mavericks currently find themselves in dating back to last season, especially after the shocking departure of Doncic, Flagg is being seen as somewhat of a savior for the team, and according to Will Miller of The Smoking Cuban, this puts pressure on Flagg that hasn't been seen since one of the game's all-time greats made his way into the league.
"Flagg could be facing the most pressure out of any No.1 pick since LeBron James because of the massive stakes involved in regard to casual fans’ desire for Flagg to replicate Doncic’s production," Miller wrote.
The pressure is obviously there for the Duke star, but with the veteran presence that he'll be surrounded by, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis, Klay Thompson just to name a few, he should have all the help he needs in his first year in the Lone Star State.