Dallas places future of the franchise in Cooper Flagg as Southwest Division gets better

Just 12 months ago, the Dallas Mavericks were playing in the NBA finals.

Now they feel poised to get back there.

They have a new superstar as Cooper Flagg was selected first overall in the NBA draft, a move that comes on the heels of one of the most controversial — and upsetting for Mavericks fans — trades in league history in which Luka Doncic was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I think it’s win now. It’s also win in the future,” GM Nico Harrison said during a post-draft news conference in Dallas. “Eventually it’s going to be Cooper’s team. We don’t know when that transition will happen. So I think it’s win now and then set yourself up to win in the future as well.”

The San Antonio Spurs also feel like they got better.

They selected Rutgers’ Dylan Harper second overall, giving them an explosive point guard who has plenty of star potential. Five picks later, the New Orleans Pelicans selected sharpshooter Jeremiah Fears from Oklahoma at No. 7 overall, giving the top of this year’s draft a very distinctive Southwest flavor.

The division got a needed injection of talent.

The Houston Rockets were the only Southwest team to make the playoffs last season, but were upset at the No. 2 seed by Golden State in the first round. But the Rockets landed 15-time All-Star and and four-time Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant in a trade before the draft.

What was the team’s need: The need didn’t matter because there was no question who the Mavs were taking. Dallas needs a facilitating guard to fill the void until Kyrie Irving returns from his knee injury, probably in December or January.

Who did the team draft: Flagg from Duke. If Flagg lives up to his potential, the Mavs found a new generational young talent less than six months after sending the one they had to the Lakers. Flagg will be two-plus seasons into this NBA career when he turns 21. Dallas did not have a second-round pick.

The pick's NBA comparison: Flagg actually has a chance to be a smaller version (assuming he’s finished growing) of his new teammate, Anthony Davis. He has potential as a two-way player who is a scoring threat from the perimeter.

What the team's need: After failing to make the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season, San Antonio needed scoring, playmaking and a big man to assist 2024 Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama.

Who did the team draft: Harper at No. 2 and forward Carter Bryant at No. 14. The Spurs sent the 38th pick to the Pacers.

The picks' NBA comparisons: At 6-foot-6, Harper has been compared to former MVP James Harden, Detroit All-Star Cade Cunningham and his father, five-time NBA champion Ron Harper. Harper’s size and strength allows him to get to the rim, absorb contact and score on a layup or via free throws. The 19-year-old Bryant has been compared to New Orleans forward Trey Murphy III because of defensive ability and offensive potential. Bryant shot 37% on 3-pointers and 46% from the field.

What was the team's need: After going 21-61 and bringing in Joe Dumars as their new basketball operations chief, the Pelicans needed depth across the roster, but particularly at point guard because of Dejounte Murray’s prolonged recovery from an Achilles injury in January.

Who did the team draft: Point guard Jeremiah Fears from Oklahoma at No. 7 and Maryland forward-center Derik Queen at No. 13 (after acquiring that pick in a trade that sent Atlanta their 23rd overall selection this year and a 2026 first-round pick). Dallas did not have a second-round pick. The Pelicans got Georgetown guard Micah Peavy in the second round in the pick that was made by the Wizards.

The picks’ NBA comparisons: As a 6-foot-3 slasher who not only can play the point but also excels at creating his own shot, Fears’ game resembles that of Murray, as well as that of New York’s Josh Hart — a former Pelicans fan favorite — as well as Detroit’s Jaden Ivey and Sacramento’s Markelle Fultz. The 6-foot-9 Queen isn’t known for his outside shot or shot-blocking, but was productive inside presence with averages of 16.5 points and nine rebounds in his final college season. He draws comparisons to Houston’s Alperen Şengün. Peavy has drawn comparisons to CJ McCollum.

What was the team’s need: The Grizzlies must replace sharpshooter Desmond Bane, sent to Orlando in a June trade. Memphis has tried for some time to find the right 3-and-D player, who can provide shooting from distance with a strong defensive mindset. Memphis needs to recover from a collapse down the stretch. The Grizzlies went from second place in the Western Conference on Feb. 27 to the play-in tournament.

Who did the team draft: The Grizzlies moved up to 11th in the draft in a trade with Portland, ending up with Cedric Coward, a 6-6 wing from Washington State. Memphis added a pair of guards on Thursday night known for their defense in Javon Small of West Virginia and Tennessee’s Jahmai Mashack, the latter acquired after trading down three spots in the draft to No. 59.

