Chapter 1
The backyard battleground of Newport
Chapter 2
The Duke dominance and lottery luck
Chapter 3
Navigating the rookie ruts
Chapter 4
The statement game of October 2026
Chapter 5
Team chemistry and the sophomore leap
Ch 2 · The Duke dominance and lottery luck
dave Living Up to the Hype
Up to the hype, up to the hype, Cooper brought the Thunder down tonight.
Glossary
lottery (noun)
A contest or process in which winners are selected by chance. In May 2025, the Dallas Mavericks beat steep odds to win the top selection for Cooper Flagg.
A contest or process in which winners are selected by chance. In May 2025, the Dallas Mavericks beat steep odds to win the top selection for Cooper Flagg.
Fun Fact
Lottery luck: The Dallas Mavericks won the number-one pick to draft Cooper Flagg despite having just a tiny 1.8 percent chance of winning.
Quiz
Which French superstar, drafted first overall in 2023, was Cooper Flagg frequently compared to as a prospect?
Quiz
What were the Dallas Mavericks' exact odds of winning the number one pick in the 2025 NBA draft lottery?
Quiz
Who was selected second overall by the San Antonio Spurs right after Cooper Flagg in the 2025 NBA draft?
Quiz
Which player was the only freshman before Cooper Flagg to win both ACC Player and Rookie of the Year in the same season?