‘He’s Only 18’: Max Christie On Cooper Flagg’s Initial Showing As Dallas Mavericks’ Point Forward

Grant AfsethOctober 24, 2025October 24, 2025no comment

Max Christie, Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, NBA

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

When Max Christie talks about Cooper Flagg, the tone isn’t surprise — it’s admiration. The Dallas Mavericks guard said he’s been impressed by how the 18-year-old No. 1 pick has handled the steepest responsibility of all: running an NBA offense in his very first game.

“It’s the first game, and he’s 18,” Christie said after Thursday’s practice. “We’re asking him to do a lot running the point guard position. I wouldn’t say it’s his natural position — he didn’t play it much in college or high school — so it’s new for him. Any rookie has a learning curve, and then you add the challenge of being the point guard. But as teammates and coaches, we all believe in him. We know what he can do, and last night was just part of the learning process. We’re all supporting him.”

Flagg’s debut came under bright lights — a 125-92 loss to the San Antonio Spurs on opening night. With Kyrie Irving sidelined as he recovers from ACL surgery, the Mavericks leaned on Flagg to initiate offense against one of the NBA’s most disruptive defenses.

Composure Through Adversity

Flagg finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds but acknowledged that it wasn’t his sharpest showing.

“Not great,” Flagg said. “Obviously, I didn’t play incredibly well. But you got to move past it and try to focus on Friday (against Washington). It’s basketball. It’s not always going to go your way. It’s not always going to be perfect. But you got to adjust and be better on the fly.”

Christie said that kind of perspective — calm, accountable, and forward-looking — is what sets Flagg apart for his age.

“His bounce-back,” Christie said. “He had a double-double in his first game — 10 points and 10 rebounds — and that’s phenomenal. Even though his shot wasn’t falling, he still impacted the game. For an 18-year-old, it’s easy to get up and down emotionally, but he stayed active and helped in other ways.”

Finding Rhythm at the Point

After a scoreless first half, Flagg began to find his footing in the third quarter, scoring on a mix of mid-range jumpers and drives that drew contact. He said the adjustment came from reflecting on what the Spurs’ defense was giving him.

“No, just reflecting — thinking about the first half and taking what the defense was giving me,” Flagg said. “Trying to assert myself a bit, but just taking what was there. I got to be a little more aggressive off the rip.”

Head coach Jason Kidd praised the way Flagg responded in those moments.

“I thought he did a really good job trying to get others involved,” Kidd said. “In that second and third quarter, he started to look to be aggressive for his shot. The more he’s in these situations, the better. He’s only 18, so being able to understand different scenarios — the more he’s in, the better.”

Christie echoed that confidence. “Coop handled it the right way — he wasn’t rattled,” he said. “You want your primary ball-handler to have that kind of poise.”

Learning From Veteran Dallas Mavericks Voices

Even from the bench, Kyrie Irving served as a steadying presence. Between quarters, he leaned over to remind Flagg to keep perspective.

“(He said) just keep your head up,” Flagg said. “It’s a long game, there were a lot of possessions left, so just forget about whatever happened and keep your head up.”

Christie said that moment didn’t go unnoticed. “That’s leadership,” he said. “When a guy like Kyrie is talking you through it during the game, it builds confidence. Coop listens, takes advice, and applies it. That’s a huge strength.”

Building Chemistry and Confidence

Christie believes the early struggles will prove valuable as the Mavericks continue to develop chemistry under a new offensive system centered on pace, spacing, and read-based actions.

“It’s a whole new offense, and it’s the first game running it,” Christie said. “We kept in perspective that it’s early, but with the mindset that last night was unacceptable. We saw on film we need better movement and to play to the next action more. We got a little stagnant.”

Flagg said the key for him moving forward is knowing when to push and when to let the game come to him.

“I think we just got a little stagnant,” Flagg said. “It’s early, so we’ve got to keep working on that, figure out our flow a little better. A lot of it comes from getting stops — that helps us push in transition and get early looks.”

Next Steps Before Washington

The Mavericks will host the Washington Wizards on Friday night at American Airlines Center, looking to bounce back from the lopsided opener. Christie said the team’s focus is clear — cleaner possessions, better communication, and staying patient with the young point forward leading the way.

“He’s versatile,” Christie said. “He can handle it, create, defend multiple positions — that’s what makes him special. He’s only going to get better the more he’s in those situations.”

Flagg, meanwhile, said the experience of opening night — even in defeat — gave him the kind of lessons film can’t teach.

“It’s basketball,” he said. “You’re going to have ups and downs. I’m just ready to get back to work and get better for the next one.”

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Grant Afseth

Senior Writer

Grant Afseth is a Senior Writer for DallasHoopsJournal.com, where he leads in-depth coverage of the Mavericks, Wings, and more. Between a focus on the latest news, closer looks at games, front office strategy, and more, Afseth provides objective coverage. Afseth contributes broader NBA coverage across platforms and has been cited in national outlets for his reporting and analysis. With nearly a decade of journalism experience, Afseth has covered the NBA and WNBA for multiple major outlets, including Athlon Sports, BallIsLife, Sportskeeda, and RG.org. He previously reported on the Indiana Pacers for CNHI’s Kokomo Tribune and the Mavericks for FanNation.

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