Duke fans are quickly evolving into Dallas Maverick fans as the 2025 NBA Draft flies into focus and former Blue Devil star Cooper Flagg gets closer and closer to becoming the No. 1 overall pick of the class, going to the Mavs.
However, many Blue Devil fans had two good reasons to pull for the Mavericks before ever knowing that Dallas would win the lottery for the first pick of this year's draft.
Kyrie Irving and Dereck Lively II both play for Dallas, and have for the last two seasons. They also both happen to be former Duke Blue Devils. Irving, just like Flagg will be on Wednesday, was the No. 1 overall pick in his draft class (2011).
Dereck Lively II college career stats & accolades
- 5.2 points per game
- 5.4 rebounds per game
- 1.1 assists per game
- 2.4 blocks per game
- 0.5 steals per game
- ACC All-Defensive team (2023)
- ACC All-Freshman team (2023)
Just like Flagg and Irving, Lively spent just one year with the Blue Devils. In that singular season, he made his defensive presence known across the country, earning All-Defensive honors in the ACC. After his time in Durham, Lively was selected 12th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft.
Kyrie Irving college career stats & accolades
- 17.5 points per game
- 4.3 assists per game
- 3.4 rebounds per game
- 1.5 steals per game
- 0.5 blocks per game
Despite suffering an injury that sidelined him for most of the season, Irving cemented himself as the No. 1 overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft by averaging 17.4 points, 5.1 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.5 steals over the first eight games of the season.
He also scored 28 points in the Sweet Sixteen when the Blue Devils lost to the Arizona Wildcats, which was ultimately Irving's last game for Duke.
Cooper Flagg college career stats & accolades
- 19.2 points per game
- 7.5 rebounds per game
- 4.2 assists per game
- 1.4 blocks per game
- 1.4 steals per game
- National college player of the year (2025)
- Consensus first-team All-American (2025)
- Lute Olson Award (2025)
- Julius Erving Award (2025)
- Wayman Tisdale Award (2025)
- NABC Freshman of the Year (2025)
- ACC Player of the Year (2025)
- First-team All-ACC (2025)
- ACC Rookie of the Year (2025)
- ACC All-Defensive team (2025)
- ACC All-Freshman Team (2025)
To put it lightly, nobody compared to Flagg over the 2024-25 men's college basketball season, even though the Blue Devils fell short of an appearance in the National Championship game. He was a nearly flawless all-around player and has done more than enough to earn the spot as the No. 1 pick.
A holy trinity of former Blue Devils should do plenty to cement Duke fans' loyalty to the Mavericks for at least one season.