Kyrie Irving’s First Meeting With Cooper Flagg After Draft Catches the NBA’s Attention originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

All eyes are on Dallas these days, and it’s not just because of the sweltering Texas heat. The Mavericks have everyone talking after landing Cooper Flagg with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

At just 18, Flagg already has sky-high expectations on his shoulders as he joins a lineup featuring big names like Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis making the Mavs one of the most intriguing squads to watch in the upcoming NBA season. As he settles into his new home, Flagg is starting to connect with his veteran teammates, kicking things off with none other than Kyrie himself.

Cooper x Kyrie 🤝 https://t.co/5wiFNslTLV

— NBA (@NBA) June 28, 2025

In a video shared by the Mavericks, reacted to by the NBA, Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving are seen dapping each other up and chatting for a bit already looking like they’re building that new teammate bond. 

It’s a pretty cool moment, considering they actually have something big in common: both suited up for the Duke Blue Devils and both were No. 1 overall picks in their draft classes. Not a bad bit of shared history to kick off this new chapter in Dallas.

Irving recently opted out of his $43 million player option for next season but is set to sign a new three-year $119 million deal that’ll keep him in Dallas and out of free agency this summer. The contract has a player option for 2027-28 and pays him about $40 million a year. 

While Kyrie’s still recovering from a torn ACL and likely won’t return until January, his deal gives the Mavs flexibility to add a guard in the meantime. This move, plus re-signing Daniel Gafford, sets Dallas up nicely, and the cherry on top is drafting Flagg as first overall in the recent NBA Draft.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.