Kidd cryptically admits how Mavericks really feel about crucial Cooper Flagg choice

Since the exact moment Mark Tatum announced that the Dallas Mavericks won the lottery and would hold the No. 1 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on May 12, fans in Dallas have been ecstatic. The pain from the Luka Doncic trade has begun to turn into excitement for Cooper Flagg to join the Mavs for next season, but Dallas winning the lottery despite only having a 1.8 percent chance of doing so came with its fair share of doubts from fans as well.

Mavs fans feared that Nico Harrison would trade the No. 1 pick for a superstar to better align with his goal to win the NBA Finals within the next few years, and until Flagg walks across the stage on draft night and puts on that Mavericks hat without a trade going through, fans will be skeptical about what Harrison will do with the unbelievably valuable asset he now has in his grasps. Harrison's right-hand man, Jason Kidd, recently joined 105.3 The Fan's K&C Masterpiece to talk all things Mavs basketball, and he continues to hint at the inevitable Flagg decision that will become a reality in a few weeks.

The Dallas Mavericks will select Cooper Flagg out of Duke with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Jason Kidd drops telling hint on Mavericks' Cooper Flagg draft plans

Reports have confirmed that Dallas plans to draft Flagg, and they are not entertaining trade offers surrounding the pick.

While Kidd hasn't outright said that Dallas will select Flagg, he is very strategic when talking about the Mavericks' future star wing, and a few tidbits from his time on The Fan earlier this week have left fans strongly believing that the unthinkable won't happen and Flagg will officially become a Maverick on June 25.

Kidd noted that he and other Mavericks staffers have spent immense time studying Flagg's film, and even though he continues to refer to Flagg as "the kid from Duke," his quote at the end of the segment is very telling when it comes to Flagg being drafted by the Mavs in exactly three weeks.

"I can't wait until we change that kid (from) Duke to his name," Kidd said.

Kidd is clearly excited about Dallas' opportunity to draft Flagg and make him a member of their core alongside Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis for years to come, and he is officially ready to be able to call him by his name beginning later this month when he is officially a Maverick. Flagg is one of the most special two-way prospects we've seen in some time, and his game perfectly fits Harrison's vision for the team as well as Kidd's scheme.

Flagg embodies Harrison's "defense wins championships" motto, as his defense, especially on the help side, is poised to make Dallas a terrifying force right away, and his effort on that end of the floor is truly what makes him special.

Flagg wants to lock down whoever is in front of him at all times, and he takes pride in that. It's not common to see a No. 1 pick give 110 percent effort on defense, and that is exactly what Flagg will bring into Kidd's defensive game plan and more. Kidd heavily bases his rotations upon energy and effort, and with those two areas being Flagg's specialties, it sounds like "the kid from Duke" is going to win him over very quickly.