DHJ Quick Take
- Mental Toll: Appearing on the Pat McAfee Show, Cooper Flagg admitted the transition from winning at Duke to a 24-52 season with the Dallas Mavericks has been “mentally taxing.”
- Historic Pace: Despite the team’s struggles, Flagg is averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Luka Dončić, and Carmelo Anthony as the only teenagers to average 20+ PPG.
- Organizational Shift: After a season defined by the dismissal of Nico Harrison and the trade of Anthony Davis, Dallas is banking on Flagg’s “learning on the fly” to anchor the franchise’s future.
DALLAS — Cooper Flagg is putting up some of the best numbers a rookie has posted in years. He will be the first to tell you it has come at a cost.
On Wednesday, Flagg appeared on “The Pat McAfee Show,” and part of the interview included a discussion about how much the losing the Dallas Mavericks have experienced has worn him down. The Mavs have the NBA’s sixth-worst record (24-52) and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season.
“Obviously, it’s been tough,” Flagg said. “I only lost four games last year [at Duke]. There’s been times through the season where it’s been mentally taxing on me, not having success that I would’ve hoped for.”
It is a candid admission from a 19-year-old who entered the league as the No. 1 overall pick with enormous expectations on a team that was built to compete at a high level before the season unraveled. At Duke, Flagg went 35-4 after rarely losing at the prep level prior.
Cooper Flagg Has Delivered Historic Production
Despite one of the worst seasons in recent Mavericks history, Flagg’s impact at such a young age has been by far the most positive development.
In 64 games, Flagg is averaging 20.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.5 assists while shooting 46.7% from the field and 81.2% from the free-throw line. He is one of five teenagers in NBA history to average at least 20 points in a season, joining Carmelo Anthony, Luka Dončić, Kevin Durant, and LeBron James, and he remains in a tight Rookie of the Year race with Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel.
Dallas came into this season thinking it could win now. With Kyrie Irving was supposed to be back from his ACL, Anthony Davis was anchoring the frontcourt. Flagg was the third piece. Dallas thought it had had enough. None of it came together.
The Mavericks stumbled out of the gate. Nico Harrison was let go as fan pressure mounted. Davis and Irving both missed significant time, and Dallas never found a consistent rotation.
Dallas Mavericks Make Full Pivot Toward the Future
Flagg was thrown into the fire as a primary ball-handler in a read-and-react system intended to accelerate his development as a ball-handler and decision-maker. Dallas struggled to make a positive impact on the win-loss column.
At the trade deadline, Dallas moved on from Davis in a trade for expiring contracts from the Washington Wizards. The playoff race was done. That perspective matters for a franchise that does not control its first-round picks for five years beyond 2026.
“Obviously, we’ve had a lot of injuries and unfortunate things happen throughout the year,” Flagg said. “It’s obviously not been ideal, but I’ve had growth along the way, and I’ve had to get better and learn on the fly. It’s definitely not the start I would’ve looked for, but hopefully I’ll be able to look back on it and know that I was able to learn a lot from it.”
The Mavericks are betting heavily that what Flagg is absorbing this season, including how to compete and lead through losing, will pay dividends once the roster catches up around him.
Six games remain in his rookie year.
More Cooper Flagg & Mavericks Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal
- Dallas Mavericks’ Jason Kidd Responds To Mark Cuban’s Latest Comments On Luka Dončić Trade: ‘When Are We Going To Move On?’
- ‘Guys Aren’t On The Same Page’: Cooper Flagg Posts 12th Double-Double As Dallas Mavericks Lose 123-99 To Milwaukee Bucks, Injuries Pile Up
- ‘They Were Physical With Coop’: How Minnesota Handed Cooper Flagg One Of His Toughest Rookie Games
- ‘He Was Hunting’: How Cooper Flagg Reclaimed Rhythm To Snap Dallas Mavericks’ Skid In Portland
- ‘We Don’t Talk About Rookie Of The Year’: Cooper Flagg And Kon Knueppel Keep Duke Brotherhood Above The Race
- Dallas Mavericks Coach Jason Kidd Calls Cooper Flagg The ‘Clear-Cut’ NBA Rookie Of The Year
