The Mavericks may have found a useful addition for Cooper Flagg’s development in Rob Fodor, and the biggest reason is simple: Flagg’s outside shot has room to grow.
As a rookie, Flagg was excellent in almost every area, but he finished at just 29.5 percent from beyond the arc on 3.5 attempts per game last season. That’s the part of his game Dallas can still push forward, and Fodor arrives with a track record that suggests he can help.
Fodor spent the last 10 seasons as a shooting and player development coach with the Miami Heat, and he played a key role in Duncan Robinson’s rise into one of the league’s best movement shooters. He has also spent time on his YouTube channel breaking down the jump shot in detail, which fits the reputation he’s built as someone who obsesses over every part of the motion.
That kind of attention could matter for Flagg, especially when it comes to shots he creates himself. Fodor understands that shooting is more layered than it looks on TV, and that approach could be valuable for a player who still has clear room to improve from deep.
There should also be a natural boost from the return of Kyrie Irving, which will give Flagg more space to work with. More catch-and-shoot chances should be coming his way, but he’ll still have plenty of moments where he has to generate offense from the perimeter on his own.
One part of Flagg’s jumper that stands out is his high release point. It helps keep his shot from being blocked, but it can also throw off his base, especially when there’s side-to-side movement involved. That’s the kind of detail Fodor is built to work on.
If Fodor can tighten Flagg’s base and help him extend his range, the 3-point numbers could climb into the mid-thirties next season. That’s not a guarantee, though, and it’s fair to remember that Flagg is only 19 and was still below 30 percent from outside a year ago. Even a modest improvement would be a strong sign that the work is taking hold.
It’s too early to label Flagg an elite or even league-average 3-point shooter, but Fodor gives him a real path in that direction. If that shot starts to come around, Flagg’s driving, playmaking and mid-range game would become even tougher to handle, and All-Star and All-NBA honors would start to look a lot more realistic.
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