Top picks, including Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, Ace Bailey and V.J. Edgecombe, were all put through their paces at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago on Tuesday (May 13) as they gear up for next month's NBA Draft.
The Mavericks surprisingly won the number one overall pick in Monday's NBA Draft Lottery and will surely use the pick on Flagg. The Duke star excelled as a freshman in his one college season.
Also claiming top-four picks were the San Antonio Spurs (No. 2), Philadelphia 76ers (No. 3) and Charlotte Hornets (No. 4).
The Mavs will get the chance to draft Flagg just months after the controversial trade of Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. General manager Nico Harrison was frequently criticized for the trade of a generational talent who had carried the team to the 2024 NBA Finals.
READ: Mavericks win NBA Draft Lottery, eye college star Flagg
Flagg will likely be joining a team coached by Jason Kidd that includes veterans Anthony Davis (obtained in the Doncic deal) and Kyrie Irving (currently recovering from an ACL tear).
The 6-foot-9 Flagg doesn't turn 19 until December and is projected to develop into a star early in his career.
Flagg won the Wooden and Naismith awards as the top college player last season. The star forward averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in 37 games. He made 52 3-pointers and also had 52 steals and 50 blocked shots.
Players expected to be selected in the early portion of the NBA draft include the Rutgers duo of forward Ace Bailey and guard Dylan Harper and Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe.
The NBA Draft is scheduled for June 25-26 at the Barclays Center in New York.
(Production: Eric Cox, Stefan Haskins)