The Dallas Mavericks have officially signed Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 overall draft pick, to a four-year rookie contract. The specifics of the deal were not disclosed when it was announced on Wednesday. The total value of Flagg’s contract, based on the 2025-26 rookie wage scale, is estimated to be around $62.7 million, with an initial salary of approximately $13.8 million for the first year, as reported by Spotrac. These figures may see slight variations.
Flagg has the option for the third and fourth seasons of his rookie deal. He expressed his intention to participate in the upcoming Summer League in Las Vegas during his introductory news conference. The Mavericks are scheduled to face the Los Angeles Lakers, led by Bronny James, in a nationally televised game on July 10 to kick off their Summer League campaign.
The decision to select Flagg as the top pick came after Dallas defied the odds with just a 1.8% chance of winning the draft lottery. The 18-year-old standout from Duke made history by becoming the fourth freshman to be named The Associated Press national player of the year, a prestigious award with a 64-year legacy. Flagg’s impressive performance led the Blue Devils to the Final Four during his sole season with the team.
Standing at 6-foot-9, Flagg will bolster the Mavericks’ frontcourt alongside 10-time All-Star Anthony Davis and promising young center Dereck Lively II, who also hails from Duke. The team made waves in the NBA when they traded 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic to the Lakers in exchange for Davis back in February.
Kyrie Irving, a former Duke player and the first overall pick in the 2011 draft, is also part of the Mavericks roster. However, Irving is currently sidelined due to a torn ACL, with his return expected no earlier than midseason following an injury sustained in March.
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