The Dallas Mavericks are entering the 2025-26 NBA season with an almost entirely different roster than they had at this time last year.
Luka Doncic is, of course, the most notable absence after his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, but a new era is beginning.
The Mavericks, by lottery odds that seemed impossible, won the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and were able to select Cooper Flagg, the most impressive prospect in recent history.
The jury is out on what Flagg’s impact will be on the NBA and on a franchise that’s in desperate need of a new star, but the hype is humming.
The Mavericks released the first photos of Flagg in his new uniform, showing him wearing No. 32, the number his mother wore in high school.
First look at 3️⃣2️⃣@Cooper_Flagg // #MFFL pic.twitter.com/RMrG0o3jYP
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) July 2, 2025
The No. 2 he wore at Duke was already taken by Derek Lively II for Dallas, so he had to pivot.
It doesn’t matter what number Flagg wears. Fans were always going to be excited about his presence on the team.
The 18-year-old could be a franchise-altering player, and considering he has Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson as teammates, the Mavericks could be a title contender again sooner rather than later.
Losing Doncic was a major blow to the fan base, but if Flagg is a worthy replacement.
