Jason Kidd has seen this before. The Dallas Mavericks head coach once guided a long, raw, and gifted teenager in Milwaukee who grew into one of the NBA’s most dominant forces. Now, he’s applying those lessons again with Cooper Flagg.
Through 10 games, Flagg has averaged 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, showing flashes of two-way versatility that have made him one of the league’s most scrutinized young players. Kidd said the process of molding Flagg into a complete player has reminded him of coaching Giannis Antetokounmpo during his formative years with the Bucks.
“Yeah, they might be around the same age,” Kidd said. “Cooper’s playing the game the right way, trying to make the right plays, and he’s understanding that he’s got the best perimeter defender on him a lot of times. Right now, the advantage might go to the opponent because he hasn’t gone through this yet, but he’s doing a great job. I wouldn’t compare the two skill sets — they’re different — but they’re similar in learning the position, playmaking, and seeing the floor.”
Guiding a Young Star Through Growing Pains
Kidd said his experience transforming Antetokounmpo into a point forward shaped how he’s approaching Flagg’s early development in Dallas. Both players, he said, required patience and an open mind to unlock their full potential.
“Going through that with Giannis — a lot of people disagreed at the time, but it turned out all right,” Kidd said. “You have to see what’s coming in the future. The more ball handlers you have that can handle different situations, the better. Giannis didn’t have a three-point shot when he was 18 or 19, but once we gave him the ball, he had to be guarded. His unselfishness and passing vision at that size made him unique, and that’s what makes him one of the best players in the world.”
The Mavericks have used Flagg in multiple roles early in the season — toggling between wing, secondary initiator, and at times even point-forward responsibilities. Kidd said those adjustments are part of the growth process.
“Cooper’s playing the game the right way, trying to make the right plays,” Kidd said. “He’ll do it at a very high level as time goes on.”
Balancing Freedom and Structure
Kidd has emphasized that he’s not looking for perfection from his 18-year-old forward, but for intent and poise.
“We’ll live with the turnovers if the intent is right,” Kidd said earlier this week. “He’s trying to make the right play for teammates at 18 years old. The process will make him better as time goes forward.”
That trust has shown in Flagg’s confidence with the ball, particularly as a playmaker. In Dallas’ recent win over Washington, Kidd noted that Flagg “took control of the game with the pass and the tempo” in the fourth quarter.
Flagg, for his part, said the experience of adjusting to NBA physicality and speed is challenging but rewarding.
“You have to use physicality,” he said. “Everybody’s gonna be physical with you. If you’re not ready to play with physicality yourself, you can’t really get anywhere.”
Patience With Purpose
Kidd believes that, just as with Antetokounmpo, the payoff will come with time and repetition — and that Flagg’s willingness to learn gives him the foundation to eventually lead at the highest level.
“The process isn’t always easy,” Kidd said. “But when you see the work, the attitude, and how much he wants to learn — that’s what gets you excited. He’s going to be special.”
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