Cooper Flagg‘s rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks is quickly turning into a statement that the future has already arrived.
On Saturday, Flagg played his final game as an 18-year-old, closing the chapter on a year that has reshaped expectations for what a teenager can accomplish in the NBA. By nearly every measure, he looks ready not just to contribute, but to dominate at the professional level.
Flagg‘s résumé from the past year reads more like a career highlight reel than the start of one. He entered the league as the consensus college basketball player of the year and the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, and he has already etched his name into the history books as the youngest player ever to score 40-plus points in an NBA game.
A big hole to fill
Along the way, he has been embraced as the face of a Mavericks franchise still navigating life after Luka Doncic, a transition that once seemed unthinkable in Dallas. What stands out most is how quickly Flagg has looked comfortable being the best player on the floor, even against veterans who have been in the league for a decade or more.
He often references advice from his mother, who told him that if he is the best player in the gym, it is time to find a new one. Many nights, Flagg still ends up being the best player in the gym anyway, a testament to both his talent and his readiness. The production backs it up. Over his last eight games, six of them Mavericks wins, Flagg has averaged 25.1 points and 6.6 rebounds while shooting at least 48 percent from the field in five of those contests.
He was at the center of Thursday’s overtime victory over Detroit, knocking down the late shot that gave Dallas a chance to extend the game. Those moments are no longer exceptions for the rookie; they are becoming part of his routine.
Coach Kidd has pushed Cooper to greater heights
Head coach Jason Kidd has been deliberate in how he has accelerated Flagg‘s development. Early in the season, Kidd handed him the responsibility of running the offense as the team’s point guard, a move that fast-tracked his understanding of late-game situations and leadership.
Kidd has emphasized that the next steps in Flagg‘s growth are time and strength, two elements that cannot be rushed. As Flagg prepares to turn 19, Kidd believes that physical maturity and experience will unlock an even higher ceiling.
What Flagg already possesses is an advanced mental approach. He has learned quickly that failure is part of the process and that confidence is built by continuing to take the biggest shots, even after missing them. That mindset dates back to his college days, including a high-profile miss at Duke that he has said he would take again without hesitation. According to Kidd, that fearlessness is a defining trait of great players.
Read the full article here
