A week before the Dallas Mavericks selected Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in Wednesday’s NBA Draft, team officials, including head coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison, hosted dinner for the former Duke sensation at Bob’s Steak and Chop House in Dallas.
Mavericks CEO Rick Welts, who was also in attendance, got Flagg’s thoughts on the team’s plans to open a new arena before its lease at the American Airlines Center expires in 2031.
“That’ll probably be [when he’s on] his second contract,” Welts said in a phone interview. “But he’s looking forward to being part of creating something special… Hopefully for the next 10-15 years, he’s a major part of what we’re doing here in Dallas. This 18-year-old is going to bring in the next generation of Mavericks fans that will be following his career for a long time.”
The Mavericks are rebuilding their reputation with not only their fanbase, but also the local business community after trading beloved star Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers in February. Fans fumed about the decision to move on from Dončić, and Welts admits that there was a pause on corporate interest post-trade as brands hesitated to associate with the franchise. But he said that all changed on May 12.
The Mavericks won the draft lottery, and the right to draft Flagg, that day despite having just 1.8% odds. The team sold $8 million worth of tickets the following three days while it regained interest from a host of new corporate partners who have recently inked sponsor deals. The franchise landing one of the most sought-after players in years is quite the consolation after a tumultuous season driven by injuries and one of the biggest trades in NBA history.
“The clouds parted, and the basketball gods shined upon us,” Welts, a 47-year veteran in the NBA, said. “We got very lucky.”
The Mavs are hoping that luck carries over into their discussions with Dallas city officials as they look to build a basketball-only facility (the team currently shares the American Airlines Center with the NHL’s Dallas Stars). This has been a leading initiative since the Adelson and Dumont families bought controlling interest in the team from longtime owner Mark Cuban in 2023. It’s one of the reasons Welts was hired last year, as the former Golden State Warriors president oversaw the team’s move from Oakland into the Chase Center in San Francisco. He added Dallas city officials were in the Bay Area touring the six-year-old arena on Thursday.
The Mavericks, who have played at American Airlines Center since 2001, maintain that they will exhaust all opportunities to build a new arena within city limits before exploring elsewhere. The Adelson family owns 108 acres in nearby Irving, Texas, which has been rumored as a potential landing spot for a new facility. The Mavericks have time to determine their next move, as they’re committed to staying until the end of their current lease. With a raised profile, thanks to Flagg, the franchise is also hopeful to potentially pitch voters to assist with necessary public funding.
Welts says that, regardless of location, the new facility will be unique to any other team leaguewide, but he does view Chase Center as modeling a good “starting point” in terms of the fan experience and overall quality that team governor Patrick Dumont is seeking. The Adelsons also own a significant stake in the casino resort company Las Vegas Sands, and they could potentially include a designated casino within the arena as Sands and other companies lobby Texas lawmakers to approve casino gambling in the Lone Star State.
LeBron James said on his Mind the Game podcast earlier this week that he believes Flagg is stepping into an ideal situation competing alongside new teammates Kyrie Irving and Anthony Davis. Both are fellow former No. 1 overall draft picks and could help Flagg make a smooth transition to becoming the team’s franchise player of the future. Flagg’s success could change the club’s trajectory similarly to the way Golden State transformed under sharpshooter Steph Curry, who captured four NBA titles and the attention of Gen Z basketball fans worldwide.
“I saw it unfold in Golden State,” Welts said. “[And] Steph Curry wasn’t 18 years old when I got there. The NBA has done an amazing job finding young audiences where they are, whatever medium to get their information. It’s why our players are so culturally relevant. … Cooper will have an immediate following, and he won’t be 19 [years old] until December.”
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