DALLAS — Not long after an emotional NBA Cup win over the Houston Rockets on Friday, Cooper Flagg was asked about the joys of the Dallas’ Mavericks’ new two-star dynamic. Flagg and Kyrie Irving had combined for 68 points, 15 assists and 13 rebounds in the contest, the Mavs’ third win in a row. But the 19-year-old didn’t want to focus on himself or take away from his team’s achievement against a legitimate contender.
Flagg redirected the question to preach about players excelling in their various roles regardless of perceived status.
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“We have a lot of stars,” he said.
Such a remark can be lost in a postgame interview, especially one where the subject tends to keep things brief and direct. But in that moment, Flagg was displaying a level of leadership that is typically unbeknownst to teenagers, much less budding superstars being handed the keys to a franchise.
In three months, it will mark two years since the stunning Dallas trade that sent Luka Dončić to Los Angeles in exchange for Anthony Davis. The massive void left by Dončić and the emotional toll from such a jarring move created a butterfly effect for the city and organization, ultimately leading to the drafting of Flagg, but also the firing of head coach Jason Kidd and general manager Nico Harrison, and the hiring of Dusty May and Masai Ujiri this offseason.
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But beauty can emerge from despair. So when May and Ujiri embraced in the tunnel after the final buzzer against Houston, hope re-emerged. And although the transition between eras has certainly come with its fair share of detours, Flagg’s growing leadership in Year 2 — and, more importantly, his veteran teammates empowering him — has provided a North Star to follow.
“He’s taken a step into a leadership role,” teammate Daniel Gafford said. “There’s different ways you can lead in certain areas. With Coop, he just finds ways to have fun throughout the craziest times. Kyrie [Irving] is one of the biggest leaders in the locker room and he leads by his voice and example. Coop is following suit and taking notes and doing it himself.”
“It’s huge,” Flagg added. “Just getting the respect of my peers and teammates last year was big for me. They’re trusting me, I’m trusting myself. It’s a good recipe.”
Flagg’s mental growth has been concurrent with his on-court development. In the shot clock era, there are only 20 players who have averaged 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, a steal and a block per game. At 19, Flagg is the youngest ever to reach those benchmarks.
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Ironically, part of his success stems from the chaos he was born into. As a rookie under Kidd, Flagg was originally miscast as a point guard with questionable spacing at times, and at other junctures shared a backcourt with the likes of Brandon Williams, Ryan Nembhard and D’Angelo Russell — hardly a trio of names that screams development. Flagg also was a victim of Dallas’ rotational roulette; only Cleveland and Washington had their most common lineups on the floor together less than Flagg’s most consistent one (92 minutes, per NBA.com tracking data) last season.
A year later, Flagg has a clear-cut role in a cleaner half-court setup and has taken lessons from his playmaking past and refined them. His processor has sped up as the game has slowed down for him, better understanding how to attack opposing defenders, crack open schemes and create the best shot for himself and those around him.
As his usage rate has risen, so too has his assist rate, with Flagg now operating in the 98th and 97th percentiles, respectively, per Cleaning the Glass. An increase in possessions as a ball-handler has resulted in top-20 marks in secondary assists, potential assists and assists points created. It’s no surprise the Mavericks are 17 points per 100 half-court possessions better with Flagg on the floor.
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Flip to a Mavs game on League Pass on a Tuesday night and you’ll see Irving receive an inbounds pass, flip it to Flagg and jog to the opposing wing to let him go to work.
“Just comfortable,” Flagg said on how he feels with the ball in the half-court. “I’m comfortable getting to my spots and with my teammates. Coach is putting me in great spots.”
Dallas was one of the worst spacing units last season, but Flagg now has Irving (a career 40% 3-point shooter) and Max Christie (38%) next to him (and the hope is P.J. Washington returns to his 2024 form, where he shot 38% from deep). May also wants to play with pace and incorporates a high volume of pick-and-rolls to get both Flagg and Irving on the ball. The pace, space and freedom allow Flagg’s unorthodox style to take form — more isolations, more midrange attempts and a better overall shot selection. (His 3-point efficiency, hovering around 23%, remains a work in progress, but he’s been able to establish elite go-to moves that negate the need to launch unnecessary 3s into the sun.)
Flagg’s improved comfortability within the offense speaks to his relationship with May; an open, honest one that incorporates feedback and fluidity.
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“It’s been great,” Flagg said of his bond with May. “He watched a ton of film from last year and knows my game pretty well. So just whatever he’s seeing where he wants to put me, it’s been working really well.”
Still, arguably none of this is made possible without Irving’s presence, patience and poise. For starters, his gravity alone makes Flagg’s job easier on a nightly basis, drawing attention away from him and opening up more space to operate. But Irving’s experience, having shared the spotlight with a plethora of big names during his tenure, makes the day-to-day easier as well. For what it’s worth, the Mavericks have outscored opponents by 25 points in 98 minutes that Flagg and Irving have been on the floor together. It’s been less of a turn-by-turn approach and more cooperative, with Irving wanting to push Flagg to be the best version of himself. As an elder statesman now, it’s about giving back to the younger generation.
“It’s been great,” Irving said to Yahoo Sports. “In my first few years in the league, I had some good veterans — Anthony Parker, Antawn Jamison, Anderson Varejão — they were all good to me. But I was always trying to figure out what more I can do to bring to the team, and the best thing for me was being able to be honest about who I wanted to become in this league and how I was gonna accomplish it. It wasn’t a solo job. I think he has a lot more patience than I did when I was his age. With the supporting cast around him, he can trust us with any information or questions he wants to ask.”
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It takes a village to raise young players. A head coach without NBA experience forced to lean on his roster, creativity and communication. A wily, sage veteran with championship experience that is hell-bent on pouring into the next phase of NBA basketball. A community that supports and sees the full potential of an ascending superstar.
There’s still work to do. The Mavericks, despite their winning record, are just 18th in net rating. And it’s not just their conference that remains a gauntlet; their own division — with the Rockets, Spurs and Grizzlies ahead of them — is as deep as ever. But with Flagg’s continued trajectory, along with the other now-stable pieces in place, Dallas’ future is much brighter than its recent past.
“There’s always so much room for improvement,” Flagg said. “I haven’t shot the ball incredibly well behind the arc. But just continuing to play at my own pace, getting better and cleaning up the turnovers. There’s always room for improvement.”
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
