“He’s a Duke Blue Devil” – Kyrie Irving opens up on potential pairing with Cooper Flagg on Mavericks

Kyrie Irving is looking forward to playing alongside fellow Duke Blue Devils alum Cooper Flagg if he joins the Dallas Mavericks next season. Before the NBA draft later this month, the injured Mavs guard sent a special message to the potential #1 pick.

The Mavericks are likely to select Flagg with their #1 pick this year. Irving had some encouraging words for the 18-year-old, who will likely be his teammate soon. The veteran guard also said that he felt connected to Flagg already.

“We definitely are connected,” Irving said. “He is a Duke Blue Devil. I know he can deal with the pressure and I’m looking forward to seeing a great season not only from him, but a lot of other young players that are here nationally and also internationally. The future is y’all’s!”

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The Mavs won the draft lottery and hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA draft. They have been public in their interest in selecting Flagg to provide a boost to the franchise after Luka Doncic's departure. The Mavericks also have Dereck Lively, who played for the Devils during the 2022–23 season.

Flagg had one of the best freshman seasons with the Devils, leading his team to the No. 1 spot in the NCAA tournament. During his freshman year, he displayed his elite skillset on both ends. He averaged 19.2 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 4.2 apg, 1.4 spg and 1.4 bpg.

This year, Flagg won almost all major accolades, including the Naismith National Player of the Year award, the Julius Erving Award, ACC Player of the Year, Wooden Award and Associated Press Player of the Year.

Kyrie Irving showers love on Michael Beasley

Kyrie Irving was in attendance for The Next Chapter 1-on-1 between Michael Beasley and Lance Stephenson. Beasley won the $100K award money, beating the former Indiana Pacers player.

After the game, Irving, who was also the commentator of the game, gave Beasley his flowers.

"I'm glad that you’re here sitting down. You have been an incredible example for our culture, you have been an incredible example for me," Irving said. "I just wanna give you your flowers right now. A lot of people don’t know where you come from… You are one of them ones, bro. I’m glad that I can say it out loud for you."

Irving had a season-ending ACL injury earlier this season. He would have to wait a bit longer to return fully healthy next season.

The Mavericks will expect to become one of the top contenders with Flagg, Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving on the roster.

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About the author

Nandjee Ranjan

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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