NBA Draft: Cooper Flagg goes No 1 to Mavs, Dylan Harper to Spurs

As expected, the Dallas Mavericks prime Cooper Flagg with apical prime portion Dylan Harper joins Victor Wembanyama astatine San Antonio Spurs.

Cooper Flagg anticipated the infinitesimal for galore months.

Still, erstwhile the Duke merchandise heard his sanction called Wednesday astatine No 1 wide successful the NBA draught by the Dallas Mavericks, helium experienced a flurry of emotions.

“I’m feeling amazing,” Flagg said arsenic helium stood with his family. “It’s a imagination travel true, to beryllium honest. I wouldn’t privation to stock it with anybody else.”

The Mavericks’ announcement ended a months-long buildup for the 18-year-old Maine native, who had agelong been projected arsenic the apical pick. The lone question was which squad would get a accidental to instrumentality him, and Dallas earned that accidental erstwhile it won the NBA Draft lottery past period contempt 1.8 percent odds.

Flagg figures to rapidly supply a caller look of the franchise for the Mavericks, who drew ire from their instrumentality basal aft trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers past season.

The 6-foot-8-inch (2.03m), 221-pound (100kg) Flagg helped usher Duke to an NCAA Final Four quality aft averaging 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.4 blocks arsenic a freshman. He won the Wooden Award arsenic the nation’s champion player, on with taking location different honours including Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year and an ACC All-Defensive Team nod.

The San Antonio Spurs followed with the No 2 pick, which they utilized to prime Rutgers defender Dylan Harper. The lad of longtime NBA subordinate Ron Harper volition articulation a talented roster that includes prized large antheral Victor Wembanyama and reigning Rookie of the Year Stephon Castle.

Harper said helium could not hold to get to San Antonio to hole for the season.

“I’m feeling everything – each the emotions mixed successful 1 bucket,” Harper said. “I deliberation erstwhile you play with a clump of large players, it brings the champion retired of you. They’ve got a large young halfway implicit there. I’m conscionable acceptable to get successful determination and marque an interaction immoderate mode I tin with those guys.”

No 2 prime Dylan Harper, left, poses for a photograph with his begetter Ron Harper, who won 3 NBA titles playing alongside the celebrated Michael Jordan astatine the Chicago Bulls from 1995-98 [Evan Yu/Getty Images via AFP]

At No 3, the Philadelphia 76ers selected defender VJ Edgecombe retired of Baylor. He was named Big 12 Freshman of the Year aft averaging 15 points and 5.6 rebounds for the Bears.

The Charlotte Hornets selected Duke defender Kon Knueppel next, which marked the 2nd Blue Devils freshman to beryllium selected successful the apical 4 picks. Now, Knueppel volition enactment successful North Carolina to play successful the NBA.

“It was a large spotlight astatine Duke,” helium said. “(We) freshmen didn’t shy distant from that, and it prepared america for the adjacent level. Hopefully, that volition transportation over.”

The Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey, who played with Harper astatine Rutgers, to circular retired the apical 5 picks.

Flagg’s Duke teammate, centre Khaman Maluach, heard his sanction called astatine No 10 overall. The prime belonged to the Houston Rockets, who past sent the draught rights to Maluach to the Phoenix Suns arsenic portion of a woody to beryllium finalised for Kevin Durant.

Maluach was calved successful South Sudan and did not observe hoops until helium was an adolescent.

“I’m present representing the full continent,” Maluach said. “Leaving Africa, I had the full continent connected my back. (I privation to be) giving anticipation to young kids, inspiring young kids and the adjacent procreation of African basketball.”

The Mavericks had the No 1 wide prime for the 2nd clip successful franchise history. They besides had the apical enactment successful 1981, erstwhile they drafted Mark Aguirre retired of DePaul.

The 18-year-old Flagg is the 2nd youngest subordinate to beryllium drafted No 1 overall. Only LeBron James was younger erstwhile helium was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers successful 2003 [File: Dale Zanine/Imagn Images via Reuters]