Cooper Flagg wasted no time making his presence felt on Monday night.
The former Duke star carried the Dallas Mavericks to a 113-109 road win over Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Miami Heat, finishing with 29 points, six rebounds, 11 assists and five steals in 40 minutes. Dallas moved to 2-2 with the victory, while Miami dropped to 0-4.
Flagg’s performance fit the kind of all-around production he built at Duke and quickly carried into the NBA. In his lone season with the Blue Devils, the Maine native averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. His biggest college showing came against Notre Dame on January 11, 2025, when he poured in 42 points, grabbed six rebounds and handed out seven assists.
Dallas made Flagg the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and he backed up that status right away. As a rookie, he played in 70 games for the Mavericks and put up 21.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game while shooting 46.8% from the field, 29.5% from 3-point range and 82.7% from the free-throw line. He also piled up 13 double-doubles and turned in his biggest night against the Orlando Magic on April 3, when he scored 51 points in 33 minutes to become the first teenager and the youngest player in NBA history to score at least 50 points in a game.
Flagg’s rise has already put him in the middle of a Mavericks roster with a strong Duke thread. Dallas also features Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II, and the connection is especially notable given Flagg’s admiration for Irving. At Mavericks media day, the 19-year-old said he was excited to play with one of the best guards in NBA history.
Irving sat out all of last season while recovering from the torn left ACL he suffered during the 2024-25 season against the Sacramento Kings in March. Before his NBA career took off, he spent one season at Duke in 2010-11, appearing in 11 games and averaging 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 52.9% from the field, 46.2% from 3 and 90.1% from the line.
His top Duke game came against Michigan State on December 1, 2010, when he posted 31 points, six rebounds and four assists in an 84-79 Duke win. The Cleveland Cavaliers then took him with the first overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft.
Irving has played for the Cavaliers, Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets and Mavericks, and he won the 2016 NBA championship with LeBron James in Cleveland. With Flagg and Irving in the mix, Dallas could be aiming at a return to the NBA playoffs this season.
In Other News...
Duke Fans Have One Huge Reason To Watch Asa Montgomery Today
There is plenty happening around Duke right now, but the spotlight today is on the recruiting trail, where five-star small forward Asa Montgomery is expected to announce his college commitment. For a program that keeps landing in the conversation for elite talent, this is the kind of decision that can shape both the immediate future and the long view, especially with the Blue Devils already carrying momentum from a roster that includes names like Kager Knueppel and Luke Paul.
The timing adds to the buzz, too, with former Duke standouts Cooper Flagg and Cameron Boozer off to strong starts in the NBA and the football program gearing up for a key home game against Boston College during a demanding stretch. Still, for basketball fans, Montgomerys announcement is the headline worth circling, because it could give Duke another major piece to build around and keep the programs talent pipeline rolling. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Freshmen Just Gave Jon Scheyer A Real Rotation Problem
Duke is coming out of preseason with something every coach wants and every rotation chart hates: options. As the Blue Devils get ready to host Army in their regular-season opener, a handful of freshmen have already made the case that they belong in the mix, with Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje, Deron Rippey Jr., Cameron Williams and Bryson Howard all showing different flashes of what they can bring. For Jon Scheyer, the early challenge is less about finding talent than figuring out how to sort through it.
The upside is obvious, but so is the uncertainty that comes with freshmen learning the pace and demands of college basketball. Some of those roles figure to change from game to game as Duke settles in, which gives the staff flexibility but also creates a tricky balancing act once the games start counting. The opener should offer a first real look at how much trust Scheyer is willing to place in that young group right away. [Read more 🡒]
Duke Faces A Real Test As Boston College Brings New Momentum
Boston College is showing up to this Atlantic Coast Conference matchup with a little more life than its record might suggest, and Duke will have to be ready for it. The Eagles have pieced together back-to-back comeback wins, leaning on the kind of late-game resilience that can change the feel of a season, and now they get their first meeting with Duke since 2022 in a game that should tell both teams something.
For the Blue Devils, the timing is interesting after a close win over Virginia, the kind of game that can either sharpen a team or leave it vulnerable if the edge slips. Duke will be watching its own health as well, with Walker Eget expected to play despite a recent finger injury, while Boston College brings Mason McKenzie, Bo MacCormack III and a bit of momentum into a matchup that suddenly looks more demanding than it might have a few weeks ago. [Read more 🡒]