Flagg Stays Cool as Mavs Win Lottery Surprise!

Cooper Flagg Admits He Was Shocked When Dallas Landed Top Pick

Cooper Flagg, one of the most talked-about prospects, revealed he was completely surprised when the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA Draft Lottery. Flagg, who was interviewed by the Mavericks at the combine, felt he had “zero chance” of being drafted by them. The idea of playing in Dallas never crossed his mind before the lottery results came out.

Lottery Night Jitters and Strict Instructions

Flagg shared his experience during the lottery, admitting it felt even more interesting than the draft itself. He received strict advice from his agents: “Whatever you do, just don’t react.” The goal was to avoid showing any negative emotion if his name was called by a team he didn’t want. Flagg explained that in the past, some players have visibly shown disappointment, which teams want to avoid.

“So, you know, the whole time I’m just in there like, ‘All right, just don’t react,'” Flagg said. He focused on staying calm, especially if the team wasn’t one he’d hoped for. This meant keeping a poker face, no matter the outcome. He was prepared to hide any feelings of disappointment.

Texas Taxes and a Controlled Reaction

When the lottery reached the top three, Flagg’s mindset shifted. The potential picks came down to Charlotte, San Antonio, and Dallas. “I mean, being in Texas would be great. I was thinking about state taxes. I was like, this is amazing,” Flagg recalled. This realization made him want to contain his excitement. He knew he had to keep his composure, even though he was thrilled about the possibility.

He noticed that some people thought his reaction wasn’t happy. Flagg clarified, “Well, I was trying to not react in any way and just kind of be stoic.” His teammates were trying to make him laugh and react, but he held strong. “I’m like, bro, and then they brought me to do an interview like seconds after the lottery happened,” he added.

Caught Off Guard by Interview Questions

Being interviewed immediately after the lottery results was a challenge. Reporters asked him about Dallas, and Flagg struggled to answer without giving away his excitement. “So, you’re also just like, ‘Well, like I just I literally just processed this information 9 seconds ago,'” he described. He felt the interviewers knew exactly what they were doing, trying to get a reaction.

Flagg emphasized that Dallas was never on his radar. “Like there was a lot of like teams in the mix that I was like, ‘Oh, I hope they get hope.’ Like Dallas wasn’t even, never even thought about them getting the pick,” he stated. This made the surprise even bigger for him.

Draft Night Nerves Despite Knowing the Outcome

Even though Flagg had a strong idea of where he might go in the draft, draft night itself felt different. He admitted, “I think like for some reason I was still nervous. I don’t know what I was nervous about.” He attributed the nerves to the intense atmosphere and the high emotions of the night. The whole process, from arriving hours early to the red carpet and interviews, added to the pressure.

He described sitting in the green room, feeling the eyes of everyone watching. “Man, I was nervous. I was sweaty. Um, even though I knew it was about to happen,” Flagg said. He even felt like he was sweating through his suit, showing how much the experience affected him.

A Busy Pre-Draft Schedule

Flagg’s journey to the draft involved a packed schedule, including around 22 workouts. He specifically worked out for Dallas the day before the draft, flying in just for that occasion. It was an all-guards workout, but he found it to be a positive experience. He also attended the G-League combine and the main NBA combine, making it a demanding period.

Despite the intense preparation, Flagg felt content with his potential draft position. He spent draft night with his family and agent, feeling good about where he might land. He mentioned that sometimes people might think a player might get picked higher because a sibling is also a good player, referencing Drew and his brother. Flagg’s thought was, “We thought that a little bit. We thought because he was doing so well might have just been like his brother’s kind of similar like maybe we’ll pick him.”

Post-Draft Rush to Dallas

After the draft, Flagg’s schedule didn’t slow down. He had a draft party with family in New York before heading to Dallas the next day. He met with the team owner and then flew back down to start his press conference duties. The time in Dallas before Summer League was short, just a couple of days.

“Yeah, we had summer league practices. I was here for days,” Flagg noted. He flew out for Summer League shortly after. The entire process, from the lottery surprise to the start of his NBA career, happened very quickly.

Source: Cooper Flagg on His Reaction When the Mavs Won the Draft Lottery (YouTube)