Cooper Flagg has been one of the most dominant forwards in college basketball history. However, his arrival in the NBA brought him a new challenge when head coach Jason Kidd assigned him a very different role at the start of his career, and that became the catalyst for his successful transition.
Flagg entered the NBA after a standout freshman season with the Duke Blue Devils, where he helped lead the team to the Final Four before falling to Houston.
The Mavericks selected him with the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, marking the start of what many expect to be a stellar career.
As part of his early development, Kidd briefly shifted Flagg to point guard-a position completely new to him. Flagg now credits that challenge as a vital step in his adaptation.
Flagg’s experience as a point guard
In a recent interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Flagg reflected on the assignment: “I just learned a lot about the game,” the rookie said.
“I’ve never been in a situation like that-handling the ball, bringing it up every single time-and I learned how tiring it can be,” he added.
The Dallas star admitted the two games he spent at point guard were “probably the most tired I’ve ever been on a basketball court.”
He emphasized that the experience deepened his respect for the position and taught him valuable lessons about leadership:
It showed me what it takes to run a team, and Coach Kidd is one of the best at that. I’ve learned a lot from him this year.
Flagg capitalizes on the challenge
After the experiment, Kidd returned Flagg to his natural role as a small forward. The lessons from his brief stint at point guard have since been evident in his play.
Through 57 games, Flagg is averaging:
- 20.2 points
- 6.6 rebounds
- 4.5 assists
- 1.1 steals
- 47.1% field goal percentage
- 29.1% three-point percentage
With a demanding home stretch ahead, Flagg and the Mavericks will look to string together wins to climb the Western Conference standings.
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