By Janina Nuno Rios
MEXICO CITY (Reuters) -Two of the last five number one draft picks will share the spotlight on Saturday when Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham and Dallas Mavericks rookie Cooper Flagg take the floor at Arena CDMX in the 2025 NBA Mexico City Game.
Both teams arrive at a pivotal early-season moment, as Detroit has shown signs of life and cohesion, with Cunningham fresh off a stellar performance of 30 points, 10 assists and no turnovers in a comeback win against Orlando Magic on Wednesday.
Having shaken off early-season pressure to move to a 3–2 record, the Pistons will look for a win that could lift them from sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
"It's going to be a highly competitive game it's going to be a dog fight," Cunningham told reporters on Friday.
"They have a lot of talent over there we will have to try to suppress that and make sure we do our job defensively and then getting out on offence."
Dallas, meanwhile, carries elevated expectations into Mexico City.
The Mavericks sit 12th in the Western Conference with a 2–3 record, but their win-now roster, anchored by veteran stars, also features 18-year-old recent overall pick Flagg, whose arrival has generated excitement as he steps into the spotlight.
"Just really excited to be in a new environment, new culture. Hopefully I'll learn something," Flagg said on his arrival in Mexico.
As the Mavericks aim to start the season strong in their push to reach the playoffs for a second consecutive year, the leadership of Anthony Davis remains crucial. The Mavericks will be monitoring his fitness closely after the center–power forward exited Wednesday’s victory over Indiana with lower-leg soreness.
MAVERICKS’ MEXICO CITY PEDIGREE
Dallas has long treated Mexico City as a home away from home. The 2025 matchup marks the team's eighth game in Mexico, the most of any NBA franchise, and the Pistons' third, with both teams looking to leverage the energy of a passionate local crowd.
The 20,000‑seat Arena CDMX is sold out for Saturday, underscoring the city's appetite for top-level basketball. The NBA's footprint in Mexico is significant, as this will be the country's 34th NBA game and the 32nd in Mexico City, with 14 of those being regular-season contests.
Past contests have produced memorable moments, from Doncic's 41-point performance in 2019 to high-scoring affairs like the 133 points posted by the Seattle Supersonics in 1994.
For standouts like Cunningham and Flagg, the game is a chance to make an international impression, while the league reinforces Mexico's place as a consistent stop on its global calendar, alongside Abu Dhabi, Melbourne, Berlin, London, and China.
"It's amazing to be in a place where they don't get to see us play very often," Cunningham said. "I've never played in Mexico so to be in a stage like this in front of fans that never got to see me play I think it's an amazing opportunity and I want to give the fans a great show."
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City)
