The Dallas Mavericks launched their 2025 training camp on Tuesday with a spirited first practice that set an encouraging tone for the weeks ahead. Head coach Jason Kidd praised his team’s energy, communication, and competitiveness as they began building toward the new season.
“Day one, yeah. I thought it was great,” Kidd said. “The energy was high, the talk was high. It was a positive day. For the length of time that we were out there, there were a lot of positive things.”
Dallas Mavericks Eye Championship Habits
Kidd emphasized that early practices are about more than drills. He wants his group to establish “championship habits,” with a focus on player-to-player communication and resilience.
“We’ve talked about having fun. We talked about championship habits,” Kidd said. “And I think just the relationship building, being able to talk, having player-to-player conversations. When players are talking to each other, they’re figuring it out. I thought it was a lot of that today.”
The head coach noted that the competition level was high across all three practice groups, with players pushing each other in each drill.
“All three teams were trying to win in the drills,” Kidd said. “We’re pushing each other to be the best, to make the game hard. The guys executed at a high level, especially for a first day with a lot of teaching.”
Cooper Flagg Impresses in Debut
Top overall draft pick Cooper Flagg drew early praise for his commitment and energy in his first official NBA practice. Kidd highlighted Flagg’s role as one of several options in the frontcourt rotation, alongside Anthony Davis, Daniel Gafford, and Dereck Lively II.
“You can see a lot of teams are going with two bigs,” Kidd said. “The last couple championship teams have gone with two bigs. So, there’s a balance—shooting threes, taking layups, getting free throws. For us, it’s going to be a balance of having two bigs, having one big. It doesn’t have to be AD. It could be Gaff, it could be D-Live, it could be Coop. We’re very fortunate to have a lot of different options.”
Flagg’s intensity stood out throughout the day, reflecting the competitiveness Kidd has emphasized as part of the Mavericks’ identity.
Veterans Set the Tone
Dallas also saw strong leadership from its veterans. D’Angelo Russell impressed Kidd with his vocal presence on day one, showing no hesitation to guide new teammates despite being in his first camp with the franchise.
“He fits in. Day one, he was great,” Kidd said. “Being new, sometimes you can be hesitant to talk, but I thought his voice with his new teammates was at a high level, and we need that. He’s a vet. His skillset is extremely high, but I thought his voice was really good today.”
Kidd also singled out Dennis Smith Jr. for his standout performance with the “white team” during practice.
“Dennis was great. He was another guy that stood out in day one,” Kidd said. “His energy—we all know his abilities, super athletic—but I thought he was really good with the white team today.”
Looking Ahead
With a revamped coaching staff and a mix of star veterans and young talent, the Mavericks will continue camp in Vancouver before shifting into preseason play. Kidd said the foundation laid on the first day gives the team something to build on moving forward.
“Day one, yeah. There was a lot of positive response to the teaching, a lot of energy,” Kidd said. “We’re beginning to understand. We’ve got a long way to go, but I thought today’s energy was at a very high level, and it’s something to build on for tomorrow.”
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