Duke University basketball star Cooper Flagg is ready for his NBA moment.
Flagg, 18, is projected to be the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft, which kicks off Wednesday night.
“It’s a lot of emotions running through me. This is a day I’ve dreamed about for a long time,” Flagg said Monday in a live interview with Robin Roberts on “Good Morning America.” “I’m really excited to have my family here, my friends — to be able to go through this with them is really exciting.”
Flagg is expected to be drafted by the Dallas Mavericks, the NBA team that unexpectedly won the draft lottery in May.
The 6-foot-9-inch forward told Roberts he visited Dallas recently and is “really excited” for Wednesday night, whatever the outcome.
“I was able to take a workout there earlier last week, and it was a great visit,” he said of Dallas. “I got to see all the facilities and everything. It’s an incredible organization, so whatever happens tonight, I’m really excited.”
According to ESPN, Flagg has been a front-runner for the top draft pick ever since his 2023 decision to graduate high school a year early and start college as a 17-year-old.
At Duke, Flagg averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists, and led the Blue Devils to a Final Four appearance this year.
As soon as he enters the NBA, Flagg will go in the history books as only the third person born in the state of Maine to play in the NBA. Flagg said he always feels the support of his family, his friends and his home state behind him.
“I think for me, coming from Maine, it’s a huge part of who I am and what I represent, and I have the whole state behind me, and I feel their support every day,” he said.
In addition to that support, Flagg attributes his own competitiveness, drive and self-motivation to helping him reach the NBA draft.
“It’s about just sending that message that it doesn’t matter where you’re from, where you grow up. As long as you believe in yourself and really work hard, you can really achieve your dreams,” he said.
He added that he’s ready for the big life changes coming his way as an NBA rookie.
“I think having my family close with me and having a tight circle of people around me to help kind of navigate through everything is going to be really important,” Flagg said. “Just helping me have a smooth transition.”
When and where is the 2025 NBA draft?
The 2025 NBA draft takes place Wednesday, June 25, and Thursday, June 26, at Barclays Center in New York City.
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How to watch the 2025 NBA draft
The 2025 NBA draft is a two-night televised event.
Round one of the draft airs live Wednesday, June 25, on ESPN and ABC, starting at 8 p.m. EDT.
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The second round of the NBA draft airs Thursday, June 26, on ESPN, starting at 8 p.m. EDT.
The draft will also be streamed live on the ESPN app, and fans can watch all the picks on ESPN.com.
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