The pick's NBA comparison: Coward has some of the skillsets seen in Kawhi Leonard and Jalen Williams. Small has drawn comparisons to CJ Watson, while Mashack reminds some of Scottie Pippen.

What was the team’s need: As it stands now, the Rockets don’t have a pick in this draft that they’ll get to keep after also shipping their second-round pick to the Suns. But that’s OK for a team stocked with young talent that finished with the second-best record in the Western Conference this season.

Who did the team draft: Duke C Khaman Maluach at No. 10, but he will go to Phoenix as part of the Durant trade. The Rockets also traded away their second-round pick.

The pick's NBA comparison: Maluach has some similarities to Hassan Whiteside.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/nba

Dylan Harper hugs supporters after being selected second by the San Antonio Spurs In the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Dylan Harper reacts after being selected second by the San Antonio Spurs In the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

FILE - Duke forward Cooper Flagg celebrates after scoring against the Houston during the second half in the national semifinals at the Final Four of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Saturday, April 5, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson, File)

Cooper Flagg arrives for the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Dylan Harper, left, and Cooper Flagg gather for a photo before the start of the first round of the NBA basketball draft, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Four years after showing up late for the Beijing Olympics and missing one of his races because of a case of COVID-19, U.S. long track speedskater Casey Dawson is enjoying what he jokingly terms his “villain arc,” peaking at the right time ahead of the Milan Cortina Games.

Dawson secured a spot for next month in the men's 5,000 meters — an event he was forced to skip in 2022 while sick — by winning at that distance at the U.S. Olympic trials in 6 minutes, 12.857 seconds on Friday night.

“I actually got COVID two or three weeks before going to the competition. Tested positive for 50 straight tests,” said Dawson, a 25-year-old from Park City, Utah. “Couldn’t go over to the Games. I missed the opening ceremonies. Missed the 5,000 meters. Showed up 12 hours before my 1,500 meters. So I kind of got a little screwed over from that point of view. But this time around, I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption.”

And then, with a chuckle, Dawson added: “It’s kind of fun to have, like, my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun.”

Ethan Cepuran was about 6 1/2 seconds back Friday, finishing next in 6:19.335.

The last American man to medal in the 5,000 at an Olympics was Chad Hedrick at the 2006 Turin Games.

Dawson already had secured the lone U.S. place for Milan in the men’s 10,000 — a race not being contested at these trials — and also will be part of the trio for men’s team pursuit at the Olympics.

Dawson, Cepuran and Emery Lehman took the bronze in that event in Beijing four years ago, set the world record in 2024 and claimed gold in the team pursuit at the world championships in March.

In the other race Friday, the women's 3,000, Greta Myers won in 4:06.799. As of now, the United States does not have a berth in Milan for that distance, but one of its athletes could end up in the field if another country relinquishes an opening.

“It's hard to wait,” said Myers, a 21-year-old from Lino Lakes, Minnesota. “But I'm very hopeful. I think it's at least a 50-50 chance that it'll happen.”

The U.S. Olympic roster for long track won't become official until the four-day trials at the Pettit National Ice Center wrap up on Monday. One element that could come into play is that the Americans are allowed to bring a maximum of eight men and six women to these Winter Games.

The biggest star of the team — and the sport — is scheduled to make his trials debut Saturday in the men's 1,000 meters: Jordan Stolz. The 21-year-old from Kewaskum, a town about 40 miles north of Milwaukee, is not just competing at home this week; he's racing at the same rink where he first began taking lessons as a kid.

He made his Olympic debut at age 17 in Beijing four years ago, finishing 13th in the 500 and 14th in the 1,000.

At both the 2023 and 2024 world championships, Stolz earned titles in each of the 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters.

He's already pre-qualified for the Olympics based on performances at those three distances. All he really needs to do to lock down berths on the squad for the Feb. 6-22 Milan Cortina Games is show up at the starting line this week.

The 500 and 1,500 are slated for Sunday, and the mass start is Monday.

AP Winter Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Casey Dawson, of Park City, Utah, right, and Ethan Cepuran, of Glen Ellyn, lllinois, left, compete in the men's 5,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speed skating at the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)

The Pettit National Ice Center is seen in Milwaukee on Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, the first day of the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating. (AP Photo/Howard Fendrich)