On the track of the Mavericks and surroundings, where hysteria and anger exploded for the incomprehensible expulsion of Luka Doncic Dallas -furibundos shouts against Nico Harrison And even funeral rituals around a grave-his emotional fans crowd Cooper Flagg In number 1 of the draft.
“I feel incredible. Being honest, it's a dream come true. I don't want to share it with anyone else,” said Doncic successor.
Flagg, American eaves of 18 years y 2,06he becomes a fascinating unicorn, a generational player who returns to Dallas the present and future to which he had resigned with the shocking transfer of the Slovenian to the Lakers in February. The term “unicorn” has walked very much lately on the occasion of the phenomenon Victor Wembanyamabut it is a legitimate description for Cooper Flagg: with those 2.06, the one who comes from being the best NCAA player with Duke He literally knows everything.
“My favorite part about the game is to do everything, to have the ability to do everything,” I said without flagg hesitations, with 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists last season in American university basketball with 48% in field shots and 38.5% in triples with a volume of 3.6 attempts.
But Maine's forward is not only an all -inclusive in attack, but also in defense, where Doncic continues to leave so much to desire. And it comes with the ethics of serial work, that which is supposedly missing the former of the Real Madrid. So it seems that, so much that it seemed a ruin at first, Doncic is going to be in round business, although with suspicions of a pact with the devil, because Dallas barely had a 1.8% possibilities to touch the number 1 of the draft in the lottery.
They say the bad languages or the morbid lovers of the theories of the conspiracy that the NBA commissioner, Adam Silver, made the general manager of the Mavericks Nico Harrison An indecent proposal: that in order to encourage the cotarro in an NBA that was losing audience, that he sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers, that he would already ensure that Dallas touched the fat of the lottery with the number 1 of the draft.
Shaquille O’Neal He hinted that this conspiracy theory was true: shortly before being chosen in number 1 of the 1992 Draft, he told the then NBA commissioner, David Sternwhich preferred heat to cold. And it turns out that the Magic of the warm Orlando went to be their first destination before becoming a legend in the Lakers.
Whatever it is, the reality is that the Dallas Mavericks are today the envy of the NBA when it is a matter of months was to laugh. Cooper Flagg is his face for the next decade and beyond but they have a very powerful roster to fight for the ring with flagg, Kyrie Irving, Anthony Davis y Klay Thompson. So vilified by the transfer of Doncic, in a matter of days Nico Harrison has allowed a frontline team for the title with the imminent renewal of Kyrie Irving for 119 million and three years, that of Daniel Gafford for three years and 60 million and the exciting arrival of the American Unicorn.
As a custom -made suit for Dallas, Flagg fits from good to first already in the titular quintet with the pieces that the Texas set has, as it is a probable scenario that PJ Washington -projected as a starting forward until now -goes to the bench. Thus, the team trained by Jason Kidd He would have an imposing initial alignment with Irving, Thompson, Flagg, Davis and Lively II. Of course, Irving would not return to January, still with months ahead in the recovery of its anterior cross ligament.
Luca maidic stared at Nico Harrison in a Lakers-Mavericks
With so much quality around him, Cooper Flagg will have great mentors while developing without hurry to assume leadership. The eave has become the second number 1 of the youngest draft in history after LeBron James (2003) and just for a few days, with 18 years and 186 days for the 18 years and 178 days with which he arrived The King To the NBA. The Lakers star blessed Flagg in his podcast Mind the Game con Steve Nash.
“It has the benefit, unlike me, that binds to a team that is already established, with children's hack IQ Basis and knowledge around you every day of these pieces.
Hugo González, to the Celtics and Jakucionis, to the Heat
Although Flagg monopolized the most attention of the first night of Draft -the second round will be held tomorrow -, with the story of Luka Doncic of background as it could not be otherwise.
But the evening also left other events such as the selection at number 28 of Hugo González On the part of Celtics that plan to incorporate the Alero of Real Madrid already next season. This way, Saints Alfama –The only Spanish representative this last season-will have a company although the Canary has not confirmed where he will play next year. Both the power wing and the Memphis Grizzlies have expressed intention to remain linked but the canary is about to become a restricted free agent with the beginning of the free agency around the corner.
Barça also Fardó de Cantera with the Miami Heat choosing at number 20 to Kaspar Jakucionis, who militated in the Barca club between 2021 and 2024, when he went to the NCAA with Illinois.
In Catalan and Spanish basketball, the Brooklyn Nets of Jordi Fernández They were great animators of the night with the up to five draft picks that they had in this first round, choosing several European players. The New York team chose in the Russian 8 Egor demin -Ex of Real Madrid-, in 19 to the Frenchman Nolan Traore, in the 22nd to the American Drake Powell, in the 26th to Israeli Ben Saraf and in 27 to the American -israelí Danny Wolf. A team had never selected so many players in a first round.
For their part, the San Antonio Spurs continue to accumulate young talent around Victor Wembanyama After choosing Dylan Harper and the Utah Jazz, they selected Ace Bailey in 5, considered by Kevin Durant “A pure talent” and considered the one that has a better capacity to convert complicated shots in this draft.
In an international code apart from Europe, the Phoenix Suns took the pivot Khaman maluachselected at number 10 and part of the South Sudan team that almost beats the team last summer before the Olympic Games. On a night of benefit for the Arizona team, the Suns also reinforced the pivot position with Mark Williams.
In an operation that can have a great impact on Europe, Phoenix executed his team option with Vasilija Micic To send the Hornets back and use him with exchange currency along with his Pick 29 to get Williams. Micic wants to return to Europe and Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe are among their suitors.
The Chinese Yang Hansen, the surprise of the night
In what was the great ball of the night, the Chinese Yang Hansen climbed to the pick 16 when he was expected not to be chosen until the second round. The Portland Trail Blazers They surprised acquiring the number 16 of the Grizzlies to get the one who begins to be called in the United States as the “Chinese Nikola Jokic.” Hansen, 2.18, militated so far in the Qingdao Eagles of the Chinese League.
In any case, the big surprise is still what the Mavericks saving the future of the Cooper Flagg franchise after Dallas fell number 1 of the lottery in May despite only having 1.8% possibilities. His track, the American Airlines Center, is just 800 meters from the Plaza Dealey, where John F. Kennedy For greater food for enthusiasts of conspiracy theories about the issue of Doncic and Flagg.
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Nico Harrisonthat if he had delivered who knows if he had not been hung in that square, he recognized with laughter that he expected that the arrival of Flagg calmara to his haters. Some on the track still sang the “says goodbye to Nico” before Flagg became a maverick. The duel for Luka Doncic It is already history in Dallas.
