Dallas Mavericks Select Cooper Flagg First in 2025 NBA Draft

Brooklyn, New York — The 2025 NBA Draft completed its first two rounds with excitement and several trades. The Dallas Mavericks kicked off the proceedings by selecting Cooper Flagg from Duke as the No. 1 overall pick on June 26.

Following Flagg, the San Antonio Spurs secured Dylan Harper from Rutgers at No. 2, while the Philadelphia 76ers drafted Dariq Whitehead from Baylor third. The Charlotte Hornets picked Tyrese Proctor from Duke fourth, and then the Utah Jazz selected Ace Bailey from Rutgers at fifth.

A notable trade occurred when the New Orleans Pelicans moved up to acquire Derik Queen with the No. 13 pick. This deal reflects the increasing trend of teams making strategic trades to get their preferred players.

The first round contained 30 picks, while the second round featured an additional 29 selections, which began on June 27. The Phoenix Suns were particularly active, trading for the No. 31 pick, which they used to draft Rasheer Fleming from St. Joseph’s.

The Timberwolves traded the No. 31 pick to the Suns in exchange for the No. 36 pick and two future second-round picks. Subsequently, the Timberwolves converted the No. 36 pick into Arkansas forward Adou Thiero, who was chosen by the Brooklyn Nets.

“It feels good, you know? Dream come true,” Thiero said after the selection. “I’m just happy to be here.”

Additional trades throughout the second round included the Orlando Magic acquiring France’s Noah Penda in exchange for multiple picks, including Nos. 46 and 57.

This draft notably saw the New York Knicks forfeit their second-round pick due to a tampering investigation over the signing of Jalen Brunson in 2022. This incident has left a gap in the draft for the Knicks, who had previously anticipated making selections.