DHJ Quick Take: The Paul Silas Parallel
- The Blueprint: LeBron James credited his early development to late coach Paul Silas, who handed him the “keys to the franchise” as a teenage point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers. James sees the same developmental philosophy being applied to Cooper Flagg by Jason Kidd.
- The “Rough Patches”: James emphasized that putting the ball in a teenager’s hands allows them to “grow at a rate faster than other players” by forcing them to read tough NBA defenses and learn from mistakes in real-time.
- The Result: Since taking on this increased playmaking burden for the Dallas Mavericks, Flagg has averaged 21.1 points and surged to a -210 betting favorite for NBA Rookie of the Year on DraftKings and FanDuel.
DALLAS — LeBron James has seen a lot in 23 NBA seasons. Sunday night at American Airlines Center, the 41-year-old watched a 19-year-old put up 45 points against his team — and came away more impressed than bothered.
James finished with 30 points, a season-high 15 assists, and 9 rebounds in a 134-128 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. But when the final buzzer sounded, the conversation quickly shifted to Cooper Flagg — and James had plenty to say.
‘I Knew He Was Special’
James did not need Sunday night to form an opinion on Flagg. His scouting report dates back years, to long before Flagg was a Maverick, before he was a Blue Devil, before he was a lottery pick. James tracked him on the AAU circuit as a teenager out of Maine — a relatively obscure pipeline for NBA talent — and came away convinced then that he was watching something different.
“He’s obviously special,” James said. “I’ve seen that all the way back to the AAU days when he was coming up in the ranks and playing with his team out of Maine and doing the things that he was doing on the circuit. So I knew he was special from there. He’s just taken that from what he was doing back home to the AAU circuit to Duke, and now here he is just getting better and better and better.”
Flagg, for his part, did not hide what it meant to share the floor with someone he had grown up watching. He is 19 years old. James has been in the NBA for longer than Flagg has been alive — his debut came on Oct. 29, 2003, more than two years before Flagg was born on Dec. 21, 2005.
“It’s pretty cool,” Flagg said. “Obviously, he’s somebody that when I was a little kid, I was watching him go through his whole career. So it’s really impressive, first of all, just to watch him and see him be able to do the things that he’s still able to do out there. But it’s a dream come true. These are the moments, these are the times — to be able to match up against somebody like that, the career he’s had, he is obviously one of the greatest, so it’s incredible.”
The Paul Silas Parallel
James was asked whether he sees similarities between Flagg’s introduction to the league and his own arrival in Cleveland as a teenager, when he was handed the keys to a struggling franchise. His answer was detailed and personal.
“I love what he’s doing. I love what he’s bringing to this franchise,” James said. “He looks like he loves the game. He’s putting in the work. J-Kidd got a little scrutinized early on because they started him at PG at times. I thought that was unfair. I think it’s great to put the ball in somebody’s hands so they can just go through the rough patches — when you go through the rough patches it allows you to grow at a rate faster than other players. That’s what Paul Silas, rest his soul, did for me. My rookie year, I basically started at PG early on. He allowed me to make mistakes and read tough defenses. So I see similarities in that on the basketball floor. Off the court, it’s a little different.”
Jason Kidd had drawn the same parallel before tip-off, describing the shared experience of two teenagers dropped into franchise cornerstone roles with little margin for error.
“It’s just with all the excitement or the hype of being able to play a game as a teenager in a man’s game,” Kidd said pregame. “And the understanding of the expectations on a nightly basis — taking on the number one or number two defender, or being double-teamed. The similarities of being able to score the ball, to be able to play the game at a high level, and have fun doing it.”
‘He’s Been in a Zone’
James was careful not to frame Sunday night as an outlier. He has been watching Flagg all season — not just as an opponent, but as a student of the game who recognizes what he is seeing. The 51-point game against Orlando on Friday was stunning. The 45-point performance on Sunday was confirmation. But James’s point was that neither game came out of nowhere.
The foundation had been laid all season with high-level production against the league’s best defenders, on a roster that has asked its 19-year-old franchise cornerstone to carry more than any rookie should reasonably be expected to.
“He’s been in a zone over the last couple of games,” James said. “But also just been playing consistent basketball all year. As a fan of him and a fan of the game, from early in the season to where he is today, that’s great.”
That consistency is reflected in Flagg’s numbers. He has averaged 21.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists across 66 games this season — production he has delivered while drawing the opposition’s primary defender on virtually every possession and operating as the unquestioned first option on one of the league’s most depleted rosters.
On the Rookie of the Year Race
James weighed in on the award race without hesitation, while making sure to acknowledge the full class.
“It’s a great rookie class,” James said. “You look at VJ Edgecombe in Philly, you look at Kon Knueppel in Charlotte, you look at Dylan Harper in San Antonio — all those guys are making an impact on their respective teams. So the league’s in good hands with those rookies.”
The implication was clear. So was the market’s reaction. Flagg entered Sunday night as a +550 longshot on DraftKings and FanDuel and closed it as a -210 favorite after back-to-back games of 51 and 45 points.
James did not need the odds to tell him what he already knew.
“He looks like he loves the game,” James said. “He’s putting in the work. So he’s gotten better. And he’s just going to keep getting better and better and better.”
More Cooper Flagg & Dallas Mavericks Coverage
- ‘A Dream Come True’: Cooper Flagg Makes NBA History Again As Dallas Mavericks End 14-Game Home Skid With 134-128 Win Over Los Angeles Lakers
- ‘He Will Be Unstoppable’: Cooper Flagg’s Three-Point Statement Gives Blueprint For NBA Dominance
- ‘They’re Very Similar’: Jason Kidd Breaks Down The LeBron James Parallels For Cooper Flagg
- ‘He’s In Rare Air’: Cooper Flagg Scores 51 Points In Historic Performance, But Dallas Mavericks Fall To Orlando Magic
- ‘I Wish We Could Give It To Both’: Dirk Nowitzki Calls For Co-Rookie Of The Year For Cooper Flagg And Kon Knueppel
- ‘He’s Given Me That Confidence’: Cooper Flagg Credits Jason Kidd For Playmaking Evolution
- ‘Mentally Taxing’: Cooper Flagg Opens Up On Weight Of Losing Dallas Mavericks Season
- ‘We Don’t Talk About Rookie Of The Year’: Cooper Flagg And Kon Knueppel Keep Duke Brotherhood Above The Race
- ‘I Like Making The Right Play’: Cooper Flagg Shows Decision‑Making Beyond His Years As NBA’s Youngest Player
- ‘I’ve Learned A Lot’: Khris Middleton Is Helping Cooper Flagg Grow As A Professional Scorer
