Take an All-Access look as Cooper Flagg is selected No. 1 overall in the 2025 Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.

DALLAS (AP) — Cooper Flagg didn’t wait for Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison to break the silence with an opening statement as the No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft was introduced to a packed Dallas news conference.

“Hello,” Flagg said about the time the clock struck noon Friday.

The 18-year-old former Duke star only grew more comfortable from there, two days after walking across the stage in Brooklyn to be greeted by Commissioner Adam Silver.

Flagg was deferential to the history of European stars Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic — the latter being the generational talent traded in February, before the Mavs magically landed the potential of their next face of the franchise despite just a 1.8% chance to win the draft lottery.

The Associated Press men’s college player of the year quickly declared his love for Mexican food and barbecue — the same question all the Texas newcomers get — and easily rattled off Mount Rushmores for the NBA, and the WNBA.

For those wondering, Flagg’s NBA picks were Larry Bird, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, and he appropriately skipped the last names of the last two. The WNBA choices were Candace Parker, Brittney Griner, A’ja Wilson and, after a brief pause to think, Caitlin Clark, “because she’s changed the game so much.”

Of course, Flagg is about to join quite a collection of names in Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis and Klay Thompson, all three with NBA titles on their resumes.

Seth Davis, Brendan Haywood and Damon Stoudamire love Copper Flagg’s versatility and team-first approach.

Although fellow Duke alum Irving won’t join Flagg on the court until possibly January as the nine-time All-Star recovers from a torn ACL, the Mavs are expecting a return to the playoffs after falling short in 2025, a year after Irving and Doncic led Dallas to the NBA Finals, where the Mavs lost to Boston in five games.

Throw in third-year player Dereck Lively II — another ex-Duke player, and one who visited Flagg going into his only season with the Blue Devils last fall — and there are plenty of reasons to believe Flagg gets a softer landing than many top picks who end up in rebuilding situations.

“He’s very lucky to have veterans, future Hall of Famers,” said coach Jason Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard who was the second overall choice by the Mavericks 31 years ago. “When you talk about Kai and Klay and then AD, just understanding the vets are going to protect him and help him, and they’re going to push him.”

Flagg flew to Dallas with Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont and both of their families. Among those at the team’s practice facility near American Airlines Center was Mark Cuban, the high-profile former owner who sold a majority stake a year and a half ago to the Las Vegas-based Adelson and Dumont families and is now alternate governor.

So was Mark Aguirre, the other No. 1 overall pick by Dallas in 1981. The 65-year-old was just a few seats from Shawn Marion, who played with Nowitzki on the franchise’s only championship team in 2011.

Cooper Flagg talks with Taylor Rooks about an emotional night, going to Dallas and reacting to Kon Knueppel’s selection.

That row also included Rolando Blackman, a former player who represented the Mavs when they won the draft lottery. It was the first time in franchise history that Dallas had moved up in the lottery.